Blues 17 Stormers 14
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Centre Ben Atiga had three late chances to give his Blues team a victory tonight and succeeded with the last and most difficult attempt of them all for their nailbiting 17-14 win over the Stormers.
The Super 14 rugby fixture at Auckland's Eden Park looked headed for a draw after Atiga hit the post with a 69th minute penalty attempt.
Two minutes later Blues lock Kurtis Haiu was penalised for punching and Stormers first five-eighth Peter Grant succeeded with his third penalty to tie the match 14-14.
Atiga stepped up again in the 75th minute after the Stormers were penalised yet again for offside, but Atiga pushed his shot at goal right from perhaps the easiest of his late bids to win.
As the Blues continued to push ahead, the Stormers came up offside again and Atiga banged over the winner from a difficult angle on the right from just inside the 40m mark.
After two straight losses that had threatened to dampen the Blues campaign following a promising start, they managed to nudge their season back on track despite a string of injuries.
Midfielder Isaia Toeava had to be switched to first five-eighth in a reshuffled backline after regular playmaker Nick Evans was ruled out just before the game following a head knock last week.
For the Stormers, the loss followed two fine away victories, over the Reds and the Chiefs but they still managed to earn a bonus point for finishing within sevens points.
The Blues had struggled for momentum despite a 10th minute try from halfback Danny Lee in the first quarter, putting them 5-3 ahead.
While the Stormers' flat defence was one of the reasons for their failure to make inroads, their own tendency to try to spark attacks from a rather flat-standing positions added to their difficulties.
Lee scored the only try of the first half when winger Anthony Tuitavake took a high ball in a forward rush which allowed Toeava, flanker Daniel Brad and the other winger Rudi Wulf to advance the attack and put Lee clear for the line.
Atiga missed the conversion but kicked three penalties to give them a 14-6 advantage at halftime. His third penalty came after a series of infringements by the Stormers in the rucks or tackle situations that had prompted Australian referee Paul Marks to warn them and then sinbin flanker Francois Louw.
The Blues failed to take advantage of a man short in the opposition for the last 10 minutes of the first half.
The Stormers points came from two penalties by Grant.
The Blues pressed hard for the first 10 minutes of the second half without success, this time gaining good momentum but lacking the ability to penetrate. When the tide changed, the Blues couldn't defend as well as their opponents, with the Stormers scoring within minutes - through fullback Conrad Jantjes.
Former Highlanders player Tony Brown, coming into first five-eighth for the Sharks, dragged the defence to the left of a ruck close to the line and put Jantjes away.
Grant, who had switched to a midfield role, missed the conversion attempt. However he levelled the scores in the 72nd minute with a penalty after Haiu was penalised for a retaliation punch.
Atiga's winner was the last piece of action before the final whistle but the pressure kick never deviated.
Stormers' loose forwards Luke Watson, Louw and Schalk Burger and locks Andries Bekker and Adriaan Fondse were far more clinical than their counterparts when it came to supporting role on attack.
It was the efficiency of the cover defence that perhaps saved the Blues' day.
Blues captain Troy Flavell was surprisingly downcast.
"I feel a little bit disappointed, things didn't quite go to plan," he told Sky Sport.
"I'm not sure what happened with our performance tonight, we still turned over a lot of pill and errors are just costly.
"If we're going to stand a chance in the semifinals, we'll have to sharpen up."
Flavell was at least pleased with the improvement in the Blues' lineout and their continued quality at scrum time.
He also praised Toeava's ability to adapt at first five-eighth.
"I thought he went well tonight," Flavell said.
"It's not easy for a third-choice No 10 to slot into that pivotal role.
"To his credit he prepared really well this week and that went through the whole team but we just couldn't put it together tonight."
Blues 17 (Danny Lee try; Ben Atiga 4 pen), Stormers 14 (Conrad Jantjes try; Peter Grant 3 pen). Halftime: 14-6.
- NZPA
