Despite enjoying the best scoring opportunities on the day, the Stormers had to fight hard for their 25-19 win over the Reds in a Super Rugby match at Newlands on Saturday.
The home team found themselves in a commanding position three minutes from halftime, the Stormers leading their opponents 18-0 following a couple of tries and a few penalties. However, the Reds scored two tries either side of the break and another one seconds before the hooter to allow themselves one last crack at four points in injury time.
But the Stormers defended a lineout close to their tryline to record their second successive win following last week's victory against the Blues.
The Stormers basically continued where they left off against the New Zealand side, attacking with flair and putting the Reds under pressure with their rush defence. Flyhalf Damian Willemse was again in top form, slicing the Reds apart with some lovely darts down the middle. His brother, hooker Ramone Samuels, was also quite influential in the carry.
Willemse put the Stormers in front with a penalty in the third minute, before the home side scored their first try 10 minutes later.
Left wing Raymond Rhule, who also had a storming match, started off the move with an outside break in his own half before offloading to centre EW Viljoen. The No 13 then managed to break a tackle before passing the ball inside to scrumhalf Dewald Duvenage to run in and score.
The Stormers extended their lead in the 25th minute when prop Wilco Louw barged over the line to round off a great team try, which featured great handling and ball retention by the home side.
Willemse added another penalty shortly afterwards to give the Stormers an 18-0 lead. But a few daft moments and loss of concentration on defence either side of the break cost the home side.
Reds flyhalf Jono Lance broke the Stormers' defensive wall, before offloading to No 8 Caleb Limo to crash over the line to score in the 37th minute. Reds hooker Alex Mafi then scored two minutes after the break to reduce the Stormers' lead to four points.
The men from the Cape didn't look as sharp on attack in the second half, but they managed to increase their lead in the 53rd minute when Rhule finished off a great sequence of play. Wing Craig Barry got the ball in space and put in a superb grubber for Rhule to chase, and the wing finished off superbly despite the attentions of two Reds players.
The Stormers were awarded a number of penalties in the Reds' 22, but decided to go for scrums to try and score a try. But basic mistakes and good defending from the visitors denied them points.
The Reds then had scored a try of their own on the hooter after a wing Filipo Daugunu broke out deep in his own half to score and make it six-point ball game. The Reds had a big chance to win the game in additional time with a lineout a few metres away from the home side's trylin, but the Stormers held on for an important win.