April 7 (Reuters) – Fullback Joe Pietersen scored a
brilliant individual try to help the table-topping Stormers
maintain the only perfect record in Super Rugby with a 21-6
victory at the Otago Highlanders on Saturday.
Pietersen’s try and another from winger Gio Aplon in the
first half at the new Otago Stadium in Dunedin proved enough to
give the Stormers a sixth win in six matches on their first
foray outside South Africa this year.
The Highlanders, who had lost just one match this season to
stand second in the standings behind the Stormers, showed plenty
of endeavour but were unable to breach the Stormers’ blanket
defence and scored only through two Chris Noakes penalties.
“It definitely wasn’t easy,” Stormers skipper Jean de
Villiers said in a pitchside interview. “It was against a
quality side and we were probably a bit lucky with some tries in
the first half but we’ll definitely take the win.”
With two of the meanest defences in the competition on
display, points should have been at a premium and the
Highlanders will have been disappointed with the soft try they
conceded in the 13th minute.
Centre De Villiers twice hacked at a loose ball after a
turnover and Aplon won a footrace with the Highlanders cover
defence to touch down.
There was nothing soft about Pietersen’s effort 20 minutes
later.
The 27-year-old started the move with a searing 25-metre
break from inside his 22 and finished it with a perfectly
executed chip-and-chase over the head of the last defender for a
converted try that gave the Stormers a 15-3 lead.
Peter Grant, who alternated the kicking duties with
Pietersen, scored the only points of the second half with two
penalties and the white-shirted defenders held firm against wave
after wave of Highlander attacks.
Continued…
