The Stormers disintegrated in spectacular manner for the second week running when they blew a 24-0 lead to go down 37-24 to the Blues in their Super 12 match at Newlands on Saturday evening.
What made the defeat extraordinary was that the Stormers played champagne rugby in the first 20 minutes — a period in which they scored all their points.
After that, however, mental fragility appeared to set in, with the same old bad habits surfacing as they kicked away their possession and conceded turnovers.
For the second week in a row, the cheers at the end were reserved for the opposition, with the Blues actually going as far as acknowledging the crowd afterwards.
It was an unlikely scenario given the events of the first 20 minutes, when the shackles came off the Stormers and they briefly played to their potential.
Flyhalf Gaffie du Toit set the ball rolling with a penalty before wing Tonderai Chavhanga scored the first try after 10 minutes. Chavhanga took a pass from number eight Joe van Niekerk, who had broken off the back of the scrum.
Jean de Villiers, who had broken the line twice before 10 minutes were played, scored the Stormers’ second after taking centre partner De Wet Barry’s off-load.
Barry, however, scored by far the most impressive try of the half. He broke through two tackles before being brought down, but placed the ball over the try line.
Du Toit succeeded with his third conversion and Newlands was stunned by the turnaround in its team, who had lost 51-23 to the Crusaders the week before.
Sadly, that it was where it ended, and by half-time the Blues had the deficit down to just two points.
Chavhanga’s failure to field a high ball ended up in flyhalf Tasesa Lavea scoring in the 22nd minute, with centre Luke McAllister adding the conversion and a penalty a few minutes later.
Their second came when replacement back Rua Tipoki stepped his way through the defence and the third when captain and number eight Xavier Rush ran on to a kick over the Stormers’ defence from McAllister.
Rush’s try had its root in a great breakaway from left wing Joe Rokocoko out of his own 22m area.
The Stormers were still in the lead, but the initiative was firmly with the Blues at the interval.
It was not surprising to see the Blues then take the lead just four minutes after the restart. Right wing Doug Howlett made the initial break past De Villiers, with loosehead prop Tony Woodcock and flank Jerome Kaino sustaining the momentum.
The match then became an enthralling tactical battle, with both sides failing to make opportunities count.
It was the Stormers that eventually cracked, with scrumhalf Bolla Conradie barged off the ball and Lavea running in for his second try in the 66th minute.
The Stormers had to score twice if they harboured any ambitions of turning it around. However, they appear to have made a hobby of turning over hard-earned possession and it was the Blues that ultimately rubbed it in as Rokocoko took Mcallister’s cross-kick for a simple score nine minutes from time.
The Stormers had a couple of late flurries, but were never going to get back into the game, and for the second week in a row walked off to jeers from their home crowd. — Sapa