'Tahs pile more misery on Stormers

 

It was a similar script for the wounded Stormers, coming close and fighting hard but not being able to get over the line as the Waratahs were able to convert points at every visit to the home teams half.

 

In this physical, abrasive game the tackles and defensive work from both teams could only be described as brutal.

 

It  clearly added to the low score but it took nothing away from a great spectacle of hard fought rugby.

 

The game was full of tough battles with loads of physical play from the forwards.

 

The set pieces were evenly shared though with the Waratahs getting the upper hand in the scrums, costing the Stormers a try, but the Stormers lineouts, and even their tight phases, looked very slick.

 

The first half was a tight battle between the teams as both looked to give the ball a lot of width – a try a piece saw the Waratahs go in at half time with a slight lead.

 

It really should have been the Stormers leading as the players headed into the shed, Peter Grant's Radar was off on some of the simpler kicks. 

 

The Stormers were the first on the board through a Peter Grant penalty but it was almost not to be as the Stormers flyhalf struck the upright and it just snuck over.

 

It was all Stormers in the beginning of the game even though they had to work hard for their three points.

 

However it was not to last long as Nick Phipps was first to react from a sloppy scrum, Duane Vermeulen was unable to control the ball at the base and the Waratahs scrumhalf was just about able to stretch over for the try.

 

Bernard Foley was on hand to give the Waratahs a four point lead with a good conversion.

 

Although the Stormers coughed up a try with a poor scrum, the rest of their set phases were solid, they earned penalties from powerful rolling mauls after confidently securing their lineouts and even won some against the throw.

 

De Jongh was looking potent in the first half breaking tackles and finding space.

 

It was exemplified when he broke the Waratahs defensive line allowing him to offload to Kobus van Wyk who sprinted over the white-wash for his first try in Super Rugby.

 

Grant couldn't add the extra points, his kicking game looked a little wobbly throughout.

 

The Waratahs should have paid for some of their silly errors, such as the high tackle from Kane Douglas, but Peter Grant's miss from the resulting penalty meant points left out on the paddock.

 

The Waratahs snatched back the lead through an easy penalty for Foley with only about five minutes left in the half.

 

The first half was a bit of an arm wrestle with the lead swapping hands on a few occasions but it was the visitors that went into the shed with the slender two point lead.

 

Into the second half the Waratahs looked to extend their lead with a penalty kick after Nizaam Carr was adjudged to be offsides.

 

The 'Tahs turned to Beale to take the shot as it was out of range for usual kicker, Bernard Foley; even at this early stage both captains had become aware that every point and opportunity would be vital.

 

The weak Stormers scrum cost the home team more points, this time Steven Kitshoff was penalised and Bernard Foley, who took back the kicking duties for the shorter ones, added the three points meaning the Stormers would have to score twice in order to get the lead back.

 

The second attempt at the line for the Stormers needed another look, Juan de Jongh was able to thrust his way over the line but Glen Jackson was unsure if it was a double movement or not.

 

It fell on the TMO to decide the matter with Shaun Veldsman judging that it was no try.

 

Instead the Stormers got three points from a penalty that the referee was playing advantage for, Grant easily popping it over from in front.

 

It was up to Beale to drag the Waratahs back to a two-score lead, the playmaker's kick from about 45 metres sailed through the uprights putting the pressure back on the Stormers as the Newlands crowd started to go quiet.

 

Foley kept the score board ticking with little over 10 minutes to go, His penalty kick shaved the inside of the upright and the lead extended to 11 points.

 

The Stormers were offered a kickable, but tough shot at goal shortly after but they decided on the lineout which Dave Dennis competed for and won – things were not going the Stormers way when they really needed it to.

 

The Stormers battled hard in the last couple minutes, desperately trying to at least salvage a loosing bonus point, which is all that was available to them with less than a minute to go.

 

The Stormers will be ruing a few missed kicks and some bad decisions that could have seen a very different result.

 

Man of the Match: Juan de Jongh did a lot to keep his team in touch and was one of the few Stormers players that looked deadly. Bernard Foley also added alot to the game but in the end the Waratahs playmaker Kurtley Beale deserves the award, not only for his running game but also for the long range penalties that kept his team ahead.

 

 

Tries: Van Wyk

Pens: Grant 2

 

Tries: Phipps

Con: Foley

Pens: Foley 3, Beale 2

 

 

Stormers: 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Sailosi Tagicakibau, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Nizaam Carr, 5 Michael Rhodes, 4 Ruan Botha, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Steven Kitshoff.

Replacements: 16 Stephan Coetzee, 17 Oliver Kebble, 18 Brok Harris, 19 Mthetheleli Fuzani, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Nic Groom, 22 Demetri Catrakilis, 23 Michael van der Spuy.

 

Waratahs: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Alofa Alofa, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Jono Lance, 11 Peter Betham, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Dave Dennis (captain), 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Jacques Potgieter, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Will Skelton, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.

Replacements: 16 Silatolu Latu, 17 Jeremy Tilse, 18 Paddy Ryan, 19 Patrick McCutcheon, 20 Stephen Hoiles, 21 Brendan McKibbin, 22 Matt Carraro, 23 Cam Crawford.

 

Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: Mike Fraser (New Zealand), Quinton Immelman (South Africa)

TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)