STORMERS 35
CHIEFS 26
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"Work-ons" is an expression popular with rugby players and coaches. It might mangle the English language a touch, but it is at least self-explanatory. A "work-on" is an area of the game a player or team needs to, well, improve.
The Chiefs will have no shortage of work-ons at training this week. Tackling, catching, passing, decision-making and tactical kicking will all be worked on.
It was a lack of attention to the basics that cost the Chiefs against the Stormers last night. That and a ridiculous - but apparently correct - penalty try decision by referee Matt Goddard after they had dragged themselves back into the game following a horrible first-half display.
Goddard applied one of the experimental law variations to hand the Stormers a seven-pointer with the game in the balance. If he was correct in his application of the law, and Chiefs coach Ian Foster suspected he was, then the law is an ass.
It's doubtful the new offside line at the tackle was designed to punish brilliant cover defence, but that's exactly what happened when Stormers wing Sireli Naqelevuki burst down the left. Gcobani Bobo loomed up in support and seemed certain to score before Brendon Leonard intervened with a classic cover tackle. Bobo popped the ball for Schalk Burger, who was bundled into touch just short of the line by Lelia Masaga.
Applying the new rule for the offside line at the tackle, Goddard ruled Masaga offside and gave a penalty try.
It was a bitter pill for the Chiefs, who were somehow still in the game despite being slaughtered at the breakdown and cut to pieces out wide.
"We are learning some hard lessons right now," Foster said. "We are still struggling to get parity in the collision and in the set piece. We are finding it hard to get a flow because we seem to be doing everything on the back foot at the moment."
Goddard's interpretation of the tackle-ball area did the Chiefs few favours, but neither did their persistent poor handling and kicking.
Goddard's call was the defining moment, however. A five-point deficit became 12. A Stephen Donald penalty cut it to nine but the Stormers held on despite a furious home side finish.
Donald opened the scoring with a well-struck fifth-minute penalty but the Stormers were quickly level through a 45m Peter Grant effort.
A hat-trick of Chiefs errors then invited the Stormers to score the opening try, Grant slicing through from a scrum inside the Chiefs 22.
Donald plugged away with the boot, but two more Stormers tries inside five minutes rocked the Chiefs. Wing Tonderai Chavanga caught the Chiefs napping with a sizzling break from 40m before halfback Ricky Januarie broke from a quick tap and Naqelevuki drew the cover to send fullback Conrad Jantjes over.
Richard Kahui's intercept try was utterly against the run of the play and the Stormers responded to the setback by coming within centimetres of notching a fourth first-half try.
Naqelevuki was again the creator and Jantjes looked certain to score his second, only to lose his footing and be bundled into the corner post by a desperate Mils Muliaina tackle.
There was little let up for the Chiefs, though, Grant adding a penalty on the stroke of halftime to give the visitors a 12-point lead at the break.
That lead all but evaporated within eight minutes of the restart as Donald slotted a third penalty before Masaga opened his account for the season by standing up three Stormers near the touchline and racing away to score.
The Chiefs were back in it, but their comeback ended when Goddard awarded the penalty try.
"We don't lack in courage in trying to come back but we are just starting too late," said captain Mils Muliaina.
Scorers: Stormers 35 (P Grant, T Chavanga, C Jantjes, penalty try, tries; Grant 3 pen, 3 con); Chiefs 26 (R Kahui, L Masaga tries; S Donald 4 pen, 2 con).
