A first-half hat-trick to Pieter Rossouw has guided the Stormers to an entertaining 45-33 Super 12 win against the Chiefs in Hamilton.

It was the best performance by the Stormers in New Zealand and they will be thinking what might have been after surging home in the second-half to completely outclass the Chiefs.

The two sides scored three tries each in the first half with the Chiefs leading at the break 22-17. It was a seesawing affair, with one side replying almost immediately after the other had scored.

Or more accurately, as soon as Roger Randle, Danny Lee and Glen Jackson had scored for the Chiefs, Stormers winger Rossouw was replying.

But the Stormers should have led comfortably at the break with over 70 per cent of possession and dominating at the breakdown by more than two-to-one.

They didn't need a second chance and in an impressive second-half display, restricted the Chiefs to just one try while scoring three themselves.

The Stormers took the lead for the first time in the 48th minute when captain Corne Krige scored for a 27-25 lead and then shut the Chiefs out of the game.

By the 67th minute the Stormers had completely turned the game around, turning a five-point deficit at half-time into a 17-point advantage with further tries to Hendrik Kruger and Werner Greeff.

The long trip back from South Africa earlier in the week may have taken a toll on the Chiefs as they looked lethargic after half-time against the impressive Stormers. No more was the Stormers' dominance on show than in the scrums, with the Chiefs constantly on the back pedal.

Winger Bruce Reihana finally got through for the Chiefs, but it was too late.

Scoreboard

STORMERS 45
Tries: Pieter Rossouw 3, Corne Krige, Hendrik Gerber, Werner Greeff.
Goals: Percy Montgomery 3 pen, 3 con.

CHIEFS 33
Tries: Roger Randle, Danny Lee, Glen Jackson, Bruce Reihana.
Goals: Jackson 3 pen, 2 con.