Super Rugby
Chiefs hand Stormers first defeat
March 15, 2015
Report Match details
Date/Time: Mar 14, 2015, 15:00 local, 13:00 GMT
Venue: Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
Stormers 19 - 28 Chiefs
Half-time: 16 - 13
Tries: van Wyk
Cons: Coleman
Pens: Catrakilis, Coleman 3
Tries: Cane, Cruden, Lowe
Cons: Cruden 2
Pens: Cruden 3
The Chiefs' Tim Nanai-Williams busts through the defence, Stormers v Chiefs, Cape Town, March 14, 2015
The Chiefs' Tim Nanai-Williams busts through
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The Chiefs have got their two-game tour of South Africa off to the perfect start with a hard-fought 28-19 Super Rugby win over the Stormers in Cape Town.

Although their scrum was under immense pressure the whole game and their lineout misfired at times, Dave Rennie's side were impressive with ball in hand as Aaron Cruden, James Lowe and Sam Cane scored tries in an intensely physical and absorbing encounter at Newlands.

Cruden finished the match with 18 points and largely put his goal-kicking woes of the previous week behind him as he slotted two of his three conversions and three of his four penalties - including one from virtually the halfway line.

Aaron Cruden fires the Chiefs to a 28-19 win over the Stormers (Australia only)

The Chiefs trailed 16-13 at the break but took their opportunities well in the second half as they backed their strong counter-attacking game to condemn the Stormers to their first loss of the season.

Cruden and opposite number Kurt Coleman traded penalties early on as the Chiefs scrum took a battering. A desperate last-ditch tackle from Bryce Heem then denied Stormers winger Kobus van Wyk a try in the corner after a break by Damian de Allende.

The bruising encounter took its toll in the first half. Sonny Bill Williams was sent for a concussion test after clashing heads with prop Vincent Koch, then Stormers halfback Louis Schreuder was taken off after an accidental collision with Brad Weber's knee. While Williams was eventually cleared to return, the Stormers took advantage of his absence to stretch their lead to 13-3.

Van Wyk finished a well-taken try after a cut-out pass to de Allende allowed him to get on the outside of Tim Nanai-Williams. Coleman added the conversion and then another penalty when Cane was penalised for obstruction.

But the Chiefs finished the half strongly. Fullback Damian McKenzie and Heem combined down the right flank to send Cruden in for his first try of the campaign. Cruden converted and then he and Coleman again traded penalties to give the Stormers a slender half-time lead.

The Chiefs continued to attack with ball in hand in the second half. Lowe raced over for his third try of the season as halfback Brad Weber scrambled the ball out from a retreating scrum. That score put the Chiefs in front for the first time since the third minute and it was an advantage they never relinquished as Cruden slotted another penalty before Cane sealed the win with a try in the corner, after another smart counter-attack from a misdirected Nic Groom kick.

© AAP

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