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Stephen Nell
Cape Town – It’s a victory that will only be remembered because it was the first by the Stormers in Canberra, but the Cape team’s coach Allister Coetzee did not fault his side for their performance against the Brumbies under trying circumstances.
“Mission accomplished,” said Coetzee after the Stormers won an unattractive Vodacom Super Rugby match 16-3.
“It’s the first time ever that the Stormers win in Canberra and you shouldn’t fool yourself by looking at where the Brumbies are on the log. They are the team with the most line breaks in the competition and I was actually very nervous before the game.
“You can easily slip up in Canberra. The circumstances were tough. The crowd was pretty quiet and you can’t draw energy from that. The players had to try and create the energy among themselves.”
The Stormers did that with their defence. At one stage late in the game the Brumbies carried the ball for over 30 phases, but they still could not score a try.
However, the Brumbies did not have much of an attacking plan and also made handling errors at crucial times.
The Stormers also did not show much on attack. Flank Francois Louw scored their only try early in the second half. It followed a lineout in the Brumbies’ 22m-area.
Jaque Fourie touched down in the first half, but was adjudged to have shoved an opponent and therefore a try was not awarded.
Youngster Kurt Coleman understandably looked unsure of himself at flyhalf, but fortunately held his nerve when it came to goalkicking.
His first kick from 49 metres out did not make it, but after that he slotted two penalties and a conversion.
“Of course Kurt was nervous. He does not have a 28-year-old head on his shoulders. He only started training with us during last week. I’m not complaining,” Coetzee said of his 21-year-old pivot.
“The Brumbies were up for the game and it’s as if there was greater synergy among them without Matt Giteau there.”
Giteau was withdrawn on the day of the game – reportedly due to toothache. This meant that Matt Toomua, who had a loan stint at flyhalf with Western Province in 2009, started for the home side.
Toomua has since become a Wallaby, but could not slot an important penalty attempt in the 58th minute that would have brought the Brumbies within seven points of the Stormers.
Gio Aplon then stretched the Stormers’ lead to 13 points with a penalty 10 minutes from time. After that the Stormers frustrated the Brumbies with their defence for the rest of the game.
Meanwhile, Western Province also did not concede a try in beating a SWD Eagles Invitation side in a friendly match in Knysna on Saturday.
Province won 25-3 in wet conditions.
JJ Engelbrecht (2), Stokkies Hanekom and Shuaib Samaai were the try-scorers, while Isma-eel Dollie succeeded with a conversion and penalty.
Cecil Dumond slotted a penalty for the Eagles.
Point scorers:
Brumbies 3 (3): Penalty: Christian Leiliifano
Stormers 16 (6): Try: Francois Louw. Conversion: Kurt Coleman. Penalties: Coleman (2), Gio Aplon
Cape Town – It’s a victory that will only be remembered because it was the first by the Stormers in Canberra, but the Cape team’s coach Allister Coetzee did not fault his side for their performance against the Brumbies under trying circumstances.
“Mission accomplished,” said Coetzee after the Stormers won an unattractive Vodacom Super Rugby match 16-3.
“It’s the first time ever that the Stormers win in Canberra and you shouldn’t fool yourself by looking at where the Brumbies are on the log. They are the team with the most line breaks in the competition and I was actually very nervous before the game.
“You can easily slip up in Canberra. The circumstances were tough. The crowd was pretty quiet and you can’t draw energy from that. The players had to try and create the energy among themselves.”
The Stormers did that with their defence. At one stage late in the game the Brumbies carried the ball for over 30 phases, but they still could not score a try.
However, the Brumbies did not have much of an attacking plan and also made handling errors at crucial times.
The Stormers also did not show much on attack. Flank Francois Louw scored their only try early in the second half. It followed a lineout in the Brumbies’ 22m-area.
Jaque Fourie touched down in the first half, but was adjudged to have shoved an opponent and therefore a try was not awarded.
Youngster Kurt Coleman understandably looked unsure of himself at flyhalf, but fortunately held his nerve when it came to goalkicking.
His first kick from 49 metres out did not make it, but after that he slotted two penalties and a conversion.
“Of course Kurt was nervous. He does not have a 28-year-old head on his shoulders. He only started training with us during last week. I’m not complaining,” Coetzee said of his 21-year-old pivot.
“The Brumbies were up for the game and it’s as if there was greater synergy among them without Matt Giteau there.”
Giteau was withdrawn on the day of the game – reportedly due to toothache. This meant that Matt Toomua, who had a loan stint at flyhalf with Western Province in 2009, started for the home side.
Toomua has since become a Wallaby, but could not slot an important penalty attempt in the 58th minute that would have brought the Brumbies within seven points of the Stormers.
Gio Aplon then stretched the Stormers’ lead to 13 points with a penalty 10 minutes from time. After that the Stormers frustrated the Brumbies with their defence for the rest of the game.
Meanwhile, Western Province also did not concede a try in beating a SWD Eagles Invitation side in a friendly match in Knysna on Saturday.
Province won 25-3 in wet conditions.
JJ Engelbrecht (2), Stokkies Hanekom and Shuaib Samaai were the try-scorers, while Isma-eel Dollie succeeded with a conversion and penalty.
Cecil Dumond slotted a penalty for the Eagles.
Point scorers:
Brumbies 3 (3): Penalty: Christian Leiliifano
Stormers 16 (6): Try: Francois Louw. Conversion: Kurt Coleman. Penalties: Coleman (2), Gio Aplon
