Vermeulen foils Pollard and Stormers triumph

Western Stormers skipper Duane Vermeulen blocked a late drop-goal attempt by Northern Bulls Handre Pollard to help his team win a pulsating Super 15 clash 15-13 at Newlands Saturday.

Bulls were pressing hard deep in Stormers territory to wipe out a two-point deficit as time ticked away before a 46,000 Cape Town crowd.

Then opportunity knocked for the Pretoria outfit when Pollard received the ball in a favourable drop-goal position just outside the 22-metre line.

But current Springbok No. 8 Vermeulen charged at the fly-half, blocked his kick, and hacked the ball to safety.

It was the Bulls' last chance as they finished the match disappointingly with a post-siren clearance kick from Jesse Kriel snapped up by rival full-back Cheslin Kolbe, who booted the ball into touch.

Victory lifted the Stormers to third on the combined southern hemisphere inter-provincial championship standings while the Bulls slipped to fifth.

Hyped for days as a classic South African derby, the match lived up to expectations.

There was only one try -- Bulls left-wing Bjorn Basson scoring after a wonderful counter-attack -- but the match offered much for the near-capacity crowd.

Stormers won a titanic scrums struggle and Bulls took the line-out honours partly because of several overly-long throws from the home team.

Every loose ball was ferociously contested with 2014 South African Rugby Player of the Year Vermeulen regularly in the thick of the action.

Among the backs, Bulls right-wing Francois Hougaard continued excellent recent form and had a major role in the try.

Fly-half Demetri Catrakilis succeeded with all five penalty kicks for the Stormers, who dominated possession and territory for much of the opening half and turned over 12-3 ahead.

Rival playmaker Pollard slotted two penalties, converted the Basson try, and saw an ambitious 50-metre angled shot at goal drift right of the far post.

"A huge crowd, a wonderful atmosphere and a Stormers victory -- what more do you want?" asked Vermeulen.

"It was a massive occasion and we were lucky to come out on top. I knew it was going to be tough and I am thrilled that we won."

Bulls skipper and No. 8 Pierre Spies said: "I am proud of the way we fought back, having twice trailed by nine points during the opening half.

"We were often under pressure at scrum time, but we put the Stormers under pressure when it came to the line-outs."  

Catrakilis kicked three penalties as the Stormers spent virtually the first 20 minutes camped in Bulls' territory.

When the visitors applied sustained pressure for the first time, they were rewarded with a Pollard penalty only for Catrakilis to get another in first-half stoppage-time.

Basson sped down the left wing two minutes into the second half and dotted down for a try Pollard converted

Catrakilis and Pollard exchanged penalties to leave the Stormers 15-13 ahead and although the last 25 minutes were scoreless, there was no shortage of drama with the Bulls in the ascendancy.
Source: AFP