As if a controversial red card handed out by New Zealand referee Mike Fraser to Leolin Zas wasn’t enough for the Stormers, a late try by Waratahs captain Michael Hooper broke the home team’s hearts in a 32-30 cliffhanger at Newlands on Saturday night.
But long before Hooper burrowed over after the Waratahs smashed the Stormers scrum on their own feed five metres from their line, it was Fraser who made the game-changing decision to send off Zas with 24 minutes to go.
The Stormers were 20-18 ahead going into the final quarter when Bernard Foley and Zas went up in the air to contest for the ball.
Foley had the edge as Zas slipped slightly, and despite the Tahs flyhalf landing heavily, it was far from being similar to the Willie le Roux incident against the Highlanders, where his legs were taken out by a flying Jason Emery, who was red-carded as well.
Play should’ve continued, but after consulting with TMO Shaun Veldsman, on-field referee Fraser decided that Zas should be sent off, which was an extremely harsh call.
Stormers coach Robbie Fleck was diplomatic in his assessment afterwards, saying that “technically, it was probably the right call”, while his Waratahs counterpart Daryl Gibson stated that it was “borderline, but probably correct”.
It was met with howls of protest from the over 25 000 spectators, but the Stormers could do nothing but move on and try to win the game with 14 men.
And they almost did.
With Foley missing a penalty attempt soon after the incident, Jean-Luc du Plessis pushed the Stormers further ahead with his third three-pointer for a 23-18 lead with 16 minutes to go.
But then replacement scrumhalf Louis Schreuder – why did Fleck take off Nic Groom? – attempted an ill-advised box-kick, and the Waratahs counter-attacked with a series of breathtaking offloads in the tackle, with left wing Rob Horne rounding off for a fabulous try to put the Aussies in front at 25-23 with 12 minutes left.
Juan de Jongh’s team never gave up, though, and with his forwards knocking over the Tahs defenders – one particularly damaging surge by Oli Kebble had the Newlands crowd roaring in approval – it was the outstanding lock Pieter-Steph du Toit who burst through a tackle to score under the posts.
Du Plessis’ conversion gave the Stormers a 30-25 lead with five minutes to go.
But the Tahs won the resultant kickoff, and Kurtley Beale carved up the defence, but Du Toit made an unbelievable try-saving tackle in the corner.
The danger wasn’t over yet, though, as the Stormers forwards were shoved off the ball in a scrum five metres out from the line, and Hooper dived over to secure victory.
It was poor defence that gave the Tahs an opening early on already, as Beale got the ball rolling when Foley sliced through the Stormers midfield as he beat a diving Damian de Allende’s tackle, and he timed his scoring pass to perfection for Beale to round off.
But the Stormers weren’t taking a step back, and it was the inspired Nizaam Carr once again who sparked the attack with a number of outstanding offloads.
Even Frans Malherbe, Schalk Burger and Sikhumbuzo Notshe got the ball away in the tackle, with Du Plessis’ well-weighted chip into the corner forcing the Waratahs to take the ball into touch.
The Stormers eventually won another penalty, and Groom took a quick tap five metres out, and once the ball was recycled, the No 9 popped it up for Burger to bash his way over.
Then came the best moment of the first half when barnstorming lock Du Toit rampaged his way through the Waratahs defence, and after a few more phases, the Bok No 5 was helped over the line to give the Stormers a 14-5 lead after 26 minutes.
The Stormers played with terrific confidence and intensity, which appeared to overwhelm the Waratahs at times. But the Australians are a battle-hardened outfit, and once they had absorbed some pressure and repelled wave after wave of Stormers attacks, they struck a lethal blow just before halftime.
Du Plessis missed touch from a penalty, and the Tahs worked their way into the Stormers half. From a lineout near the halfway line, Foley fed Folau, who ran the perfect angle between De Allende and Du Plessis and streaked past the rest of the defence to dot down near the uprights.
The two defensive lapses led directly to Waratahs tries, and that allowed the Australians to stay in the game until Zas’ incident swayed things in favour of the visitors.
@IndyCapeSport
POINTS-SCORERS
Stormers – Tries: Schalk Burger, Pieter-Steph du Toit (2). Conversions: Jean-Luc du Plessis (3). Penalties: Du Plessis (3).
Waratahs – Tries: Kurtley Beale, Israel Folau, Rob Horne, Michael Hooper. Conversions: Bernard Foley (3). Penalties: Foley (2).