Blues battle past Stormers

The Blues got their Super 14 campaign back on track with a nervy 17-14 win over the Stormers at Eden Park on Saturday.

Ben Atiga was the hero of the hour, slotting over a 40-metre penalty with the last kick of the game, having missed one six minutes previously.

Hit by the withdrawal of Nick Evans just before kick-off, Blues coach David Nucifora was forced to blood Isaia Toeava at fly-half, and without their playmaker they understandably struggled.

But a superb effort from their forwards, especially at the breakdown, ensured that they held the possession for long periods.

The defeat probably spells the end of the season for the Cape Town side, who fought gamely but never had enough ball to be able to carve out enough scoring opportunities.

Superb try

Peter Grant opened the scoring with an early penalty, and the Stormers seemed to be containing the Blues well enough in the opening stages until conceding a superb try.

Rudi Wulf took a kick and tore away from the defenders. He found Toeava, who linked first with Jerome Kaino and then Kurtis Haiu, before the latter found Danny Lee who turned on the gas to dummy Schalk Burger and go near the posts for the score.

Grant thus restored the lead moments later with his second penalty, but the Blues pack began to find inroads into their opposition and forced a series of free-kicks and penalties.

Atiga goaled three of them - at the third of which, Francois Louw was sin-binned for persistent offending. The Blues went in at the break with a comfortable 14-6 lead.

The second half began much as the first had ended, with the Blues pack laying siege to the Stormers line.

Frustration

But the white shirts held firm in defence, and when frustration bore them a couple of free-kicks, they upped the tempo well, taking the Blues back.

Eventually Conrad Jantjes crossed for a try, following a ruck set up with a terrific straight burst form Grant, and it was 14-11.

A moment of madness from Haiu at a ruck - a petulant punch - resulted in a penalty, which Grant coolly slotted to level the scores, but the Blues pack was once again in the ascendancy.

A controlled series of pick-and-drives, Bryn Evans, Troy Flavell, and Justin Collins all prominent, resulted in a penalty for Atiga to shoot for goal. He hit the post, and although Rudi Wulf collected the rebound, there was no support for him.

Another series of pick-and-drives on the other side of the field had the Stormers offside. Again Atiga shot for goal. Again it went left.

Then a chip from Toeava was idiotically fielded in an offside position by Sereli Naqelevuki after it had been knocked on by Tony Brown. Atiga had another chance. Ir proved to be third time lucky, for both the kicker and the Blues.