KEY POINTS:
The Stormers moved into fourth place on the Super 14 Rugby ladder after a tightly contested 20-12 win against the Hurricanes at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town today.
Dogged determination and a fierce defence gave the Stormers the winning edge in a first half, 10-nil lead that was enough to stave off the New Zealand side.
Hurricanes swarmed into the game in the second half edging forward to get within striking distance of Stormers and dominating 75 percent of the possession in that half.
Stormers knew they were in for a hard time. Assistant coach Gary Gold said at half-time the Stormers would have to tough out an expected resurgence from the Hurricanes.
The first half was for the big forwards as the Hurricanes held back a surging tide of the Stormers pack that was relentless in its push for the line.
Hurricanes Neemia Tialata, Jeremy Thrush, Jerry Collins, who left the field with the recurrence of an upper body injury, and Rodney So'oalo kept blocking the Stormers pick and go runners.
It was the 34th minute after battering the Hurricanes line, that Stormers lock Andries Bekker found a light through tunnel of bodies and pushed his arms out to score beneath the combined weight of Rodney So'oialo and Tialata.
Ambitions of the Hurricanes took a knock at the beginning of the second half with an infringement that gave Peter Grant an easy penalty. This was followed by a try by Luke Watson against the run of play and a Grant conversion to set the Stormers ahead 20-nil.
Hurricanes had looked solid and in control, moving off the broken play to pressure the Stormers.
Rewards started to flow from 55 minutes in when half-back Piri Weepu cut wide near the Stormers 22 metre mark for Hosea Gear to accelerate into a 10 metre space down the touch line and score. The conversion was successful for Jimmy Gopperth in spite of a difficult angle.
The debut of 18-year-old newcomer Zac Guilford mid-way through the second spell ignited an opportunity for the Hurricanes next try. He stepped through the Stormers defence to five metres from the line.
The ensuing five metre scrum led to sustained pressure on the Stormers line before the ball went wide to Tialata and from the maul through Conrad Smith, Weepu, and Gopperth who took a half gap before Smith was on his shoulder and took the pass to twist his way across the line to score. The conversion was missed.
The Hurricanes knuckled down to try and work a miracle.
Stormers with Tony Brown at the first five helm had reverted to tight driving through the forwards after allowing some movement through the backs where captain Jean de Villiers tried to take advantage of opportunities.
Emerging dominance by the Hurricanes in the set forward play was neutralised with the departure of Stormers prop Brian Mujati in the 69th minute. After his departure the scrums were not contested.
Assistant coach of the Hurricanes Aussie McLean said he believed the impact of depowering the scrum was not significant in the final score.
"The Stormers had too much of a head start and their defence was outstanding," he said.
Hurricanes captain Rodney So'oialo was full of praise for the Stormers defensive line, frustrated at the Hurricanes errors, but pleased with the second half effort.
Scorers: Stormers 20, Andries Bekker, Schalk Brits try; Peter Grant 2 conversions two penalties. Hurricanes 12, Hosea Gear, Conrad Smith tries; Jimmy Gopperth conversion.
- NZPA
