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Sublime Stormers destroy Crusaders

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 21:14

Two-try hero: Stormers star Jaque Fourie - Pic: Doug Fitz-Gerald

The Stormers put a huge dent in the seven-time champion Crusaders' play-off hopes when they destroyed them - recording a 42-14 win at a packed Newlands on Friday.

It not only means that the Stormers have beaten all five Kiwi teams in one season for the first time, but they handed the Crusaders back-to-back defeats - leaving the team from New Zealand with a mountain to climb, as the Bulls await them next week.

The Stormers also cemented their second place on the standings, while the Crusaders drop down to fourth place because of a reduced points differential.

Turn back the clock just a little and this boot would have been on the other foot. Blink, open your eyes and look at the here-and-now  and wonder if you were in a dream, if the Crusaders were in blue and the Stormers in red and grey. Such is how things were but not as things are now, and the dowdy jerseys of red and grey which the Crusaders wore suited their performance. It lacked skill and ideas and in the end they were so outplayed that the score probably flattered them. The try-line said three tries to two; the difference between the two teams was much, much greater than three-two.

The Crusaders did the easily coachables well enough - scrums and contesting for the ball. In fact they outplayed the Stormers at both, but after that they did nothing much with the ball till the last five minutes when the Stormers had emptied their bench. Yet even then the Stormers finished off the match with the sort of elan the Crusaders used to have. A semifinal spot is still a possibility for the Crusaders and yet, on Friday's performance  they are not a team worthy of such a spot.

It must have been so disappointing for the great Richie McCaw who was playing his 100th Super rugby match. There was little for him to celebrate.

The match at Newlands's wonderful stadium had all the hallmarks of a Test match - and one between a South African team and a New Zealand team. The roads around about were traffic-jammed and Newlands was packed with excited fans. The match started off with intensity and it was their intensity at the breakdown and their regular flow of turnovers that saved some Crusader bacon.

The Stormers kicked off, the Crusaders were penalised for Corey Flynn's obstruction when Brad Thorn caught the ball, and Peter Grant goaled a penalty.  McCaw was penalised at a tackle. 6-0 after 5 minutes. But then the Crusaders got a try.

From the kick-off after the penalty goal, the Stormers were in their own territory and Grant was languid in kicking towards touch. In nipped Dan Carter. He charged the kick down and had an easy time gathering the bouncing ball and scoring. He converted. 7-6 to the Crusaders after 7 minutes,

They had a short moment after that with phases till Duane Vermeulen slung Robert Fruean into touch. But the Stormers regained the lead when Grant, who had missed a penalty when it struck an upright, goaled from just inside the Crusader half after Kieran Read had been penalised at a tackle. 9-7 after 20 minutes.

Before the match McCaw had proclaimed that the match would be decided in the forward exchanges. In the match the Crusaders won the forward exchanges and nothing else. Ball in hand they were beaten. One of their forward victories was at the maul, so much a weapon in the Stormers armoury. The Stormers had a line-out eight metres from the Crusaders' line and the visitors drove the Stormers away. But play was almost all in Crusaders territory and when Brad Thorn was penalised for a high tackle Grant made it 12-7. This score would grow and grow.

The Crusaders, strangely opted to kick, and in general did not do it well. The Stormers opted to run the ball and their incremental scoring by penalties did not do justice to their enthusiasm, spirit of adventure, speed and skill.

Sireli Naqelevuki had had a run down the right wing, and then came the great individual try of the 2010 Super 14, scored by the man whose try against the touring B&I Lions was voted the best try of 2009. Jaque Fourie took an inside pass from Grant and broke near the half-way line. He broke running straight as is his wont.  He raced down the middle of the field as tacklers fell in his wake, swept around Sean Maitland, beating five opponents to score a try as Slade and Maitland tried to tackle him from behind. Grant converted. 19-7 after 48 minutes.

You knew then that the Stormers would win. The difference in scoring potential was great.

The Crusaders were close after that but Chris Jack was tackled out at the corner. In the 2009 Currie Cup Jack had played for Western Province and was popular at Newlands. When he was replaced in the second half he went off to hearty applause from the Newlands faithful who loved him still, even in different colours.

François Louw, who yet again had a splendid game, burst down the right and gave to Bekker who was tackled short of the line. The Stormers went left from there, the Crusaders were severally offside and Grant made it 22-7.

When Tim Whitehead, on at left wing for Bryan Habana, chased a kick and brilliantly caught Maitland in possession, Maitland was penalised for holding on and Grant goaled.

The Crusaders started running at this stage but handled too poorly to be effective.

Grant broke and sent Naqelevuki galloping for the line. Just short Slade brought him down. The big wing popped the ball to Vermeulen who was over but just not able to ground the ball as Crusaders swarmed over him. This produced a five-metre sacrum.

There were not many scrums in the match but those that there were became messy. In the first half the sides each had just one scrum. This five-metre scrum was the Stormers' third, in the right corner. Three times it was reset and then the third time it collapsed. Ben Franks was penalised and Grant made it 28-7 with 13 minutes to play.

Now came the best part of the match for the Crusaders. They tapped a penalty and Maitland only just lost the ball as he stretched to ground it for a try.

The Crusaders did some thump-and-bang and then their handling went awry. Anton van Zyl burst away with the balk and gave to Juan de Jongh who raced ahead and then slipped a grubber ahead. Naqelevuki raced in, swooped on the ball and went round for a try under the posts. 35-7 with six minutes to play.

Vermeulen had a charge but the Crusaders came back. Zac Guildford looked about to score but Gio Aplon and Naqelevuki cut him down. Guildford got the ball to Sam Whitelock but Aplon had bounced to his feet and tackled Whitelock into touch.

From a  scrum Andy Ellis kicked a long diagonal to the right, a perfect kick. Colin Slade beat Aplon in the air for the ball and though Whitehead tackled him the fullback scored 35-14 with four minutes to play.

There was a scrum near half-way. The Stormers heeled and Vermeulen played to Ricky Januarie who have to Willem de Waal at flyhalf. De Waal played back to Januarie who sent Aplon racing away. Faced by Slade he passed inside and Jaque Fourie swept over for his second try. Grant's conversion was the last act of the match.

Afterwards Todd Blackadder, Mark Hammett and Daryl Gibson sat stunned, seeing nothing, saying nothing. But outside well after the match was over the crowds milled about in the streets around the stadium, still chattering and cheering.

Man of the Match: Jaque Fourie. He was always dangerous non attack and unyielding on defence. His was a world class performance.

The scorers:

For the Stormers:
Tries: Fourie 2, Naqelevuki
Cons: Grant 3
Pens: Grant 7

For the Crusaders:
Tries: Carter, Slade
Cons: Carter 2

Yellow card: Kieran Read (Crusaders, 40 - repeated infringements at the breakdown)

Teams:

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 Francois 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.

Crusaders: 15 Colin Slade, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Robert Fruean, 12 Ryan Crotty, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 George Whitelock, 5 Chris Jack, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett.
Replacements: 16 Ti'i Paulo, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Sam Whitelock, 19 Thomas Waldrom, 20 Andy Ellis, 21 Daniel Bowden, 22 Jared Payne.

Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
Assistant referees: Pro Legoete (South Africa), Andrew Lees (Australia)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

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