Rugby: Brumbies victory silences stadium

Newlands fell silent as a late intercept try to flanker George Smith and a missed kick by Stormers fullback Joe Pietersen earned the Brumbies a valuable 19-17 away win in a grinding clash against the Stormers in Cape Town yesterday.

Man-of-the-match Smith posted his second try in as many weeks in the 77th-minute, when he picked off a pass from Stormers prop Brok Harris and sprinted 30m for a game-breaking five-pointer. Five-eighth Matt Giteau added the conversion to four previous penalties.

Smith performed to his usual high standard in the rucks and mauls but was also a useful weapon on attack for the Brumbies - who, even though they were defeated by the Bulls last week showed signs that suggested a win against the Stormers might not be out of the question.

However, Newlands buzzed with anticipation as the previously unbeaten Stormers had the chance to earn a draw at the death, when flanker Pieter Louw scored a last-minute try.

Pietersen, however, was off target with his conversion attempt and the ground fell silent as the Brumbies secured their second win in three games.

A scrappy game featuring strong defence, attritional forward battles and goalkicking, produced a 6-6 half-time stalemate, with each side kicking two close range penalties.

The Stormers came closest to scoring a try in the opening half, when Louw stretched out over the Brumbies line and touched down from a driving maul. The television match official adjudged Louw grounded the ball on the in goal line.

Poor execution and strong defence meant neither side was able to capitalise on the few try scoring opportunities created.

Pietersen twice put the Stormers three points ahead only for Giteau to answer in kind. The trend continued early in the second half, with Giteau again cancelling out a Pietersen penalty.

Pietersen registered the first miss of the night from 45 metres, before Giteau gave the Brumbies the lead for the first time.

The advantage lasted only thee minutes, as Pietersen pulled the Stormers level after Brumbies inside centre Christian Lealiifano was pinged for not rolling away.

"It wasn't a pretty performance, but we knew it wouldn't be," Brumbies captain Stephen Hoiles said in his post-match TV interview. "They are an in-form side and we just had to work hard.

"Seven of our last ten games are at home now, so it looks like a good run home, but it's as good as we'll make it.

"The touring part is over and we've got two from three, which we're very, very happy about it."

"We made way too many mistakes," captain Andries Bekker said after his 50th cap for the Stormers. "We'll have to sort the handling and kicking mistakes out. We were maybe too over-eager."

Brumbies: 19 (G Smith try; M Giteau 4 pens, con)
Stormers: 17 (P Louw try; J Pietersen 4 pens). HT: 6-6.