It was a match that the Stormers should have won and should have won with plenty to spare, but at the end terrible handling and an exuberance to give away senseless penalties finally cost them an away win and time will tell just how serious this loss will be. The Super 14 is now very tight at the top of the log and the Stormers have to fight for what looked like an easy home semi final at one stage.
Starting the match like world beaters the Stormers were soon running the ball with ease and within the opening salvo managed to cross the try line and it looked like the Reds were in for a tortuous 80 minutes. Yet the Reds are not commanding a place in the playoffs simply by chance they have managed to play some outstanding rugby from a team that many predicted would be entertaining the Lions and Cheetahs at the bottom rung of the ladder.
If the Reds were not being taken seriously before last week’s Bulls match they were certainly being looked as potential champions after that historic win. Facing a Bulls side who had spent the week restocking themselves on the Gold Coast as the Reds flew back from Jozies there was no way the Bulls would lose. Not a Bulls side with some of the world’s best players, players such as Victor Matfield and Fourie du Preez? Not the reigning Super 14 champs who have looked unstoppable so far this year? Yet for 80 minutes they completely outplayed the Bulls playing a risky running game which the Bulls were unable to counter.
But surely they couldn’t string two miracle wins in a row? But they did! Against a Stormers team who had many people claiming that they are the greatest team in the competition they managed to match them in every department and ran out deserved winners 16-13.
Sure the Stormers shot themselves repeatedly in the foot by some atrocious handling at times and giving away penalties but they also seemed paralyzed in attack as the Reds defended as if their lives depended on it. At one stage the Stormers had strung together 20 phases and still they could not score which served to underline just how committed the Reds were in defense. Still you can take nothing away from the Reds ability to believe that anything is possible, the sublime cross kick by Cooper to set up a doddle of a try evidence of the absolute confidence that they are playing with.
I don’t believe the Stormers actually played all that badly they were simply beaten by what was a better team on the day. Bekker was still supreme, Habana tried as hard as ever, de Jongh had a good game as did Aplon and the Stormers scrum had the wood on the Reds for most of the match. But perhaps the Stormers already had one foot on the plane home and it was the Reds who merely wanted the win more.
Whatever the reason the Super 14 is now jam packed at the top of the log and the race for a playoff spot has just become wide open.
