Cape Town - There's no doubt that the Stormers have missed flyhalf Peter Grant in recent weeks, especially in their defeat last week at home to the Bulls.

Grant showed his worth with a stellar man-of-the-match performance in the Stormers' 44-34 win over the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.

And there's no man more happy for Grant's return than Stormers coach Allister Coetzee.

Coetzee lauded Grant's performance after the win in Bloemfontein.

"Having Peter Grant back was great. We knew how important it would be to have someone of his experience in the side and he proved that today. He is very influential and he handled the Cheetahs rush defence very well. There are a few things he can brush up on, but that is to be expected after having been out of the game for over a month. Nevertheless we were very happy with his kicking at goal, his general play and his defence," Coetzee told the Stormers website.

The Stormers will now enjoy a much-needed bye next weekend, as they prepare for their semi-final at Newlands in a fortnight's time.

They did, however, suffer a potentially crucial injury blow when eightman Duane Vermeulen went off with a knee injury in the second half in Bloemfontein.

Vermeulen will undergo a scan to his knee this week to determine the severity of the injury.