/ 4 March 2012

Grant kicks Stormers to 15-12 win over Sharks

Replacement flyhalf Peter Grant slotted a penalty three minutes from time to give the Stormers a 15-12 win over the Sharks in a second round Super Rugby match at Newlands on Saturday.

Grant, who returned from his Japanese club Kobe Steelers during the week and only had one full training session with the side, was the hero for the home team after slotting an earlier penalty.

Victory ensured a second successive win for the Cape Town-based Stormers while the Durban-based Sharks slumped to their second straight defeat.

The Sharks started brightly and dominated the opening exchanges with flyhalf Pat Lambie landing three first half penalties to give the visitors a slender 9-6 lead at the break.

The home team, forced to make over 60 tackles in the first half to the 24 of the Sharks, grimly hung in with two penalties of their own via the boot of fullback Joe Pietersen.

After the break the match turned in favour of the Stormers as they dominated field position and possession.

They enjoyed such control that the penalty count read nine to one in the home team’s favour, which included a yellow card against Sharks lock Ross Skeate in the 61st minute after the visitors had been repeatedly warned for slowing the ball by referee Mark Lawrence.

Under such pressure the Sharks were unable to escape their half and only remained in contact with the home side after Pietersen missed three kickable shots at goal in the second half.

But in the 61st minute Grant stepped up for his first kick of the season — a reasonably straightforward attempt from 30 metres — and made no mistake.

Lambie levelled the scores in the 74th minute with his fourth penalty but it was left to Grant to secure the win with a kick from against the touchline. – Reuters