Stormers get some pride at the death

● The Stormers ended their 2018 Super Rugby campaign with a little respect by beating the Sharks 27-16 in a tight battle that put a severe dent in the visitors’ playoff hopes.

Defeat for the Sharks has left them three points behind the Melbourne Rebels in a fight for the eighth and final playoff place. But the prize for gaining it will be a trip to Christchurch to face the Crusaders.

Maybe that played at the back of the Sharks minds as they gave a tepid first-half display before finding some spark.

Overall the Stormers deserved their win, though they rode their luck as the Sharks squandered chances in the second half.

Centre Lukhanyo Am gave an audacious back-of-the hand pass to send Lwazi Mvovo away for a try, only for it to be called forward while also losing the ball as he stretched for the line late in the game.

Those costly errors allowed the Stormers to stay in front even though their pack was on the back foot for most of the second half.

The Stormers had to contend with the late withdrawal of flyhalf JP du Plessis, requiring a first start for Josh Stander, who gave a composed performance.

The youngster impressed with some clever play in the first half, creating the side’s first try with an angled run and deft offload to centre Damian de Allende. The Bok centre made another 15m before passing to marauding lock Cobus Wiese for the first try.

The Stormers were good value for their half-time lead that included tries from centre EW Viljoen and wing Raymond Rhule, in his last game for the Stormers. A missed penalty by Stander with the last kick of the half ensured Sharks’ heads didn’t completely drop.

The Sharks could muster only three firsthalf penalties from flyhalf Robert du Preez’s boot. It looked like the home side were cruising towards a rare win in this disjointed campaign, but as ever in 2018, nothing was simple for the Stormers.

After the break the Stormers reverted to type, making numerous errors and displaying the lack of belief bred from losing 10 games, including the last four.

Sharks replacement wing Kobus van Wyk scored after a long build-up three minutes after the break and Du Preez converted to narrow the deficit to five points. But in reality, the Sharks are not good enough to be in the playoffs.

Josh Stander ... impressed with some clever play in the first half, creating the try