Stormers seal conference title
7 Jul 2012
JON CARDINELLI watched the Stormers beat the Cheetahs 13-6 to retain the South African title and edge closer towards that all-important home semi-final berth.
It was a missed opportunity if you consider that five log points would have catapulted the Stormers to the top of the overall log. But on a day where the rain was bucketing down in Bloemfontein and conditions made handling and running difficult, four log points should be viewed as more than adequate.
The performance will be scrutinised and there are areas of concern. What is more important than the quality of performance, however, is that this Stormers side has maintained its winning momentum. They’ve clinched the South African conference and thus ensured a top-three finish in the Super Rugby league.
Prior to this fixture, the Stormers hadn’t picked up a four-try bonus point. And yet, there was good reason to believe that a trip to Bloemfontein would yield maximum log points.
The Cheetahs play an expansive game and are susceptible on turnover ball. With the Stormers boasting a formidable defence, they were expected to force the attack-minded Cheetahs into errors and use those mistakes to create try-scoring chances.
But the weather put paid to that notion, as the Cheetahs adjusted their tactics right from kickoff. The Stormers persisted with their territorial game plan right from the outset, but so did the Cheetahs. Even when they were deep in the Stormers’ half, the Cheetahs halfbacks saw fit to test the opposition back three with a series of garryowens.
The Stormers spilled their fair share of high balls, but unfortunately for the Cheetahs, the hosts could not make these turnovers count. In a game where both sides were terribly inconsistent, the one constant was the Stormers defence. The Cape side may have erred at times, but they managed to keep the Cheetahs from scoring a try.
The Stormers weren’t effective at the collisions, and generally lacked patience on attack. The conditions weren’t conducive to flinging the ball wide, and yet this was how the Stormers squandered much of their possession.
They also blew a couple of attacking chances through hooker Deon Fourie, who obviously struggled to control the slippery ball when feeding the lineout. But when they did manage to win ball at this set piece, they looked dangerous, and the rolling maul was used effectively.
While they made inroads into the Cheetahs’ defence via the rolling maul, they failed to use this platform to score tries. The Cheetahs defence did its best to spoil and stifle, but more composure from the Stormers may have resulted in more rewards on the scoreboard.
Referee Marius Jonker eventually lost his patience with ill-disciplined Cheetahs, and sent fullback Willie le Roux to the sin bin in the 45th minute. This yellow card followed a series of Cheetahs offences in their own 22m area. It was also a period where the Stormers turned down kickable penalties and went for the try.
But the Stormers lacked the penetration to punish the Cheetahs, and captain Jean de Villiers eventually pointed towards the posts when his team was awarded their next penalty. They would score a try in the 54th minute through Gio Aplon, a score that was down to Peter Grant’s superb vision and execution.
The flyhalf realised that Le Roux was still in the sin bin and chipped into space, and Aplon raced through to collect the ball on the bounce. The ensuing conversion meant that the Stormers had scored 10 points while Le Roux was off the park.
But these moments of execution were far too rare. It wasn’t wrong to kick for territory in a match afflicted by such weather, but the accuracy of those kicks left a lot to be desired.
The handling in contact was poor, which was to be expected in such conditions. What was less expected was the poor breakdown work by either team. Turnovers were commonplace, and so neither team managed to build an attack of substance.
The Stormers attempted to play in Cheetahs territory in the final minutes, but a series of bad kicks merely handed the hosts possession. The Cheetahs had their chances to win the game in the second half, or at least draw in the final minute.
They won a penalty and booted it to touch, but lost possession at the lineout when Andries Bekker soared to make a potentially game-saving steal.
The Stormers have one remaining fixture before the play-offs, and will want to use the game against the Rebels to generate some momentum. More importantly, they will want to win that match to guarantee themselves a home semi-final.
560 Comments
Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 … 12 » Show All
7 Jul 2012, 14:58 pm
Stormy dragons.. live feed anyone ?
7 Jul 2012, 15:03 pm
Refs for the rugby championship announced – not a single NZ ref so I’m sure most posters here will be happy. Surely?
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3821_7875444,00.html
7 Jul 2012, 15:05 pm
brussow was on the ground & played the ball marius!
7 Jul 2012, 15:09 pm
Please give us some running commentary gents? Can’t get the game over here. Much appreciated!
7 Jul 2012, 15:15 pm
Deon Fourie is simply the kakkest hooker in the competition or he is skew as in brokeback skeef.
7 Jul 2012, 15:20 pm
both teams kicking too much, stormers finally took it to contact & the cheetahs held them up @ the line…they decided to kick 3 instead of going for 7.
7 Jul 2012, 15:20 pm
@gonzo(gonzo)-2:
Now what happens if the boks lose…what will the excuses be?
7 Jul 2012, 15:21 pm
@RL(RL)-5:
He was always going to fark that vital throw- in up. The worst feeder of a ball into the lineout in the history of Stormer/WP rugby. What he is doing playing hooker at this level nobody knows.
7 Jul 2012, 15:21 pm
the lions team r the kakkest in the league and deserve their fate.
7 Jul 2012, 15:22 pm
Willie le Roux is strreets ahead of Basson and light years ahead of Mvovo and should be pushing for a Bok starting spot.
7 Jul 2012, 15:22 pm
brilliant try saving tackle by aplon 19th min
7 Jul 2012, 15:23 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-8: I don’t watch our lineouts. I can’t bring myself to, whether at the stadium or on tv. Fourie is super kak, and Liebenberg also stuffs up regularly.
Yes, Deon Fourie is a pilferer of the ball on the ground – clap clap – but his primary function???????? He sux at that….
7 Jul 2012, 15:24 pm
32 out of 35 for Peter Grant. So he can kick better than Steyn at posts now. Can attack the line better , can defend better.
Heyneke better wake the f**k up with his next Springbok squad.
7 Jul 2012, 15:25 pm
@wallabie.(wallabie.)-7: McCaw and Pocock even have the Engilsh and Welsh refs in their pockets so it won’t change anything
7 Jul 2012, 15:25 pm
cheetahs using that chip kick that worked against the bulls to good effect, willie le roux gathered & ran but stormers scramble defence blanked them.
7 Jul 2012, 15:26 pm
jonker must be the most anti stormers doooos in history
7 Jul 2012, 15:26 pm
Change of referee, wasn’t supposed to be Craig Joubert?
Instead it’s Jonker,
the Cheetahs will be rewarded handsomely for their lack of protest
7 Jul 2012, 15:27 pm
Grant’s also excellent at kicking for the corner. Springboks didn’t do badly against England, considering it’s the 3rd team!
7 Jul 2012, 15:27 pm
Elstad is better than that poofta J. Potgieter but not yet the finished product – give him four more years to develop and bam we may have a Juan Smith replacement
7 Jul 2012, 15:28 pm
Textbook tackle by Brussow on the full speed charging Elstadt, gee, and he was deemed not as good as Spies and Potgieter?
7 Jul 2012, 15:30 pm
willie le roux is kaaaak
7 Jul 2012, 15:30 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.(The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food)-12:
If I one day die from a hard attack in front of a tv screen it will be because of that. Sometimes I think they should rather ask the opposition team whether they don’t want to take the lineout throw in as it will most likely improve our changes of winning the ball.
7 Jul 2012, 15:31 pm
Brussouw is at his pilfering best in the rucks.
7 Jul 2012, 15:31 pm
27 minute
Habana is pathetic, turned it over and never looked like offloading it,,,,
7 Jul 2012, 15:33 pm
@wallabie.(wallabie.)-7: Haven’t seen the list yet but if there’s any Aussies on it, oh dear we all know who’ll get the blame… It’s so sad.
7 Jul 2012, 15:35 pm
@BrumbiesBoy(BrumbiesBoy)-25: the isn’t a convict on that list – only the drunk Walsh who as we know is still a Kiwi, at heart.
7 Jul 2012, 15:36 pm
brussouw is a yster,much better than that poofter spies
7 Jul 2012, 15:37 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-22: Must be honest…..we look kakker this week than we did last week.
Not sure coming into this game with ‘less pressure’ was a good thing for us. (Thanks Sharks…)
7 Jul 2012, 15:38 pm
cheetahs monster stormers scrum!
why is andries bekker ALWAYS in the backline? he does fokkol of the tight stuff
7 Jul 2012, 15:39 pm
Skopsuster insists that Fourie is the second best hooker in SA and should be a Bok
7 Jul 2012, 15:40 pm
@kaksioek(kaksioek)-30: Skop is juiced most of the time
7 Jul 2012, 15:40 pm
scores 3 – 3 with 3 minutes left. what a bore fest.
7 Jul 2012, 15:41 pm
ebersohn as more talent than riaan smit in his toenail.
stormers seriously needs to look at gettin that boytjie down in the cape
7 Jul 2012, 15:41 pm
@RL(RL)-31: He also vehemently denies that.
7 Jul 2012, 15:42 pm
@RL(RL)-26: A wise man once said to me: “(My name) there isn’t a ref that cheats…lots of them are stupid…but none of them cheat”.
Truer words you could not find, think about it very seriously, it works for me!!!
7 Jul 2012, 15:42 pm
Jonker will keep Cheetahs in this
7 Jul 2012, 15:43 pm
@kaksioek(kaksioek)-30:
and you thought the last game was boring LOL you’d get more action at the local funeral parlour
7 Jul 2012, 15:43 pm
look at van Zyl ordering Johnson to get his fat arse into that ruck
7 Jul 2012, 15:43 pm
halftime alredy this kak just flew by
7 Jul 2012, 15:43 pm
I know it’s a bit wet, but JdV needs to hold on to the ball. Goodness!
7 Jul 2012, 15:43 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-37: I have to agree with that. Stormers are great at boring their opponents to death.
7 Jul 2012, 15:44 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-37: lol
7 Jul 2012, 15:44 pm
Snoozefest of note. There’s no reason why these teams have to kick everything FFS
7 Jul 2012, 15:45 pm
@RL(RL)-38:
He should have known better,,,
7 Jul 2012, 15:45 pm
Stormers I backed you guys to pick up +5 from this match but as things stand it is not going to happen.
The Cheetahs may be kind and make you leave with +1 only.
7 Jul 2012, 15:45 pm
Missed half of the first half. Looks like I missed nothing at all.
7 Jul 2012, 15:47 pm
I couldn’t care less about SA crowds but where are all the fans, Stormers top of the table, beautiful weather I could go on but why would I bother.
7 Jul 2012, 15:48 pm
Looks like notorious Landers-Saders 6-0 game was a action packed thriller.
7 Jul 2012, 15:49 pm
@panniepeet(panniepeet)-4: Panniepeet…you can lsten to the game on RSG http://www.rsg.co.za/luister-nou.asp . Better than nothing I suppose
7 Jul 2012, 15:49 pm
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-47:
Beautiful weather? Probably by NZ standards
Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 … 12 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.