DAVID SHAPSHAK, Cape Town | Saturday 9.00pm.
FLYHALF Braam van Straaten kicked superbly to edge the Stormers 22-15 ahead of the New South Wales Waratahs in their Super 12 opener in Cape Town under lights on Saturday.
The Stormers, who lead 13-6 at half time at Newlands Stadium, outscored the visitors by one try to none, while Van Straaten traded penalties with Matthew Burke.
Van Straaten, the hard-running flyhalf to whom the home side owed much of their advantage, converted the game’s only try and slotted two of his four penalties, on each side of the break.
Burke, the Waratahs and Wallabies fullback, kicked an equal number of his own, with flyhalf Manuel Edmonds adding a drop goal in the game’s first two minutes.
But man of the match awards deservedly went to the mercurial winger Breyton Paulse, whose blistering pace and darting breaks stood out in an all-Springbok backline that thrilled with their expansive, explosive running.
Paulse capped a fiery opening quarter by darting into space, moving in then out to score in the corner — after being fed by fellow Springbok Brendan Venter.
Tiaan Strauss, playing at the ground were he captained Western Province before captaining the Springboks, turned in another fine performance at the base of the Waratah’s scrum.
The Stormers, South Africa’s form side last year, let the pace slip after the break and but withstood a fierce onslaught – even without the game-breaking flair of their charismatic, and talismatic, leader Bobby Skinstad, out with a knee injury.
And, unlike their South African Super 12 colleagues — the Cats and the Northern Bulls — the Cape Town-based semi-finalists used their superior first half possession much more effectively. Only the fierce and committed defence kept Corne Krige’s side out.
Van Straaten stretched the half time lead to 10 point with a penalty, only for Burke to claw it back in with two of his own thanks to Stormers indiscretions.
A Paulse break and chip ahead gave Van Straaten another shot at goal after the winger was late tackled by hooker Richard Harry, who was sinned for the offence.
However, discipline let the home team down again, and Burke slotted his fourth penalty, but missed a fifth.
Then it was left to Paulse, who kicked his team out of danger when he gathered in a full time Warath chip on his line, saving a certain try and keeping his side in the lead.