The Cape Town, South Africa-based Stormers scored two late tries off New South Wales turnovers for a 32-18, bonus-point win over the defending champions the Waratahs in their Super XV match on Saturday.
In Sydney, winger Damian de Allende scored his second try of the match with nine minutes remaining, following an intercept off the Waratahs’ line. The win moved the Stormers into provisional first place in the South African conference.
Unusual handling errors from star backs Kurtley Beale and Israel Folau, and loose passing from Will Skelton, thwarted the New South Wales attack, while the usually reliable Bernard Foley had an off-night kicking, missing three from five attempts, including one penalty.
Photo: EPA
Earlier, the Dunedin-based Highlanders scored three tries in 10 minutes on either side of half-time to rally from 14-3 down and beat the Crusaders 25-20 in an all-New Zealand match in Christchurch. Winger Waisake Naholo scored two tries, touching down in the fourth and eighth minutes of the second half for the Highlanders.
The Waratahs led 15-13 at half-time through tries by wingers Taqele Naiyaravoro in the 13th minute and Rob Horne seconds before the break. The Stormers had led 13-5 at one point after three penalties from five-eighth Demetri Catrakilis and a try to De Allende in the 21st minute.
The South Africans regained the lead six minutes after the break when Kurt Coleman’s chip from inside his own 22 bounced into the arms of Kobus van Wyk and the winger raced 70m to score.
Foley slotted a penalty to cut the Stormers’ advantage to 20-18, but the match was all but over when De Allende intercepted flyhalf Foley’s errant pass to score his second try, and fullback Cheslin Kolbe clinched the Stormers’ bonus point with a late long-range try.
“It’s not easy to come to Sydney and beat the defending champions,” Stormers captain Juan de Jongh said. “Our defense was rock-solid.”
The Waratahs’ captain Dave Dennis said his side were not good enough on the night.
“We had a really good week preparation-wise, we just didn’t adjust well enough to what they threw at us,” Dennis said.
Later yesterday, the Cheetahs beat the Western Force 24-15 in Perth.
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