Impotent Stormers handed a scrum lesson by Chiefs

Rudolph Jacobs

With their scrum in particular being put under immense pressure, the Stormers slumped to their first Super Rugby defeat at home this year after they lost 15-9 to the Chiefs at Newlands on Saturday afternoon.

The Chiefs scored the only two tries of the match while the Stormers had to be content with three penalty goals, the final one being scored in the nick of time by fullback SP Marais in the 77^th minute to at least ensure the Capetonians a losing bonus point.

The Stormers somehow held on to a narrow 6-5 lead before the Chiefs decimated the fancied home scrum to earn a penalty try in the 63^rd minute.

Referee Mike Fraser’s decision was undeniably a crucial moment of the game.

The game failed to reach any heights and lacked spark in general. The Chiefs preferred the territorial game while their great scrum and defensive effort cut any kind of Stormers attack short.

Who was the star in this match?

Despite missing three kicks off the tee, Chiefs flyhalf Damian McKenzie produced a clever tactical performance, which had the Stormers defence at sixes and sevens at times. A great chip from him lined up the first Chiefs try, scored by centre Anton Lienert-Brown.

Key moment and themes

• The crowd had to wait for 21 minutes for the first try of the game to be scored. McKenzie’s genius though was tempered by the ball bounced akwardly between the Stormers’ fullback SP Marais and wing Dillyn Leyds. They should’ve probably communicated better.
• Bafflingly, the Stormers were almost in trouble again four minutes later following a smart tactical kick by Lienert-Brown. The ball, however, bounced the wrong way for the fast approaching scrumhalf Brad Weber. It was alarming how the home side struggled to cope in that regard

• The Stormers will rue missed opportunities like the one in the 29^th minute where centre Damian de Allende made an excellent linebreak, bursting through the tackle, only for Weber to rip the ball from his graps on the Chiefs goalline.

Point Scorers

Stormers – Penalties: Damian Willemse (2), SP Marais.

Chiefs – Tries: Anton Lienert-Brown penalty try. Penalty: Damian McKenzie.

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