Hill sinks scrappy Stormers
2 Apr 2010
A last minute drop goal by David Hill and a diabolical refereeing effort by Stu Dickinson contributed to the Stormers’ shocking 16-15 defeat in Perth.
Give criticism where it’s due. Coming off a bye, the Stormers were always going to lack rhythm, but their discipline and handling were uncharacteristically poor. It was a collective failure in this regard, but Ricky Januarie came close to capturing the Plonker of the Match accolade.
In the end, Dickinson secured the award by a comfortable margin. Skew lineout throws, forward passes and illegal play at the breakdown didn’t seem to bother this official. Dickinson waved play on, and although the Force suffered on occasion, the Stormers usually received the short end of the stick.
Peter Grant slotted a penalty as the visitors’ defence stood firm in the early stages, but it was a defensive error that allowed the Force to slice through. Brok Harris drifted in the wide channel allowing the attack to cut back and set up David Pocock for a simple run-in.
The rest of the half was a scrappy exhibition of rudderless running and error after error. The Stormers’ scrum overpowered their opponents, but the backs often lost the ball in the subsequent phase.
Grant was rattled by the Force defence, but Januarie kicked poorly and failed to find his flyhalf with the pass on numerous occasions. Any belief that his physical defence was a virtue was dispelled when opposite number Chris O’Young ran straight through him in the first half. His lack of fitness was sadly evident, and unsurprisingly, he was tactically subbed after 45 minutes.
James O’Connor missed two penalty attempts to leave the Stormers trailing by just 7-6 at the break. The visitors continued to make mistakes, but finally began to win the territorial battle.
The breakdown effort was robust and clinical once again, as the Stormers managed to turn over the Force thrice in their own 22. The Force impeded one time to many for Dickinson to ignore, and Grant nailed a penalty that secured the lead in the 49th minute.
To give the whistle-blower his due, he correctly penned Francois Louw in the 54th minute which allowed O’Connor to reclaim the lead. It has to be mentioned that Dickinson penalised Louw for going off his feet when Louw transgressed by not releasing the ball-carrier.
The much-fancied Stormers moved into the final quarter a point behind. David Hill missed another penalty attempt to take the total of missed points to nine, and yet the Stormers were making most of the play.
While Grant battled to get his backline away, he provided stability with an accurate goal-kicking display. Unfortunately for the visitors, a high tackle handed the Force another kickable penalty to relinquish the lead. This time Schalk Burger was the guilty party.
The Force showed their penchant for the ridiculous when they ran the ball from deep within their own half. With 14 minutes remaining, it proved a poor decision as they only succeeded in knocking on. The Force impeded cynically to deny the Stormers a try off the next movement, and Grant pushed the Stormers ahead.
The visitors’ line defence was impressive, but they were completely impotent on attack. They managed to keep the ball for a couple of phases before conceding possession; turnovers that were usually succeeded by a few miss tackles.
In an attempt to kill the clock, the Stormers kept the ball tight from the lineout but only succeed in handing the Force a long range penalty in the 78th minute. Hill pushed it wide, but didn’t miss a third opportunity to see his side to victory.
Two minutes into injury time, the ball flew to Hill in the pocket, and the former All Blacks pivot drop-kicked the Force to their first win of the season.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Stormers fair on this tour given the Force were meant to be their easiest opponents. They’ll need to work on their composure and attack if they hope to taste success in Auckland, as a repeat performance should see them lose by more than just one point.
By Jon Cardinelli
514 Comments
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2 Apr 2010, 15:12 pm
Die Bulls is tot vervelens afgeskiet as “nie skerp nie” na die wen teen ‘n gemotiveerde Force. Die Force was verlede week baie beter as vandag, stelskoppe ingesluit. Force het geen drie gedruk teen die Bulls wat vanjaar reeds baie driee afgestaan het. Die Force het teen die Warathas verloor met net 4 punte. Kon die Stormers nie die rooi ligte sien nie?
Ek is nie ‘n Dickenson aanhanger nie, maar hy was beslis nie die skuldige vandag nie. Patetiese hantering en gebrek aan afronding het die Stormers gepootjie. Hulle het Juan de Jongh gemis. Grant op 12 en De Waal op 10 sou my keuse gewees het.
Feit is jy kan kies wie jy wil, as jy net opdaag in S14 rugby gaan jy verloor. Die Bulls het byna hulle gat gesien @ die Hurricanes op Loftus en die Stormers leer maar nie.
Die “hype” oor die nuwe, verbeterde Stormers se goeie spel is nou verby. Terug tekenbord toe en fokus slegs op die volgende game. Die Blues is baie beter as hulle posisie op die log en die Bulls sal more moet speel met alles wat hulle het.
Sterkte vir die Sharks wat ‘n moeilike Reds kan stop in Durbs.
2 Apr 2010, 15:12 pm
@Sheriff:
Sherrif,NZ and Aus are more than a few documentaries,and for the record,we are not all refs
2 Apr 2010, 15:12 pm
the aussies are entertaining in a light-hearted playful way but none of them have the gravitas or knowledge of blades, who unfortunately does tend to get mixed up in the last quarter when the bevvies kick in.
2 Apr 2010, 15:13 pm
@Tjokker:
Ummm yeah,to true………………..(What did he say?)
2 Apr 2010, 15:13 pm
Some of you guys dont understand the meaning of the phrase “tongue in cheek”
2 Apr 2010, 15:13 pm
@wallabie.: Bladen is aweful. Joel can’t hide his anti-Bulls sentiments.
2 Apr 2010, 15:13 pm
@catleya: Yeah that is true although the time difference for the next flight isn’t as bad as SA to Perth. Only about a 4 hours difference now instead of the 7 this week.
2 Apr 2010, 15:13 pm
@Tjokker:
Praat Engels of hou jou bek
2 Apr 2010, 15:14 pm
@Hurricane:
2 Apr 2010, 15:15 pm
If the stormers lost against the Force they are in serious trouble for the rest of the tour.
The Force are predicted to be bottom 5 not because they are useless its they just have so many injuries.
I not expect them to win more games…ie Lions and cheetahs.
2 Apr 2010, 15:16 pm
@Sheriff: You really have some good material. I feel much better about the loss.
2 Apr 2010, 15:16 pm
Have fun guys – I’m off – see you for the games tomorrow
2 Apr 2010, 15:18 pm
Thank ****** the Force won otherwise it would have been another week of SA chestbeating telling us how they dominate world rugby and are the only ones who know how to play the game. The Stormers will return home mid table.
Sheriff you are clown.
2 Apr 2010, 15:18 pm
Whinge, whinge, whinge, – whine, whine, whine. Blame the ref, blame the travel, blame the gods.
What a bunch of pathetic losers.
I thought South Africans were made of tougher stuff. Apparently not!!
Cry me a river moaners!!
2 Apr 2010, 15:19 pm
20. PLAYA23 :
April 2nd, 2010 at 11:21 am
Stormers can end off at the top of the log when the Bulls lose tomorrow!
real comedian, they wont be topping anything soon.
2 Apr 2010, 15:19 pm
Are the Stormers missing their mothers’ melktert?
Force deserved the win and shame on Jon Cardinelli for shifting the blame to the easy targets of Ricky Januarie and the ref. The Stormers were shocking and thought they had won the game before they turned up. The only people you can blame for this loss are the Stormers players and coaches.
2 Apr 2010, 15:19 pm
@PLAYA23:
Im preparing for the TriNations.
For their sakes I hope the Boks win, otherwise we will revisit topics like: the injustices against the Maori, Aboriginal Australians
2 Apr 2010, 15:20 pm
OK I am off,good night all.
2 Apr 2010, 15:20 pm
@NZINCHINA:
I rarely agree with you, but Stormers will end mid table. Mediocre team
2 Apr 2010, 15:20 pm
@Hurricane:
Across the Time zones (daylight saving taken into consideration).
Hurricane and cane……reach out to The Sheriff…..and clasp him in an embrance. (a manly hetro embrance that is).
And a more manly embrace it could not be, if Wallaby himself had not done the hugging.
We too have suffered this day Sheriff,(at the hands of one you own), and we too need a shoulder to cry upon.
8)
2 Apr 2010, 15:20 pm
@Xkreni-WP: Ja I guess the laugh is on me.
2 Apr 2010, 15:21 pm
@NZINCHINA:
NZinChina
1st of all: where is China?
Does it actually exist?
2ndly and more importantly: go back to New Zealand. Go and plough back into your community.
2 Apr 2010, 15:22 pm
@cane:
lol Classic Cane
Good Night mate
2 Apr 2010, 15:22 pm
JC
You a stormers fan!!
2 Apr 2010, 15:23 pm
@PLAYA23:
Dont worry, you are not the only one. Old kotchener was full of it yesterday
2 Apr 2010, 15:23 pm
@cane:
We will, we will ROCK YOU!!
2 Apr 2010, 15:24 pm
@Sheriff: Ag nee man, nou skel jy my omdat jou span verloor het
2 Apr 2010, 15:25 pm
@Xkreni-WP: We boast while we can, what can I say?
2 Apr 2010, 15:26 pm
Whats that song again..
ITS HARD TO BE HUMBLE!!
The easiest way to learn that lesson..is to take a beating from a bone last team!!
2 Apr 2010, 15:26 pm
sheriff, i have just met harry…
2 Apr 2010, 15:26 pm
Strange how last week when us Lions supporters complained about Dickinson, we were called bad losers etc.
Look whose complaining now? Even KEO.CO.ZA???
Pathetic.
2 Apr 2010, 15:26 pm
@Tjokker:
Ek **** die Blou Bulle se ondersteuners karnuffel en werk hardhandig met hul beter helftes as hulle verloor
2 Apr 2010, 15:27 pm
@Transformation:
If I’ve ever seen a nothing guy, then its Harry the beachwalker
Arbitrary bloke, that’s for sure
2 Apr 2010, 15:28 pm
just logged in too see this rubbish
So Dickenson strikes again, Ricky can retire and Peter Grant is still very average
2 Apr 2010, 15:28 pm
@Sheriff:
Does your mother still wipe your ar*se, it wouldn’t surprise me with the childish shite you write, re your China comment that doesn’t surprise me either you probably dont like Chinese people because their not white.
2 Apr 2010, 15:31 pm
@NZINCHINA: Neither is Sheriff….oeps!!!
2 Apr 2010, 15:31 pm
@WilladieLeeu:
We are still calling “bad losers”!!
Every time a saffa team loses it is ALWAYS the ref!!!
2 Apr 2010, 15:31 pm
@NZINCHINA:
Let the whole world know “Made in China” is a lie.
There is no such place on the face of the earth.
I know of Fiji, Somoa and a small island called New Zealand but China, no, there is no such place.
2 Apr 2010, 15:32 pm
I see Wallabie crawled from under his rock,no surprize there
2 Apr 2010, 15:32 pm
Stormers back 3 are out of balance, would be a better balance with Pieter Louw, Frans Louw and Vermeulen, But Burger is a waste at 6, he’s no scavenger like Pieter Louw is, so he should actually go to 7 just like at Bok’s he should compete with Smith for No.7 jersey. If we persist with this lop sided combo its going to haunt us as we progress.
Bulls and Stormers both have had dream starts to the comp with home games and congenial ref’s through first stanza at home, Stormers should have cleaned up Brumbies but although were all over them first half couldn’t finish off.
Now the real situation arises where real men have to stand and deliver, Coetsee should have realized what it requires to keep commitment sharp. I got my doubts about Burger as front man I reckon if he is calling the tune we go down like a bunch of drama queens without a ramp to spread our tail feathers on.
2 Apr 2010, 15:32 pm
@NZINCHINA: You’re taking sheriff a bit too seriously? Playing the race card was a bit of a doezie.
2 Apr 2010, 15:34 pm
Jeez, Wallabie, settle down. I myself screamed like an orgasming ****** when the droppie went over, but let’s try to show a little class in (rare) victory hey?
I’m not ever sure you’re an aussie, misspelling “wallaby” like that.
2 Apr 2010, 15:34 pm
wallabie …97% of the time it is the ref ..
2 Apr 2010, 15:35 pm
Get over it.It just was a sloppy performance by the Stormers
who should have lost by 10 if O’Connor had not left
his kicking boots at home.Sireli Naqelevuki appeared to suffer
from a terrible hangover and had difficulty containing O’Connor
although he outweighs him by nearly 30kg.Joe Pietersen was sorely missed and would have scored the try Aplon was unable
to.Just shows one regular missing and the whole team goes to sleep.
2 Apr 2010, 15:36 pm
@Player69: 82% of the time statistics are made up on the spot.
2 Apr 2010, 15:36 pm
@skopskiet: you are a joker,do not blame Schalla, blame your beloved Grant and Ricky
2 Apr 2010, 15:37 pm
Have to run and catch up with some of my Chinese mates, my man of the match tonight was definitely Stu **** I’ll have one for him tonight.
2 Apr 2010, 15:37 pm
Peter Grant, Vermeulen, Louw and Bekker were about only 4 pulling weight in that team today. Momentum was stuffed up through piss poor preparation and change of tactical game plan through playing Januarie at starting 9.
Average came from Schalk, Januarie, and Nakalavuki. The others like front row and Aplon and Whitehead tried hard enough but with little cohesion from front because actually leadership, or lack of it, was simply in total abstention.
2 Apr 2010, 15:38 pm
Most people in New Zealand, are, if we were to use National Party terminology, coloured.
One curious thing that Ive noticed is that if there 2 white guys in a team of 15, one of them will be skipper.
Thats not right New Zealand.
2 Apr 2010, 15:40 pm
Skop are you for real, Peter Grant is very average,he is the Wynand Olivier of the Stormers
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