/ 14 March 2008

Stormers too strong for Chiefs in Super 14

South Africa’s Stormers beat New Zealand’s Waikato Chiefs 35-26 in Hamilton on Friday to record their second successive win in the Super 14.

The Stormers outscored the Chiefs four tries to two to claim a bonus point for the second week in a row after losing their first three matches at home in South Africa.

Flyhalf Peter Grant scored a try and kicked three conversions and a penalty for a personal haul of 20 points. Winger Tonderai Chavanga and fullback Conrad Jantjes also scored touchdowns while the fourth was a hotly-disputed penalty try.

”It’s good to get back to back victories, that’s never easy away from home,” Stormers captain Jean de Villiers said in a televised interview.

”To get 10 points from two games on tour is great and it puts us in a good position for a tough match against the [Auckland] Blues [next week].”

Richard Kahui and wing Lelia Masaga scored tries for the Chiefs and flyhalf Stephen Donald kicked 16 points. The home team had another two tries disallowed and were unhappy about the penalty try awarded against them.

The Stormers scored three tries in the first half to lead 25-13 at the break but the Chiefs fought strongly in the second half.

They pulled back to within two points when Masaga sliced through the defence shortly after the re-start before poor discipline prevailed.

Grant kicked a penalty to put the Stormers five points ahead then Australian referee Matt Goddard awarded the South Africans a penalty try when Masaga tackled a player from an offside position to end the Chiefs’ fightback.

”I didn’t see it but obviously the ref thought it was a penalty try,” Waikato skipper Mils Muliaina said.

”We were right in the game then. It was a big decision and we couldn’t come back from that.” – Reuters