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Stormers stay in the top two

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 18:57

Strong tackle: Stormers star Bryan Habana into a Cheetahs wall

The Stormers cemented their place in the top two of the Super 14 standings with an accomplished 21-8 win over a determined Cheetahs team in Cape Town on Saturday.

In a game where defence, on both sides, was the outstanding feature, the Stormers outscored the Cheetahs by two tries to one.

Had they collected a four-try bonus point they would have overtaken compatriots the Bulls at the top of the standings, but the win was a fine effort nonetheless.

The Stormers had almost 70 percent of the possession and almost an equal amount of advantage in territory stakes in the first half, but they held a narrow 13-5 lead at the break - a half that saw just one try each by the teams.

This was an intense match, in the best tradition of internecine warfare in South Africa. They are not pretty, flowing matches but involvement in them, even as a spectator, is all-consuming. And it was not different foe there players, officials an more than 43 000 spectators. Afterwards Allister Coetzee, the Stormers' coach, said it was a match of "test quality".

The Stormers had a disruption to their side. Peter Grant did a quad in the kicking warm-up and Willem de Waal, who was on the bench stepped up into the flyhalf berth, with Fabien Juries on the bench.

The way the Cheetahs started off it was obvious that it was going to battle. Of course, the fury of the start abated somewhat but did not disappear. At the kick-off Lionel Mapoe, a splendid athlete, leapt high to win the ball. Then the Cheetahs kicked a high diagonal to their right, but Brok Harris was there and Jongi Nokwe knocked on The Stormers got downfield, the Cheetahs kicked and several of their players were within 10 metres of where the ball came down. Penalty to the Stormers, and Joe Pietersen goaled the long kick. 3-0 after 2 minutes.

There was a bit of to-ing and fro-ing of kicks and then Naas Olivier knocked on a long kick. The Stormers were putting pressure on the Cheetahs. Dewaldt Duvenage charged down an attempted clearance by Sarel Pretorius but, under pressure from Jaque Fourie, Olivier flykicked the ball into touch. Tiaan Liebenberg overthrew the line-out.

When Pretorius took the ball back into his 22 and kicked directly into touch, the Stormers mauled the line-out but the Cheetahs were ready for it and repulsed, them but not entirely legal and Wian du Preez was penalised for his part in bringing it down. Methodical Pietersen goaled. 6-0 after 11 minutes.

Now the Stormers were getting top and started attacking with many phases - left, right and left again with Fourie and Bryan Habana prominent. When they went the width of the field left, there were no defenders to stop Pietersen who swept round towards the posts. 13-0 after 24 minutes.

The Cheetahs consistent tactic in the first half was the short chip over the Stormers. Aware that the Stormers were the best defensive side in the Super 14 they sought to get beyond them with kicks. Going left Meyer Bosman chipped into the Stormers' 22. The ball bounced awkwardly for the defence but not for Robert Ebersohn who collected the bouncing ball and, as he was tackled, gave to Bosman who scored. Surprisingly, Olivier missed the easy conversion. 15-5 after 29 minutes.

The Stormers had the better opportunities in the rest of the half, first when debutant Tim Whitehead, broke and then when, from a maul the Stormers again went wide and attacked. It stopped hen they knocked on five metres from the Cheetahs' line.

Early in the second half De Waal kicked one of his long kicks, but Olivier caught it and from some 45 m,t res out, dropped a soaring goal. 13-8 after 45 minutes.

Jaque Fourie's try was excellent. The Stormers attacked on the right and as Schalk Burger was being bundled into touch at the corner, he got a miraculous pass infield where Fourie gathered to score. 18-8 after 53 minutes, but the Cheetahs were having more and more of the Stormers' territory.

Pietersen suffered a bang to the hip and left the field, replaced by Sireli Naqelevuki who went to the right wing with Gio Aplon going to fullback, where he has played before.

In a rare Stormer attack, Jaque Fourie beat four Cheetahs in close attendance. Coenie Oosthuizen was penalised at a scrum and De Waal goaled. 21-8 after 61 minutes. It was clear that the Stormers would win and they had chances even if they did not add to their score.

When Tewis de Bruyn kicked a lazy kick into the Stormers' 22, Aplon went on a characteristic run, skating downfield for some 50 metres on a mazy run.

In this half the Stormers were penalised nine times, the Cheetahs twice. Penalties helped the Cheetahs. They kicked on into touch. For the next one five metres from the Stormers' line, Olivier shaped to kick for touch but instead tapped and set Juan Smith charging at the line. The defence was firm, the Cheetahs knocked on and the Stormers broke out in counterattack.

When De Waal kicked high and the normally safe Hennie Daniller knocked on, Whitehead sent Burger racing away.

Man of the Match: For the Cheetahs Juan Smith was never beaten and Lionel Mapoe was always threatening till he left the field with a suspected shoulder injury. For the Stormers, Tim Whitehead had an excellent debut, Jaque Fourie, getting more ball, showed his class, Schalk Burger was here, there and everywhere, now a more creative player but still as exuberant as ever, François Louw and Andries Bekker but our choice is small, committed, electric Gio Aplon. He was the most exciting runner on the field and as effective a tackler as anybody.

The scorers:

For the Stormers:
Tries: Pietersen, Fourie
Con: Pietersen
Pens: Pietersen 2, De Waal

For the Cheetahs:
Try: Bosman
DG: Olivier

The teams:

Stormers: 15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Tim Whitehead, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Willem de Waal, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Schalk Burger (captain), 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Anton van Zyl, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Wicus Blaauw.
Replacements: 16 Deon Fourie, 17 JC Kritzinger, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Pieter Louw, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Fabian Juries, 22 Sireli Naqelevuki.

Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Lionel Mapoe, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Naas Olivier, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Frans Viljoen, 7 Juan Smith (captain), 6 Hendro Scholtz, 5 Waltie Vermeulen, 4 Nico Breedt, 3 WP Nel, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez.
Replacements: 16 Ryno Barnes, 17 Coenie Oosthuizen, 18 Barend Pieterse, 19 Kabamba Floors, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Corné Uys, 22 Danwel Demas.

Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Pro Legoete (South Afgrica), Reuben Rossouw (South Africa)
TMO: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)

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