/ 19 June 2011

Stormers victory secures home semifinal

The Stormers secured second place in the Super rugby table, and a home semifinal in the play-offs, when they beat the Cheetahs 44-34 in a high-scoring, all-South African encounter on Saturday.

The Stormers now go straight through to the semifinals while the Canterbury Crusaders, who dropped to third place, will host the Sharks in the first week of the play-offs next weekend.

“We can consider it a job done,” Stormers captain Schalk Burger said in a televised interview.

“We topped the South African conference and now we have a home semi at Newlands. We can rest up some bodies during the bye week before preparing.”

Both teams grabbed four tries but Stormers flyhalf Peter Grant proved the difference, contributing 24 points through six penalties and three conversions.

The visiting team’s touchdowns came from Gio Aplon, Juan de Jongh, Nick Koster and Bryan Habana.

Ryno Benjamin notched a hat-trick of tries for the Cheetahs and Davon Raubenheimer also dived over. Sias Ebersohn booted four conversions and two penalties. – Reuters