The Brumbies made two changes to the side that beat the Lions at home last week. Jahrome Brown replaced Lachlan McCaffrey at flanker and Irae Simone was replaced on the bench by New Zealand-born Wharenui Hawera.
The home side also made multiple changes to the line-up that thumped the Rebels in Melbourne last round. Dan Kriel and Joshua Stander replaced Damian de Allende and Jean-Luc du Plessis respectively in the starting line-up.
Johan du Toit, Neethling Fouche and Siya Kolisi came in for Jaco Coetzee, Frans Malherbe and Juarno Augustus on the bench as well as JJ Engelbrecht.
The match sparked into action early and it was the ACT side who drew first blood. Early phase-play deep in the Stormers’ half gave the Brumbies the ideal opportunity to attack, and it came through the forwards as neat ball skills by the 2.08m Rory Arnold put Pete Samu away in the left corner.
Samu had a lot of work to do but managed to ground the ball before going into touch. Christian Lealiifano did not successfully kick the conversion.
An obstruction penalty one minute later meant Stormers’ flyhalf Joshua Stander cut the deficit to two with a penalty kick.
The Stormers looked to exit their 22 from the kick-off but Rory Arnold was on the ball. He got his big frame in front of the ball as scrum-half Herschel Jantjies was preparing to box kick and the ball clattered into Arnold’s arms.
The ball ricocheted off towards the goal-line and Arnold completed the try by neatly swiveling to evade Damian Willemse and score the Brumbies second try. Lealiifano, this time, added the extras.
The Stormers went back to work trying to overhaul the nine-point lead. It was a period of consistently gruelling play which made the Brumbies defend for long periods of time.
They conceded five penalties between the 15th minute and the 40th minute but when Toni Pulu chased down Jantjies inches from the try line, Jantjies was deemed to have knocked the ball on and half-time was called. But, there was more.
As the teams were heading down the tunnel for half-time, replays showed that Pulu had, in fact, tackled Jantjies high. Players were called back onto the field where referee Nick Briant consulted with the television match official.
It was deemed that a try would’ve been scored had the tackle been legitimate and there were no other defenders capable of stopping the young scrum-half.
Pulu received a yellow card and a penalty try was awarded to the Stormers. At half-time, the Brumbies led 12-10.
In the second half, the Stormers began by piggy-backing their way upfield due to a penalty conceded by the Brumbies.
Six minutes into the half, Stormers tighthead prop Wilco Louw crashed over from close range to give the home side the lead.
Stander added the extras and now it was the Brumbies down by five.
But the Brumbies were on a mission. In the 52nd minute Ruhan Nel was away on the left-hand touchline before the 19 cap Wallaby, Henry Speight, put a big shot on to force him over the touchline.
The television match official was called in to adjudicate and it was decided that Speight had just forced Nel over the sideline before he grounded the ball.
The Brumbies then found some attack of their own and just ten minutes after the Stormers try, Tom Banks went in for a five-pointer.
With the Stormers camped on their own line, Powell shifted left to Lealiifano who threw a double-cut out pass to an unmarked Tom Banks who strolled in.
Lealiifano added his second conversion for the night and the Brumbies were once again up by two.
The Brumbies had twenty minutes to survive against the South African heavyweights but their dogged defence proved the difference in the end.
The Stormers persisted endlessly but couldn’t break the defensive wall of the Brumbies. The Brumbies defeated the Stormers 19-17 in Cape Town.
The Brumbies now travel to Buenos Aires where the Jaguares await. It is always a tough game for travelling sides in Argentina but the Brumbies will be confident against the high-flying Jaguares who put 51 points on the Sharks last week.
The Stormers still sit at the bottom of the South African conference and will face the Bulls in Cape Town next week.
numpty
Roar Rookie
immense defense all round. shout outs to Powell, Arnold, Samu, CLL, Speight and Kuridrani. But lack of attack and ease of turnover ball is worrying... Jaguares are more potent/creative in attack than one out forward runners.
numpty
Roar Rookie
Can i just say - Pete samu is bringing back the tucked in jersey look in a big way. Gritty win by the brumbies and flavour of the season for 3/4 aussie teams. Starch in the forwards and in defence is getting the reds, brumbs and tahs the wins at the moment.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Fionn - agree the Brums are a real chance. Fantastic defensive effort last game. If they can replicate this week a certain amount of confidence will follow. Forget Poey- injury prone and a bad ROI this year. These next few rounds will be interesting with the Tahs improving, the Reds doing it tough from here on in and the Rebels succumbing to pressure and starting to implode within.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Yep, they left their run too late last year, so even though they finished the season playing the best rugby in the conference, destroying the Waratahs in Sydney in the last round, they missed out on the finals.
ZSport
Roar Pro
The Crusaders vs Lions match is in Christchurch. The Brumbies just have to ensure they make use of the momentum they have. You don't want to leave your run too late so they will want to try and put some consistent performances on the board in the next month.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
The problem is tat the Crusaders are starting to look more and more unbeatable. Is the match in Joburg or Christchurch? Honestly, with the draw the Brumbies have they should be aiming to try and make the finals, even if it is by finishing 4-8 in the combined ladder.
ZSport
Roar Pro
You're right. Tough, but not impossible. If they can come close to replicating a similar performance against the Jaguares, a win is not unlikely. The Jaguares will be confident, especially playing at home with their home crowd behind them. For me, the Jaguares vs Brumbies game will be one of the matches of the week along with the Crusaders vs Lions match.
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Thanks for this. Said elsewhere that if the Brumbies can win against the Jaguares, then I think there is a path to topping the conference. They don't have a too difficult draw in the second half of the season. - Sunwolves home and away - Blues, Bulls and Reds in Canberra - Waratahs in Sydney (I think the last time we lost to the Tahs in Sydney was 2015, and have only lost once in the last 1 match against them since that year). It is unlikely, but topping the conference is possible.