No bonus for Stormers

The Stormers secured a 26-16 win over a determined Highlanders outfit at Newlands in Cape Town.

With eight teams in the running for a place in the Super 14 semi-finals and the Highlanders one of the struggling sides in the competition, this was a game the home side wanted to win and win well.

However, their job was made excruciatingly difficult against a side competely different to the one that got smashed by the lowly Bulls last week.

The 9-9 half-time score tells the story of what the Stormers were forced to go through in making the final scoreline count.

Two second half tries by hooker Tiaan Liebenberg and his replacement Schalk Brits paved the way for the hosts' victory that has lifted them to sixth spot.

Former Highlanders fly-half Tony Brown - in his run-on debut for his adopted team - slotted the first points of the match with a penalty kick in the fourth minute.

Two minutes later and the Highlanders were looking dangerous when number ten Mike Delany scythed through a hole, only to find a determined Conrad Jantjes blocking his way with a humdinger of a tackle.

The Highlanders were rewarded for their efforts though when Delany timed a drop-goal to perfection to level the scores at 3-3, but it didn't last long after Brown regained the lead with another penalty.

High tackles

It seemed high tackles were the order of the day after scrum-half Bolla Conradie was taken out and Brown again made no mistake.

The see-saw battle continued via another Delany penalty that took the Highlanders within three points before regular Stormers' pivot Peter Grant was called into the game earlier than expected after Brown was forced from the field injured.

Delany drew the scores level once more with his third penalty of the match in the 32nd minute after an infringement in a ruck and, with the scores tied at 9-9, the home supporters started to show some concern.

The second half was a bit better for the hosts, but they were left kicking themselves after they botched a golden opportunity to score crucial points.

They received a penalty in a kickable position, but captain Jean de Villiers opted to go for the try from a line-out only for the Stormers to loose the ball.

But the points arrived soon after when De Villiers learnt from his earlier mistake and instructed Grant to take the three points which handed his side the lead once again.

A double tactical substitution from the Stormers saw scrum-half Ricky Januarie and prop Brok Harris come on and the change immediately brought the desired results, with a long-range move which resulted in a try for Liebenberg in the 50th minute.

It seemed Liebenberg tired himself out after his score and was soon replaced by the in-form Schalk Brits.

The Highlanders were stuck in a spot of bother when they were restricted to 14 men after prop Clint Newland was sent to the sin-bin in the 59th minute for constantly killing the ball.

Extra man

The Stormers took full advantage and got their second try a minute later when they again opted to kick for position and a line-out close to the enemy try-line.

The forwards mauled the ball up a few metres before Brits broke away to score from close range, Grant adding two more to make it 26-9.

With the match practically sealed, the Stormers had their eyes on the elusive bonus point and conjured up a monster of a rolling maul.

The Highlanders were forced to colapse the stampede and the visitors were penalised for their effort. Again, the Stormers went for the line-out and again went over the try-line, only to loose the ball in the grounding.

The home side tried everything in their power to get the two tries required for maximum points, but the Highlanders' defence was staunch.

In fact,in a cruel twist of fate, it was the Highlanders who got their only try of the match in the dying moments when winger Fetu'u Vainikolo crossed the line on the stroke of full-time after collecting a cross-kick from Blair Stewart.

Stewart converted, but it was too little too late for a Highlanders' fightback, but at least gave the scoreline a bit more respectability.