CAPE TOWN, March 3 (Reuters) – Replacement flyhalf
Peter Grant slotted a penalty three minutes from time to give
the Stormers a 15-12 win over the Sharks in a second round Super
Rugby match at Newlands on Saturday.
Grant, who returned from his Japanese club Kobe Steelers
during the week and only had one full training session with the
side, was the hero for the home team after slotting an earlier
penalty.
Victory ensured a second successive win for the Cape
Town-based Stormers while the Durban-based Sharks slumped to
their second straight defeat.
The Sharks started brightly and dominated the opening
exchanges with flyhalf Pat Lambie landing three first half
penalties to give the visitors a slender 9-6 lead at the
break.
The home team, forced to make over 60 tackles in the first
half to the 24 of the Sharks, grimly hung in with two penalties
of their own via the boot of fullback Joe Pietersen.
After the break the match turned in favour of the Stormers
as they dominated field position and possession.
They enjoyed such control that the penalty count read nine
to one in the home team’s favour, which included a yellow card
against Sharks lock Ross Skeate in the 61st minute after the
visitors had been repeatedly warned for slowing the ball by
referee Mark Lawrence.
Under such pressure the Sharks were unable to escape their
half and only remained in contact with the home side after
Pietersen missed three kickable shots at goal in the second
half.
But in the 61st minute Grant stepped up for his first kick
of the season – a reasonably straightforward attempt from 30
metres – and made no mistake.
Lambie levelled the scores in the 74th minute with his
fourth penalty but it was left to Grant to secure the win with a
kick from against the touchline.
(Reporting by Craig Ray, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
© Thomson Reuters 2012 All rights reserved
