All Blacks flyhalf Aaron Cruden contributed 18 points as the Waikato Chiefs fought back to defeat the Western Stormers 28-19 on Saturday in a high-profile Super 15 fifth-round match.
Cruden scored the first of the Chiefs’ three tries and kicked two conversions and three penalties from seven shots at goal before a 42,000 Cape Town crowd.
Left-wing James Lowe and flank Sam Cane were the other try-scorers for the New Zealanders, who trailed 13-3 midway through the opening half at a near-full, sun-drenched Newlands stadium.
The Stormers, suffering their first defeat of the season after four victories, managed only one try with right wing Kobus van Wyk going over.
Flyhalf Kurt Coleman slotted a conversion and three penalties from five kicks at the posts and his second-half replacement, Demetri Catrakilis, goaled his only penalty attempt.
The outcome did not alter the combined standings, though, with the Stormers remaining third and two-time champions Chiefs fourth.
The Stormers exerted fierce early pressure on the Chiefs at the scrums, pushing the New Zealanders back meters.
And when a clever off-load from center Damian de Allende sent Van Wyk over in his first appearance this season, a 10-point gap opened.
However, if the Chiefs could not match the Stormers’ musclemen until well into the second half, they were far more dangerous than the South Africans with ball in hand.
Cruden crossed the try-line on 27 minutes after great work from right wing Bryce Heem and by half-time the Stormers were only 16-13 ahead.
Slick, imaginative handling led to the Chiefs’ second try on 48 minutes with Cruden giving the scoring pass to Lowe.
A Catrakilis penalty brought the South Africans within four points before Cane dotted down in the corner nine minutes from time after impressive center Tim Nanai-Williams had been held up.
The Stormers fluffed a late chance to narrow the deficit and secure a losing bonus point when they surrendered possession close to the Chiefs’ try-line.
The Chiefs face the Coastal Sharks in Durban on Saturday while the Stormers have a bye before a four-match Australasian tour.
Sharks loose forward Marcell Coetzee became the joint leading Super 15 try-scorer this season with a brace on Saturday in a 27-10 victory at Central Cheetahs.
The Springbok flanker has bagged four tries in five matches — the same number as the Wellington Hurricanes’ All Black left wing Julian Savea.
Coetzee specializes in touching down off driving mauls after line-outs and this occurred twice against fellow South Africans the Cheetahs at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.
His first try came after 29 minutes and he struck again just three minutes later as the Sharks established a commanding 22-3 half-time advantage.
That gap effectively ended the game as a contest and allowed the Sharks to avenge a shock six-point opening-round home loss to the Cheetahs last month.
A four-try bonus-point triumph also got the Sharks’ Super 15 campaign back on track after a 1-3 start to the season.
Beginning the match 11th on the combined table, the Sharks climbed to sixth while the Cheetahs slipped one place to 11th.
Center Francois Steyn and New Zealand-born replacement back Jack Wilson scored a try each for the Sharks, while flyhalf Patrick Lambie slotted two conversions and a penalty.
Although not at his goal-kicking best, the seven points from Springbok flyhalf Lambie made him the leading Super 15 scorer with 78 after five rounds.
Center Francois Venter was the late, lone try scorer for the Cheetahs, while Francois Brummer kicked a conversion and the flyhalf he replaced, Willie du Plessis, slotted an early penalty.
“We were due a win and it was pleasing because we often struggle in Bloemfontein,” Sharks skipper Bismarck du Plessis said.
Some of the gloss was taken off the success, though, by an early injury to outstanding young Springbok lock Pieter-Steph du Toit.
Cheetahs skipper and lock Francois Uys was blunt: “We did not create enough and were not clinical enough.”
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