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It wasn’t always comfortable, but the Stormers emerged deserved 30-13 victors against him Cheetahs in Newlands on Saturday night to stay in search of an unlikely Super Rugby Unlocked Title.
FT | Stormers 30-13 cheetahs
The Bulls are at the top of the record with 19 points and will win the competition if they beat the Pumas at Loftus next weekend, but the Stormers and Sharks have 17 points and meet in Durban in what will be the deciding match. of the tournament if the Bulls slip. up.
This was almost certainly the last game the Stormers will play in Newlands before they move to Cape Town Stadium next year. There will still be games in Newlands before then, but they will be played under the Currie Cup banner as Western Province looks for a suitable send-off.
Much was expected of this encounter given how impressive the Cheetahs were in the early stages of the competition, but what the teams showed in intent they lacked in execution in the first half, failing to turn several promising situations into points.
The only attempt of the opening period came via Stormers scrum-half Herschel Jantjies after just five minutes with a familiar sniper around the blind side of a ruck, but after that, it was a battle between the front groups, from set pieces and from the open game, which commanded much of the conversation around the opening period.
Stormers midfielder Damian Willemse gave a solid account of himself, kicking the hosts into the correct areas of the field and even scoring a 45-meter drop at halftime to give his team a 13-inch lead. 3 at halftime.
It was the Stormers who were overcoming arm wrestling in key areas and making fewer mistakes, but the visitors would have imagined their chances with 40 minutes to go.
A penalty from Tian Schoeman shortly after the restart, after the Cheetahs earned a scrum penalty, narrowed the gap to 13-6 briefly.
The Stormers responded quickly, however, with a very well-crafted attempt that saw slippery hands down the left before Juarno Augustus turned.
Meanwhile, fullback Warrick Gelant continued his excellent form in 2020 and was at the heart of numerous attacks from the Stormers, looking dangerous every time he was on the ball.
Trailing 20-6, the Cheetahs parried easy shots on goal and were rewarded in the 63rd minute with an impressive Rosko Specman spike down the left. Seven’s star appeared to be out of space as he charged towards the line, but he launched himself into the air and somehow managed to target the ball before being hit.
Schoeman converted and suddenly it was 20-13 with the game on the line.
A Willemse penalty in the 70th minute – this time it was the Stormers and Steven Kitshoff who won a scrum penalty – gave the Stormers a 10-point lead into the final 10 minutes and from there they were able to hold on.
The game was over in 75 minutes when the two stars on the home side’s baseline for the night combined. Willemse swerved and slipped through the Cheetahs defense before delivering a sumptuous volley to Gelant, who capped off a wonderful performance with an attempt of his own.
Scorers:
Storms 30 (13)
Attempts: Herschel Jantjies, Juarno Augustus, Warrick Gelant
Conversions: Damian Willemse (3)
Penalties: Willemse (2)
Drop goal: Willemse
Cheetahs 13 (3)
Test: Rosko Specman
Conversion: Tian Schoeman
Penalties: Schoeman (2)
Equipment:
Stormers
15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Ruhan Nel, 13 Dan du Plessis, 12 Rikus Pretorius, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Juarno Augustus, 7 Ernst van Rhyn, 6 Marcel Theunissen, 5 JD Schickerling, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff (captain)
Substitutes (from): 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Kwenzo Blose, 18 Sazi Sandi, 19 Neethling Fouche, 20 Chris van Zyl, 21 David Meihuizen, 22 Ben-Jason Dixon, 23 Godlen Masimla, 24 Kade Wolhuter, 25 Michal Hazner, 26 Leolin Zas
Cheetahs
15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Malcolm Jaer, 13 William Small-Smith, 12 Frans Steynt, 11 Rosko Specman, 10 Tian Schoeman, 9 Tian Meyer, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Junior Pokomela (captain), 6 Andisa Ntsila, 5 Carl Wegner, 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 Luan de Bruin, 2 Reinach Venter, 1 Charles Marais
Substitutes: 16 Marnus van der Merwe, 17 Boan Venter, 18 Khuta Mchunu, 19 JP du Preez, 20 Aidon Davis, 21 Ruben de Haas, 22 Reinhardt Fortuin, 23 Chris Smit / Howard Mnisi
