Classy Stormers bounce back
Sat, 10 Apr 2010 09:35
Peter Grant - On target for the Stormers. (c) Doug Fitz-Gerald
The Stormers produced an excellent 15-man performance to beat the Blues 33-21 at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday.
This Super 14 clash was a cracker from start to finish with both sets of loose forwards giving huge value to their respective team's performances and the match-up between two skilful backlines providing passages of wonderfully skilful play.
This was a superb performance by the Stormers - worthy of lavish praise because it was a convincing victory against a strong team playing at home in Auckland, a team which last week comfortably beat the hitherto unbeaten defending champions.
The Stormers won set-piece possession and lots of ball from phases too. They used it effectively, and against a less organised, less stubborn defence would have scored more tries. And again, as almost always this season, the defence was commendably tight.
They looked as dynamic and sharp this week against the Blues as they had appeared lethargic and out of sorts last week against the Force.
It helped, too, to have Peter Grant goaling seven out of seven shots at goal after his five from five last week.
On the basis of this performance, the Cape Town-based team look a good bet for the play-offs.
The Blues came up against the best defence in the competition and though their ball retention improved after half-time, they gave away too many turnovers to win the game.
The loss of their two first-choice props before the game and then their next best prop early in the first half didn't help, but conceding fewer turnovers would have allowed their dangerous backs to attack more frequently.
They will be disappointed with their inability to curtail the Stormers game-breakers while bringing their own game-breakers into the game so infrequently.
Peter Grant opened the scoring in the seventh minute when after sustained attacking continuity from the Stormers inside the Blues 22, the defending backs strayed offside in front of their posts and the Stormers flyhalf kicked the close-range penalty goal (3-0).
The visitors went 10-0 ahead in the 13th minute when from an aimless Rene Ranger kick, Gio Aplon counter-attacked brilliantly, beating a host of defenders before transferring to Tiaan Liebenberg, who fed Jaque Fourie on his inside. The Springbok centre finished, Grant converted, and the visitors had taken a handy lead.
The Stormers went 17-0 up in the 23rd minute when from line-out inside the Blues 22 - after a superbly executed kick for touch from a penalty by Grant - the Stormers driving maul was stopped just short of the line and from the ensuing ruck, Dewaldt Duvenage dived over defenders to score. Grant converted.
In the 32nd minute the Blues conceded a penalty at a ruck close to their goal-line and Grant goaled the angled penalty goal (20-0).
The Blues hit back two minutes later when, following a long run by Isaia Toeava from just outside his 22, Joe Rokocoko fed Serge Lilo who crashed over for the home team's first points. Brett converted and the lead had been reduced to 20-7.
The Stormers had been clinically efficient in the first half and on the run of play the Blues were fortunate to be trailing by only 13 points, since it was the visitors who had created the bulk of the try-scoring opportunities and only desperate Blues defence had prevented more tries being scored by the visitors.
The Blues had made errors under pressure, conceding too many turnovers, but they had shown in the last few minutes of the half that their attacking skills remained a real threat.
The Stormers had a golden chance to score early in the second half when Bryan Habana showed exceptional skill in beating defenders, but with an open line beckoning, Aplon dropped the flying left wing's pass.
But the visitors went 23-7 up in the 44th minute when the Blues conceded a breakdown penalty near their tryline and Grant goaled.
For the next few minutes, the Blues camped inside the Stormers 22, exerting sustained pressure before the Stormers ran out of defenders out wide, Luke McAlister scored and Brett converted. With 28 minutes to play the lead had been reduced to 23-14.
The Blues were protecting the ball far better and enjoying all the attacking momentum in the second half that the Stormers had enjoyed in the first half, but the Stormers defence held and it was the vistors who scored a try against the run of play.
Aplon kicked a long touch, the Blues butchered the line-out, Duane Vermeulen grabbed the spilt ball and replacement lock Anton van Zyl ran 30 metres for a try in the corner. Grant converted and the Stormers led 30-14 after 59 minutes.
But the Blues scored a minute later when Rokocoko broke the first defensive line and fed Toeava. The fullback timed his return pass to Rokocoko perfectly for the left wing to score unchallenged under the posts. Brett goaled and the deficit had been reduced to nine points with 19 minutes to go (30-21).
Grant took the lead to 33-21 two minutes later when the Blues failed to release the ball in a tackle and the flyhalf made no mistake with the penalty goal.
As time ran out, the Stormers tried to score a fourth try for a bonus point and the Blues tried to secure bonus points for four tries and for losing by seven points or fewer, but defences held and there was no further scoring - leaving the Stormers with four log points and the Blues with none.
The visitors had deserved their win, playing so much better than they had against the Force - admirably clinical for much of the game - while the Blues had simply not done enough to win.
Man of the Match: It was a wonderful team effort by the Stormers, with all three loose forwards outstanding, but the performance of Andries Bekker was exceptional. He did everything required of a lock as a tight forward and a great deal more - he may be the most mobile second row forward in the world.
The scorers:
For the Blues:
Tries: Lilo, McAlister, Rokocoko
Cons: Brett 3
For the Stormers:
Tries: J Fourie, Duvenage, Van Zyl
Cons: Grant 3
Pens: Grant 4
The teams:
Blues: 15 Isaia Toeava, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Rene Ranger, 12 Luke McAlister, 11 Rudi Wulf, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Viliami Ma’afu, 7 Serge Lilo, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Anthony Boric, 4 Kurtis Haiu, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 Keven Mealamu (captain), 1 Tevita Mailau.
Replacements: 16 Tom McCartney, 17 Mike Reid, 18 Filo Paulo, 19 Peter Saili, 20 Chris Smylie, 21 Dan Kirkpatrick, 22 Paul Williams.
Stormers: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Sireli
Naqelevuki, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Juan de Jongh, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 François Louw, 6 Schalk Burger (captain), 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Adriaan Fondse, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 JD Moller.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 Eusebio Guinazu, 18 Anton van Zyl, 19 Pieter Louw, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Willem de Waal, 22 Tim Whitehead.
Referee: Stuart Dickinson
Assistant referees: Chris Pollock, Matthew Stanish
TMO: Glenn Newman
By Len Kaplan
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