Rugby: Burger strikes late to bite Blues

Ali Williams, of the Blues, runs into the tackle of Andries Bekker in last night's defeat at Eden Park. Photo / Greg Bowker

Stormers 28
Blues 26

The Blues kept their rating as the top New Zealand side but lamented the concession of a late converted try after a rugged fightback last night from the Stormers.

The hosts claimed an early lead and built on it as the Stormers' indiscipline hurt them until captain Schalk Burger was awarded a try from a lineout drive after a lengthy wait for the TMO.

Replacement Devaldt Duvenage converted and the Stormers had their unlikely victory.

As the weather closed in for the final quarter, the Blues looked to have the clincher when super sub Rene Ranger, dropped for his wayward work last week, made a great bust.

He eluded several tacklers near touch before his sweet left-foot grubber found Lachie Munro surfing in for a vital try, 12 minutes from time.

Anxiety still festered for the Blues and became an ugly boil on fulltime.

Sorting out both sides' battleplans was an awkward task as they seemed unsure about whether to run or kick out of their own acreage.

Some of the indecision may have come from the intermittent showers and accompanying error rates which fractured their ability to build enough pressure.

This was a game of huge importance, as both sides searched for the recipe to staunch their recent blips and stretch their conference leads.

The Blues still have a margin over the Crusaders, while the Stormers are on top after halting their losing streak.

After a month's absence, the Blues returned to HQ at Eden Park. A crowd of 23,000 watched a start where the Blues were in front from Luke McAlister's penalty after just 30 seconds but then brought issues for themselves as rain started.

They tried to run out of their 22, failed and coughed up several lineouts though they were saved when by the visitors' errors.

Unusually the Stormers were pressing for width in the awkward conditions and looked dangerous in midfield with new centre Johann Sadie providing several incisions.

The first time the visitors kicked though, the Blues scored, countering from 60m with precise interplay for Alby Mathewson to stroll over.

It was the start of the Stormers' indisciplined stretch which cost them three penalties and flanker Francois Louw to the sinbin for a cynical foul.

Before that the Blues' scrum started to get more than a nudge on the visitors, an advantage that played increased as the game went on.

But the sting came from the Stormers as Juan de Jongh ran more and hurt a jagged defensive line.

He left a trail of forlorn tacklers as the game entered the final quarter and then Sadie did the same breaching the troubled defence for a great solo try.

Victory which had looked to be out of the visitors' reach was now in their headlights. They would have been in front had replacement kicker Dewaldt Duvenage kicked the handy conversion.

The weather then closed in, rain demanding the teams look for territory and some refereeing rewards or a special moment.

It came from substitute Ranger, then Burger's crucial strike.

Stormers

Try: J de Jongh, J Sadie, S Burger

Penalties: D Duvenage 2

Conversions: D Duvenage 2, L Cronje

Blues

Tries: A Mathewson, L Munro

Penalties: L McAlister 4

Conversions: L McAlister 2

Halftime: 3-19