Cheetahs upstage Stormers in Bloem

The Cheetahs produced another upset on a weekend of Super Rugby surprises, beating the Stormers 25-17 in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Without five of their Springboks – including Willie le Roux, Cornal Hendricks, Heinrich Brüssow, Lodewyk de Jager and Coenie Oosthuizen – it was the youngsters that upstaged the more established Stormers stars.

They outscored the Cape Town-based outfit by three tries to two, but in the end it was goal-kicking that cost the Stormers.

Replacement Kurt Coleman missed three kickable shots at goal, all of them in the second half when the Stormers attempted to claw their way back from trailing 10-18 at half-time.

Although a try saw them close the gap to just one point (17-19) going into the final quarter, the Cheetahs held on – scoring a sublime try from a turnover to seal the win.

It dented the Super Rugby title hopes of their fellow South Africans.

Title hopefuls, the Stormers, started the match at Free State Stadium as favourites after three consecutive victories, but finished it pointless.

An injury-enforced half-time substitution played a crucial role in the outcome as Stormers flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis was replaced by Kurt Coleman.

In the opening half, Catrakilis slotted a penalty and a conversion to increase to 27 his consecutive successful kicks at goal this season.

But Coleman succeeded only with a conversion from almost in front of the posts, while fluffing four penalty shots – including a stoppage-time effort to try and snatch a losing bonus point.

Stormers dominated the scrums, with two sets of front row forwards giving endless problems to the Cheetahs.

But the Cheetahs stole the ball at three consecutive first-half line-outs, as the Stormers' problems in that area carried over from a narrow home win over the Bulls last weekend.

And the visitors struggled to contain the in-your-face attitude of the Cheetahs, who stayed 12th overall after a fourth victory in 11 outings.

This spirit was exemplified by young Sergeal Petersen, a former Southern Kings wing making his Super Rugby debut for the Bloemfontein outfit.

Barely recognisable from his Kings days with a clean-shaven look giving way to a bushy beard and flowing dreadlocks, brave Petersen was constantly involved in defence and attack.

He had a major role in the try of the match on 25 minutes, placing a grubber kick into the path of wing Rayno Benjamin, who booted the ball before grabbing it and sliding over.

That score gave the hosts an 18-3 lead that was trimmed before the break by a converted try from Stormers wing Dillyn Leyds.

Skipper and No.8 Duane Vermeulen barged over for a second converted Stormers try on 56 minutes to leave his side just one point behind.

It seemed only a matter of time before the visitors would forge ahead, but Coleman missed chance after chance and the Cheetahs snatched a third try 10 minutes from time.   

Fullback Clayton Blommetjies burst through a midfield gap and sprinted over under the bar for a try flyhalf Joe Pietersen converted.

Centre Michael van der Spuy was the Cheetahs' other try-scorer and former Stormer Pietersen contributed 10 points through two conversions and two penalties.

Joe Pietersen (two – second and 17th minutes) and Demetri Catrakilis (15th minute) exchanged penalties before the game burst into life in the second quarter.

It started with a powerful burst from former Stormer Michael van der Spuy, brushing off a feeble attempted tackle by Juan de Jongh, to get the Cheetahs into the Stormers 22. After a couple of phases by the Cheetahs Van der Spuy picked up a loose ball and he darted over for the first try of the match. Pietersen added the conversion – 13-3 after 22 minutes.

Three minutes later the Cheetahs attacked from deep, before Clayton Blommetjies produced a huge up-and-under and Nick Groom kicking it back. This time the Cheetahs' counter was a lot more effective – Sergeal Petersen accelerated and then put a grubber though, with Rayno Benjamin hacking it ahead and racing clear of the cover to get a second try. Pietersen's conversion attempt was wide, but at 18-3 it was a commanding position for the home team.

The Stormers needed a response and it came swiftly – Damian de Allende jinked past a defender from an inside pass by Catrakilis. Groom played left and Schalk Burger found some space down the touchline. He pulled in two defenders and then off-loaded to Dillyn Leyds on his outside. Leyds finished off the try. Catrakilis added the extras – 10-18.

That is how it stayed to the half-time break.

Kurt Coleman, on for an injured Catrakilis, and Pietersen both missed long-range penalty attempts, before the Stormers got back on the scoreboard.

From a scrum penalty, which became a line-out, the Stormers took the ball through multiple phases – going side to side – before Duane Vermeulen burst over from close range. Coleman's conversion made it a one-point game (17-18), as the game headed into the final quarter.

Coleman pushed two kickable shots well wide, before Clayton Blommetjies burst through a gap after Tienie Burger had won a crucial turnover. The conversion made it an eight-point (25-17) game with 10 minutes to go.

Coleman had a late chance to salvage a losing bonus point for the Stormers, but his radar was not functioning and the men from Cape Town went home empty handed.

Man of the match: Duane Vermeulen and Schalk Burger were the Stormers most productive players, by some distance. Ryno Benjamin showed his Sevens skills, Michael van der Spuy showed the Stormers that they may have been premature in letting him go and Joe Pietersen showed just how valuable he is to the Cheetahs at flyhalf. Willie Britz, Johannes Prinsloo, Tienie Burger, Francois Uys and Carl Wegner all worked very hard against the star-studded Stormers pack. However, our award goes to Cheetahs fullback Clayton Blommetjies – not just did he keep the Stormers pinned inside their own half with effective kicking, but his running lines were sublime. And he produced the try that put the final nail in the Stormers' coffin.

The scorers:

For the Cheetahs:

Tries: Van der Spuy, Benjamin Blommetjies

Cons: Pietersen 2

Pens: Pietersen 2

For the Stormers:

Tries: Leyds, Vermeulen

Cons: Catrakilis, Coleman

Pen: Catrakilis

Teams:

Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Ryno Benjamin, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Michael van der Spuy, 11 Sergeal Petersen, 10 Joe Pietersen, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Willie Britz, 7 Johannes Prinsloo, 6 Tienie Burger, 5 Francois Uys (captain), 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Nicolaas van Dyk, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1 Caylib Oosthuizen.

Replacements: 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 Dolph Botha, 18 Ewald van der Westhuizen, 19 Steven Sykes, 20 Carel Greeff, 21 Tian Meyer, 22 Francois Brummer, 23 Danie Dames.

Stormers: 15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Johnny Kotze, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Jean Kleyn, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Mbongeni Mbonambi, 1 Oliver Kebble.

Replacements: 16 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17 Alistair Vermaak, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Manuel Carizza, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Huw Jones.

Referee: Craig Joubert

Assistant referees: Jason Jaftha and Rodney Boneparte

TMO: Johan Greeff