Tepid Stormers crash to record defeat in Christchurch

A TEPID first-half performance condemned the Stormers to a record defeat against the Crusaders in Christchurch yesterday.

The Crusaders scored five tries in a 25-minute period in the first half — including a hat-trick for wing George Bridge — that ended the match as a contest by half time with the home team leading 36-3.

The score surpassed the Crusaders 51-13 win in 2003 and 51-23 win in 2005. Both those half centuries were in Cape Town.

A poor defensive performance, particularly in the first half, saw the Stormers miss 31 tackles.

Although the set piece worked well, there were 15 handling errors. The Stormers couldn’t cope with the Crusaders’ speed on defence when in possession, though it often bordered on offside by the home team.

But as long as referee Paul Williams allowed the Crusaders to live on the edge, they took advantage and thrived.

Three of the Crusaders’ first-half tries came from defensive blunders in wide channels by the Stormers — with wing Cheslin Kolbe twice coming inside only to see a pass sail over his head, allowing Bridge and No 8 Kieran Read to score.

With momentum earned in contact the Crusaders put the visitors to the sword and ended with eight tries, which also included two for Read while prop Michael Alaalatoa, flank Peter Samu and wing Manasa Mataele scored the others.

After the break the Stormers showed more intensity in contact, aided by the introduction of flank Cobus Wiese with Pieter-Steph du Toit moving to lock after starting at flank. But Wiese lasted only 15 minutes before a recurrence of a shoulder injury that kept him out against the Lions last week.

While he was on the Stormers scored twice — an intercept from Kolbe and a well-worked move and neat finish from leftwing Bjorn Basson. Thoughts of an unlikely comeback were quickly quelled though when Alaalatoa crashed over from close range. There was a hint of doubt about the score with a suggestion of a knock-on in the build-up.

Samu then intercepted two minutes later before Stormers prop Frans Malherbe added another for the visitors.

Defeat was a blow for the Stormers but they remain firmly in control of the Africa 1 conference on 26 points from eight matches, still 16 points clear of the Bulls.

The seven-time champion Crusaders remain the only undefeated team in the tournament with their eighth consecutive win. It’s the third time they have gone 8-0 at the start of a season and top the NZ conference on 36 points.

The Stormers lost centre Daniel du Plessis to what appeared to be a serious arm injury early in the match and Wiese’s exit also looked like it would rule him out of the remainder of the tour. The Stormers take on the Highlanders in Dunedin next week and then play the Hurricanes to conclude their itinerary.

Wiese lasted only 15 minutes before a recurrence of a shoulder injury