Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
The long-awaited win wasn’t pretty, but could be a welcome confidence-booster
Stormers 34 Rebels 18
THE Stormers had one main objective heading into their home Super Rugby game against the Rebels at Newlands yesterday. And that was to bag a win.
But even as the Stormers could finally add a ‘W’ next to their name (their fourth win at home this season), there were also errors. Errors that saw them chuck away a number of chances, yet again, and ultimately a bonus-point win.
Robbie Fleck’s Stormers were in survival mode after six consecutive defeats on the road. So they obviously weren’t high on confidence. And at times it showed.
The Stormers – who were at the bottom of the South African conference going into the game – moved up to third sport, although the Sharks have a bye this week and the Jaguares still have a game this weekend.
There was nothing exciting about the opening periods of the match, but in the last 10 minutes, the Stormers started playing with a bit more intent. Those minutes made up for the excitement that lacked in the half an hour before that (Stormers inside centre Damian de Allende’s try was tops, though). It was something better to look at, but perhaps not clinical enough against an ill-disciplined Rebels side.
Speaking of De Allende’s try... he had a good game filled with superb moments and impressive runs. And the way he got rid of the Rebels as he aimed for the tryline to get the Stormers’ first try after a scrum (to take them 10-6 up) was surely one of the best moments in the game. He was solid on defence and carried very well, while the other Damian (Willemse) also produced a more controlled performance than against the Sharks, and also added some good touches on attack.
And while the chances the Stormers didn’t convert on might be a concern, one positive they can take from the game is what their players can do when they look after the ball.
There were some impressive spells in that regard, like the soft, quick hands the Stormers showed in the first half as the ball moved from near the middle to all the way out wide through a series of nice passes. Although nothing came from it, and the ref intervened, perhaps the most promising spell of play followed shortly afterwards.
After a ruck in the opposition 22, a switch in play saw a long skip pass travel to Bok lock Pieter-Steph du Toit out wide, who quickly gave the ball to left wing JJ Engelbrecht to finish the move off and run in their second try.
The Stormers played with more width and tried a bit more on attack this week, and one of those trials worked out when a grubber by scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage – the Man of the Match – after a scrum was chased down by Dillyn Leyds, who scored to put the Stormers 24-6 up just after half time.
The Stormers’ scrum was also one of their strengths against the Australians.
But while there were certainly some good moments, it will have to be cleaner per- formance against the firing Bulls next week.