The Stormers lost their second match on their tour of Australasia on Saturday when they were beaten 24-9 by the Blues in Auckland.
But while the scoreboard suggests an easy win for the Blues after their 34-28 defeat to the Hurricanes last weekend, the Stormers were in the encounter right until the end.
Dominating possession with 64 percent of it, the Stormers made a total of 163 ball carries - compared to the 93 made by the Blues - but simply couldn’t break down their hosts’ defence.
With a total of 182 tackles made by coach Leon MacDonald’s team compared to the 92 made by the Stormers, it’s tough not to ask how the Stormers actually lost the match.
The answer to that question came in the 70th minute.
With the Blues leading 17-9, early try-scorer and wing Taniel Tele’a was sent off after a challenge on his opposite number, Dillyn Leyds, in the air.
The Stormers then had the perfect opportunity to snatch the win.
From the resulting penalty, they kicked to touch and earned another long-arm.
Indecision by leader Siya Kolisi then cost the team as he first consulted one of his senior players as to which penalty the Stormers should take - they had an advantage for two.
PUNISHER: Rieko Ioane’s late try sealed the victory. Photo: Supplied.
One of them was closer to the touchline and the other in front of the sticks.
Kolisi then indicated that they would go for touch.
It was then when strength and conditioning coach Riefaat Jappie came onto the field with instructions “from upstairs” to take the shot at goal from the other penalty spot.
But replacement SP Marais, who was under pressure to get the ball through the posts quickly, hooked the kick and the score remained the same.
From the restart, the Stormers took the ball through nine phases, without making any real impact, before replacement hooker Scarra Ntubeni was penalised at a ruck on the attack. All the work, no reward.
The Blues then kicked for touch, got their rolling maul going and Rieko Ioane finished the job.
Earlier, the Stormers led 6-0 in the first 30 minutes via two penalty kicks by Jean-Luc du Plessis, before Ioane broke their line from a lineout move to unleash Tele’a, who ran through the tackles of Damian de Allende and Dillyn Leyds to score their first try.
The Blues entered the break with a 10-6 lead after Otere Black also successfully converted a penalty kick.
Following another Du Plessis penalty, the scoreboard read 10-9, before the Stormers had a try disallowed after a forward pass from Steven Kitshoff to Leyds.
With 20 minutes to go, replacement Sonny Bill Williams then broke through the midfield and popped a delightful offload to Otere Black to stretch the Blues’ lead to 17-9.