Stormers hold out for 25-19 win over touring Reds

THE Stormers held out for a 25-19 Super Rugby win over the visiting Reds at Newlands yesterday evening after leading 18-7 at the halftime break.

The victory margin should have been much wider considering all the possession the Stormers enjoyed and the amount of time they spent in the Reds’ 22m area. In the end, the Reds came remarkably close after a late try and a final flurry in the final minute when they were thwarted five metres out.

The Stormers went 3-0 ahead through a Damian Willemse penalty and then late replacement George Whitehead, who came into the Stormers side just before kick-off sparked a try-scoring move from inside his own 22m area where he sent scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage away. Left wing Raymond Rule and centre EV Viljoen made tracks down the Railway Grandstand channels to keep the ball alive before Duvenage ranged up to take the scoring pass.

In the 26th minute, the Stormers made the pressure count when prop Wilco Louw went over. Willemse’s conversion pushed the scoreline out to 15-0.

Willemse was on target with a 32nd penalty for an 18-0 lead.

Reds eighthman Caleb Timu found a huge gap in the Stormers’ central defence and he ran in unchallenged to dot down next to the posts. Jono Lance, the Reds’ flyhalf, added the extras from virtually in front to round off the firsthalf scoring at 18-7.

The crowd of 17 300 had hardly taken their seats and the Reds had romped in for their second try, 90 seconds after the restart. Hooker Alex Mafi was the scorer and Lance goaled the conversion as the Aussie visitors trailed by four points (18-14).

In the 52nd minute Rule outsprinted the cover defence and dived on a bouncing ball after well-weighted through kick by rightwing Craig Barry. Willemse landed the conversion as the Stormers opened an 11-point lead (25-14).

Reds winger Filipo Daugunu scored a breakaway try in the final minute and the effort went unconverted (25-19). – African News Agency (ANA)