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Cape Town - Seven-times Super Rugby champions, the Crusaders, shrugged off a host of injury setbacks to win 20-14 against the Stormers at Newlands on Saturday evening.
The Stormers had ample opportunity to win the match but their finishing and set-piece lapses near the end of the match saw them suffer their second defeat of the season. In the process, the Stormers pick up a lone bonus point for losing by less than seven points.
The Crusaders ran out on the field to a rousing welcome usually reserved for the home side although the Newlands faithful upped the ante when their heroes took the field two minutes later.
Both sides opted to keep ball in hand from the opening whistle and the ploy seemed like it could secure an early try for the Stormers after scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenhage dotted down in the fourth minute.
However, New Zealand referee Chris Pollock ruled that there was an infringement in the build-up and the try did not stand.
Israel Dagg, the 'Saders fullback, was forced to leave the field with a leg injury after kicking for touch and his absence would have detracted appreciably from his side's attacking prowess.
In the ninth minute, the Crusaders drew first blood when they sprung a move from their own 10-metre line and prop Wyatt Crockett was well up with play to round off.
Pollock did not, however, spot an obvious forward pass after a Sonny Bill Williams off-load and flyhalf Matt Berquist added insult to injury with a conversion (7-0).
There was a strong response from the Stormers as they carried the ball upfield in a wave of attacks on the Crusaders' tryline but they were struck by whiteline fever as the Crusaders defended desperately.
Flyhalf Lionel Cronje made their effort good somewhat with a 14th minute penalty and, four minutes later, new cap wing Johann Sadie intervened with his well-known 'x-factor' which opened up the Crusaders defence to allow centre Jaque Fourie to canter in for an 18th minute try, which Cronje failed to convert (8-7).
As the first half play progressed, the Stormers seemed to have the upper hand and by the time they made their way back for the halftime break they had left a try or two out on the field.
Just ahead of the break, Cronje was on target with his second penalty and Berquist struck one either side of the break to secure a 13-11 lead for the visiting Crusaders.
This early second-half setback seemed to bring out the best of the Stormers' attacking instincts and the 48 000-strong crowd was treated to a host of enterprising sorties which the Crusaders were at pains to keep in check.
Cronje regained the lead (14-13) for the Stormers with his third penalty in the 50th minute but, in the ensuing passage of play, the Crusaders managed to take the initiative for a sustained period.
They came came close to scoring on two occasions but handling errors put paid to their efforts.
In the 63rd minute, the Crusaders made their pressure count when Crockett bulldozed his way over for his second try which Berquist converted to secure a six-point lead for the Crusaders (20-14).
In the final 12 minutes, the Stormers launched an all-out onslaught in an attempt to save the match and they were poised to come good but two driving mauls were help up a whisker away from the Crusaders tryline.
Teams
Stormers:
15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Johann Sadie, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Schalk Burger (captain), 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Rynhardt Elstadt, 3 CJ van der Linde, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Wicus Blaauw
Substitutes: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Brok Harris, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Nick Koster, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Kurt Coleman, 22 Juan de Jongh
Crusaders:
15 Israel Dagg, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Matt Berquist, 9 Kahn Fotuali’i, 8 Kieran Read (captain), 7 Matt Todd, 6 George Whitelock, 5 Chris Jack, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett
Substitutes: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Andrew Olorenshaw, 18 Joe Wheeler, 19 Jonathan Poff, 20 Willi Heinz, 21 Tom Marshall, 22 Adam Whitelock
The Stormers had ample opportunity to win the match but their finishing and set-piece lapses near the end of the match saw them suffer their second defeat of the season. In the process, the Stormers pick up a lone bonus point for losing by less than seven points.
The Crusaders ran out on the field to a rousing welcome usually reserved for the home side although the Newlands faithful upped the ante when their heroes took the field two minutes later.
Both sides opted to keep ball in hand from the opening whistle and the ploy seemed like it could secure an early try for the Stormers after scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenhage dotted down in the fourth minute.
However, New Zealand referee Chris Pollock ruled that there was an infringement in the build-up and the try did not stand.
Israel Dagg, the 'Saders fullback, was forced to leave the field with a leg injury after kicking for touch and his absence would have detracted appreciably from his side's attacking prowess.
In the ninth minute, the Crusaders drew first blood when they sprung a move from their own 10-metre line and prop Wyatt Crockett was well up with play to round off.
Pollock did not, however, spot an obvious forward pass after a Sonny Bill Williams off-load and flyhalf Matt Berquist added insult to injury with a conversion (7-0).
There was a strong response from the Stormers as they carried the ball upfield in a wave of attacks on the Crusaders' tryline but they were struck by whiteline fever as the Crusaders defended desperately.
Flyhalf Lionel Cronje made their effort good somewhat with a 14th minute penalty and, four minutes later, new cap wing Johann Sadie intervened with his well-known 'x-factor' which opened up the Crusaders defence to allow centre Jaque Fourie to canter in for an 18th minute try, which Cronje failed to convert (8-7).
As the first half play progressed, the Stormers seemed to have the upper hand and by the time they made their way back for the halftime break they had left a try or two out on the field.
Just ahead of the break, Cronje was on target with his second penalty and Berquist struck one either side of the break to secure a 13-11 lead for the visiting Crusaders.
This early second-half setback seemed to bring out the best of the Stormers' attacking instincts and the 48 000-strong crowd was treated to a host of enterprising sorties which the Crusaders were at pains to keep in check.
Cronje regained the lead (14-13) for the Stormers with his third penalty in the 50th minute but, in the ensuing passage of play, the Crusaders managed to take the initiative for a sustained period.
They came came close to scoring on two occasions but handling errors put paid to their efforts.
In the 63rd minute, the Crusaders made their pressure count when Crockett bulldozed his way over for his second try which Berquist converted to secure a six-point lead for the Crusaders (20-14).
In the final 12 minutes, the Stormers launched an all-out onslaught in an attempt to save the match and they were poised to come good but two driving mauls were help up a whisker away from the Crusaders tryline.
Teams
Stormers:
15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Johann Sadie, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Schalk Burger (captain), 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Rynhardt Elstadt, 3 CJ van der Linde, 2 Deon Fourie, 1 Wicus Blaauw
Substitutes: 16 Tiaan Liebenberg, 17 Brok Harris, 18 De Kock Steenkamp, 19 Nick Koster, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Kurt Coleman, 22 Juan de Jongh
Crusaders:
15 Israel Dagg, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Robbie Fruean, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Zac Guildford, 10 Matt Berquist, 9 Kahn Fotuali’i, 8 Kieran Read (captain), 7 Matt Todd, 6 George Whitelock, 5 Chris Jack, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Corey Flynn, 1 Wyatt Crockett
Substitutes: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Andrew Olorenshaw, 18 Joe Wheeler, 19 Jonathan Poff, 20 Willi Heinz, 21 Tom Marshall, 22 Adam Whitelock
