All Blacks finally overcome stubborn Stormers in RGR opener

All Blacks wing Rieko Ioane fights his way through the Stormers defence during their Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry match at the Cape Town Stadium on Friday night. Picture: Roger Sedres/Gallo Images The All Blacks were given a stern test, but eventually managed to power away for a 38-21 win over a stubborn Stormers side, to get their Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour off to a winning start at the Cape Town Stadium on Friday night. It was largely a very physical game of attrition between the two sides, that saw the result in the balance until the final 12 minutes of the match, when the visitors managed to hit the front and pull away late on.

The Stormerscan be incredibly proud of their effort, especially after injuries meant a forward had to go into the backline late on, and gave it a proper go, with the scores locked at 14-all with 13 minutes left, before a loose final 10 minutes skewed the final scoreline. It was a disastrous start to the match for the Stormers as they lost scrumhalf Imad Khan to a seriously looking knee injury, and then conceded the first try afterthe All Blackskicked to the corner and mauled their way over for hooker Samisoni Taukei’aho to dot down the converted try in the sixth minute. That score seemed to spark the Stormers into life and after a sustained spell of dominance from the hosts they pulled level.

First the All Blacks picked up a yellow card, inside centre Anton Lienert-Brown for head contact in a tackle, with the Stormers then thinking they had scored after mauling over from a lineout, only for it to be chalked off by the TMO for an infringement in the maul. But All Blacks flank Simon Parker had impeded the maul as well, which saw him yellow carded due to repeated infringements. The Stormers again kicked to the corner and this time successfully forced their way over with loose forward Deon Fourie scoring, andyoung flyhalf Yaqeen Ahmedlevelling the scores in the 15thminute.

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The Stormers were then unable to make their numerical advantage out, as the All Blacks saw out their time with 13 men relatively comfortably. The game had gotten a bit scrappy as it headed towards halftime, but the visitors then retook the lead just before the break. A superb break from wing Rieko Ioane got them into the Stormers 22m, where they received a penalty, took a quick tap and attacked, spreading the ball to Parker to go over in the corner, converted by Beauden Barrett which gave them a 14-7 lead at halftime.

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