An ill-disciplined Blues have lost 30-22 to the Stormers in Cape Town and almost certainly blown their Super Rugby finals hopes in the process.
A three-game winning run ended for the Blues, who had the better of much of the game but stumbled late, espcially after the sending off of winger Matt Duffie in the 66th minute when he was shown a second yellow card.
The result was relieving for the finals-bound Stormers, who had lost their last four games, including fearful hammerings in three games in New Zealand.
It was just the second loss this season by a Kiwi team against offshore opponents. The Chiefs were also undone by the Stormers in Cape Town, in round seven.
While the other New Zealand sides are on course for post-season action, the Blues’ sixth loss from 12 means they’ll almost certainly miss the playoffs for a sixth straight season.
Their lack of panache at crucial times has proven their downfall more than once. It was evident again in a tense, testy affair on Saturday (NZT).
Both teams scored three tries but the goalkicking of Stormers fullback SP Marais proved influential, landing six from seven shots.
The Blues conceded 13 penalties, struggling with the officiating of Jaco van Heerden.
When they held onto possession they were dangerous, exemplified by the remarkable ball skills of Charlie Faumuina.
All Blacks prop Faumuina threw sweet passes to put centre George Moala and hooker James Parsons over for tries midway through the first half to put the visitors 12-3 up.
Impressive Stormers skipper Siya Kolisi responded on the stroke of halftime but the Blues went into halftime up 19-10 when Black Gibson capitalised on a trademark offload from Sonny Bill Williams.
A second Marais penalty was followed by a try from a quick tap and try from Stormers five-eighth Dillyn Leyds.
Duffie’s second yellow card was for diving on a prone player, following a first-half offence when his offside play was deemed to be a professional foul.
The Stormers also had their moments of ill-discipline.
Lock Eben Etzebeth was shown a yellow card for instigating an all-in team scuffle in the first half.
Their New Zealand inside centre Shaun Treeby was fortunate not to face further sanction when his high tackle on Piers Francis forced the concussed Blues five-eighth to exit on a stretcher.
Medical staff later said Francis had been unconscious for a short period after the tackle.
Umaga felt Treeby should have been at least shown a yellow card for the sake of consistency and was also riled by some of the other rulings from van Heerden.
However, he didn’t want to make excuses for his team and said he will query the rulings later with Sanzaar referee boss Lyndon Bray.
“There were some tough calls that we felt went against us but that’s the way it goes,” Umaga told reporters.
“The Stormers brought a brutal intensity on defence and made it hard for us to build continuity in our game.”
The Stormers, who won their first six games, boast a 7-4 record to remain comfortably on track to win their South African conference.
Apelu
Guest
The ref and TMO of this match were terrible. I have never seen pure incompitence like that before, and they should never be allowed to be involved again.
Akari
Guest
That is just terrible. I hope the people involved are still contemplating about their stupidity in lock-up.
Guy Beukes
Guest
That was back in 2015. Not current
davSA
Guest
News just in Here in SA is that Veldsman was assaulted after the game and is injured with a pierced lung. WTF is happening here .
taylorman
Roar Guru
Wouldn't be the first witch hunt, nor the last. If he's poor, anything goes as far as fans are concerned. If he wants to 'aspire' further, then don't make stupid mistakes. Kinda simple theory really.
cuw
Guest
@ The Neutral View From Sweden yeah and u know after matches every week , i complain about the reffing . i just dont know why they let Joubert go - that was nucking futs!!! and what is more concerning is that these non-performing refs get game after game , while the better ones like the JAP ref and RASTAMAN have reffed very little. even Jackson seems to be out of favor. also concerning that the good ones like Gardner are out of form this season - Gardner has been rubbish for a test level ref this year. knowing how abysmal these guys are , why do keep on appointing home town TEAMS to ref ??? , surely if u can send a team of 35 abroad, another 3 aint gonna be much of an issue - to have neutral ref team in these matches. this is really bad for business. maybe they need to hire Stephanie McMahon - she knows whats good for business :)
davSA
Guest
I have never felt comfortable with Shaun Veldsman as a referee but what I am even more uncomfortable with is those openly accusing him of match fixing in the absence of any firm evidence. . These are serious and defamatory allegations. All referees are subject to review and on this performance he will surely get a negative rating . This will impact on him being selected to run the big games , something all refs aspire to. It also moves us out of the parameters of debate and discussion into those of a witch hunt. Today Veldsman ..Tomorrow ?? I might also add that The Stormers were odds on at the bookies and tote for a win . If he was influenced by the bookmakers surely it would have been in The Blues favour .. In the words of that famous fictional detective ....Elementary !
cuw
Guest
angus gardener has been rubbish this year. if u want an inform ref - look no further than the Japanese . he gets very few games and no one has had any issue with him (albeit he has reffed like only 3 -4 games this season). actually there is nothig SUPER in this anymore with so many rubbish teams and rubbisher refs - the HOf , the saffer refs, even Gardner at times and jackson too.... DUH why cant they get hold of someone like JP Doyle on a scholarship or something !!!!
cuw
Guest
yes @ taylorman i remember last year they played i think the kIngs and got argie Anselemi, who reffed he game like a UN conference on nuclear disarmament LOL. ( there were like only 300 watching in that big stadium). i have been saying constantly that these saffer refs are not good and biased when at home. they shud be given home n home matches only. but even then last year i remember strawberry effing up the stormers in their game against lyons - and i really thought burgur would kick his ***. that was after he had screwed up crusaders in the previos week (though the saders won ). this week's best performance was last night by the Japanese REF. i want him to do the final , if they cant get hold of a test ref from Europe.
Old Bugger
Guest
Cheers mate and I agree that Angus, would've done a far better job then what we witnessed, on Friday night. I don't understand how a match between the No4 Canes side and the No-double-digit Cheetah's side, could justify a neutral ref and yet, the NZ No1 v No2 match-up gets lumbered with, a kiwi ref who IMO, isn't the top NZ ref anyway.
Akari
Guest
Totally agree, OB. I rarely enjoy a crunch NZ derby game if it involves the Saders and if an NZ ref is appointed to officiate. In their efforts to be seen as neutral, NZ refs make poor calls as Fraser did on Friday night. Fraser was always a poor appointment IMO. Angus should have the ref to be fair. I am yet to see the Blues/Stormers game and I have always thought Jaco van Heerden is a competent ref but I don't hold TMO Shaun Veldsman in the same regard. It seems from game reports I've read that both the ref and TMO were rather poor to put it mildly. It makes it worse when the ARs were Saffas in Marius van der Westhuizen and Cwengile Jadezweni. Were these ARs not qualified enough to point out the poor decisions made by the ref and TMO? At the end of the day, Lydon Bray was responsible for recruiting these people and then appointing them to officiate at that game. Are these appointments a reflection of Bray's incompetence in the job? I say yes and he should be sacked and sent home.
Old Bugger
Guest
Tman I would've swapped your referee, for my referee against the Saders, at every opportunity. If ever there was a game that needed a neutral referee, the Saders/Chiefs match between the top 2 NZ sides, was the game. Heck, I would've taken the Canes ref (Nick Berry), against the Cheetahs. Fraser has always been in my line of sight but Lyndon Bray, needs to retire because his efforts to assist and improve the SR officiating rank, is nothing short of incompetency, of the highest order.
canadiankiwi
Guest
Swinging arm, directly to ball carrier's head, ball carrier taken off field after nearly 5 minutes on a stretcher- penalty only. Falling on a player in a clumsy attempt to jackal ball (no harm to ball carrier)- yellow card.
Whakaata
Guest
It doesn't matter who's ok-ness it was within, the fact remains he was well clear of the spot.
mad mick
Guest
It was obvious from the start that the referring was not up to scratch nor is that particular TMO ever without controversy. Blues are poorly coached by Tana and poorly led and SBW shows no leadership and limited ability. I cant see how he can be considered for ABS when the canes mid field are on fire.
Shop
Roar Guru
My thoughts too Harry. As a ref I would have pulled the quick tap back but I e seen worse let go.
Mason
Guest
And to see Treeby has been cited just highlights the absolute debacle the officiating in this match was.
Mason
Guest
Stormers don't need a hand up their spot was already all but secured.
Deano
Guest
You have to be at least twenty points better to win in SA. Super rugby has enough credibility problems without the hometown ref nonsense. Neutral refs are a must.
taylorman
Roar Guru
Typical of the Blues to get the worst referrering of the year....as usual, cant win a trick. When things like this start going in their favour, theyll probably win this thing. Till then, it is what it is.