Stormers brought back down to earth

A tepid first-half performance condemned the Stormers to a record defeat to the Crusaders in Christchurch yesterday.

The Crusaders scored five tries in a 25-minute period in the first half - including a hat-trick for wing George Bridge - that ended the match as a contest by half time with the home team leading 36-3.

The score surpassed the Crusaders 51-13 win in 2003 and a 51-23 win in 2005. Both those half centuries were in Cape Town.

A poor defensive performance, particularly in the first half, saw the Stormers miss 31 tackles and make zero dominant tackles in the match.

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Though the set piece worked well, there were 15 handling errors. The Stormers couldn't cope with the Crusaders' speed in defence when in possession, though it often bordered on offside by the home team.

But as long as referee Paul Williams allowed the Crusaders to live on the edge, they took advantage and thrived.

Three of the Crusaders' first-half tries came from defensive blunders out wide by the Stormers - with wing Cheslin Kolbe twice coming inside only to see a pass sail over his head, allowing Bridge and No8 Kieran Read to score.

With the momentum they earned in contact the Crusaders put the visitors to the sword and ended by scoring eight tries, which included two for Read. Prop Michael Alaalatoa, flank Peter Manu and wing Manasa Mataele scored the others.

After the break the Stormers showed more intensity in contact, aided by the introduction of flank Cobus Wiese with Pieter-Steph du Toit moving to lock after starting at flank. But Wiese lasted only 15 minutes before crying off with a recurrence of a shoulder injury that kept him out against the Lions last week.

While he was on the Stormers scored twice - an intercept from Kolbe and a well-worked move and neat finish from leftwing Bjorn Basson.

Any thoughts of an unlikely comeback were quelled when Alaalatoa crashed over from close range. There was a hint of doubt about the score with a suggestion of a knock-on in the build-up but it stood.

Samu then intercepted two minutes later before Stormers prop Frans Malherbe added another for the visitors.

Defeat was a blow for the Stormers but they remain firmly in control of the Africa 1 conference on 26 points from eight matches still 16 points clear of the Bulls.

The seven-time champion Crusaders remain the only unbeaten team in the tournament with their eighth consecutive win. It's the third time they have gone 8-0 at the start of a season and top the New Zealand conference on 36 points.

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The Stormers lost centre Daniel du Plessis to what appeared a serious arm injury early and Wiese's exit looked like it would rule him out of the tour. The Stormers take on the Highlanders in Dunedin next week and then the Hurricanes.

SCORERS

Crusaders 57 - Tries: George Bridge (3), Kieran Read (2), Michael Alaalatoa, Peter Samu, Manasa Mataele.. Conversions: Richie Mo'unga (6), Mitchell Hunt. Penalty: Mo'unga.

Stormers 24 - Tries: Cheslin Kolbe, Bjorn Basson, Frans Malherbe. Conversions: Rob du Preez (3). Penalty: Du Preez.

sub_head_start Highlanders cruise in over Sunwolves sub_head_end

Centre Matt Faddes scored two tries as the Otago Highlanders cruised to a bonus-point 40-15 victory over the Sunwolves in their Super Rugby match at Invercargill yesterday.

Faddes touched down twice in an eight-minute burst after half time as the 2015 champions notched a fourth straight win to shore up their place in the play-offs.

Malakai Fekitoa, Liam Squire, Aaron Smith and Ben Smith also crossed, with Marty Banks converting five of the home side's six tries.

block_quotes_start It wasn't perfect and at times we threw a few miracle balls and didn't show them the respect, so there's a bit to work on block_quotes_end

After an early penalty by flyhalf Yu Tamura, the Japanese visitors were scoreless for nearly 50 minutes but grabbed consolation tries to Willie Britz and Rahboni Warren-Vosayaco late.

Appearing in disarray after the opening rounds of the season, the Highlanders have now clicked into gear and their potent backline cut the Sunwolves to pieces in the middle part of the match.

Coming off a bye, they were rusty early and were kept scoreless in the last quarter, leaving captain Ben Smith feeling lukewarm about the performance ahead of a crunch match against the Stormers.

"It wasn't perfect and at times we threw a few miracle balls and didn't show them the respect, so there's a bit to work on," Smith said. - Reuters