CAPE TOWN – The clock was stopped at 61:41 at Newlands on Saturday night. It could also be seen as the clock having stopped for the Stormers, as they needed to make a big decision that could make or break their Super Rugby campaign.
They had been awarded a penalty for an off-the-ball challenge on Frans Malherbe – which Robbie Fleck felt warranted a yellow card, which would’ve reduced the Chiefs to 13 men – just outside the 22 with the visitors leading 11-8.
Just a few minutes before that, Sam Cane had been sent to the sin-bin after a dangerous tackle on Dillyn Leyds.
Referee Jaco Peyper, though, didn’t send off Chiefs prop Kane Hames for his charge on Malherbe, which was probably a fair call.
But the Kiwis were still down to 14 men, and Cane had seven minutes and 40 seconds to go before he could return to the field.
The Stormers could take the safe option and go for the three points, or set up a lineout five metres from the tryline and attempt to score through a maul against seven Chiefs forwards.
The latter option would’ve made most sense, as try-scoring opportunities were hard to come by for the Stormers against the renowned Chiefs defence.
And it looked like that was exactly captain Siya Kolisi wanted to do. He screamed for the ball to be returned and gestured to the touchline.
As that happened, Stormers kicking coach Vlok Cilliers ran on to the field with kicking tee in hand, and had a word with Kolisi, who then stepped away and conferred with SP Marais and vice-captain Eben Etzebeth.
Damian de Allende has nowhere to go against Michael Leitch (obscured) and Brodie Retallick. Photo: Chris Ricco, BackpagePix
Flyhalf Damian Willemse, though, was then given the ball, and while Stephen Donald left the field with a bleeding cheek, Willemse was practising his technique to kick to touch.
Stormers conditioning coach Steph du Toit then emerged, walking straight to Kolisi and having a chat with the skipper as well.
After a few more seconds, Peyper was told that the Stormers were going for the three points, and Willemse gave the ball to Marais, who duly slotted the ball between the uprights.
But the moment was lost. Had the Stormers scored and converted, they would’ve led 15-11. It would’ve placed enormous pressure on the Chiefs as they would’ve had to produce a try to win the game against a much-improved Stormers defence that hadn’t been breached up to that point.
It had the potential to deflate the Chiefs’ bubble, and serve as a mighty adrenalin rush for Robbie Fleck’s team in the last quarter.
Instead, the Cape side took the three points and were still a point behind the Chiefs at 12-11.
Ten minutes later, it was a similar situation, with the Stormers gaining a penalty about 15 metres from the touchline on the Chiefs 22. It was a tough kick for Marais, and a three-pointer was never going to be enough – the Stormers needed a try to give them some breathing space.
Even if Marais had been successful with the penalty, it would have put the Stormers just 14-12 ahead with eight minutes to go. Considering the quality of the Chiefs, they can be backed to at least get a penalty in that time.
Stormers fullback SP Marais is brought down by Chiefs prop Nepo Laulala. Photo: Chris Ricco, BackpagePix
In fact, they did more than that – a stunning try to Shaun Stevenson that saw the two-time champions blast the Stormers forwards away up the middle with 11 phases, and then outflank the backs on the right for Stevenson to go over untouched after Dillyn Leyds ill-advisedly shot out of the defensive line.
Those two decisions to kick at goal arguably cost the Stormers a place in the semi-finals. They had the game in their hands, and blew it.
Kolisi said afterwards: “Is it the one right in the corner? I can’t remember (the first one in the middle of the field, that Marais kicked over), but with the one in the corner (which Marais missed), I actually initially wanted to go for touch. But I thought that I am going to back my kicker because he’s been kicking them all day. So we changed the decision because we believed he could make it.
“They had a forward out (Sam Cane), but he was coming back for the lineout, so we said ‘Let’s just go for the posts’.”
Another decision that cost the Stormers was the selection of Marais at fullback. The left-footer has been in top form all season, but missed the last two league games with a knee injury.
During that time, Dillyn Leyds has brought a different dynamic at fullback, while Seabelo Senatla looked sharp at left wing, with Cheslin Kolbe regaining his best form on the right.
Retaining that back-three would’ve been a positive statement of intent to the Chiefs from Fleck and the Stormers, but they chose the conservative route, with Marais often caught in possession with ball-in-hand and seldom passing the ball on Saturday night.
And Senatla got less than three minutes of game time...
Cheslin Kolbe, who is leaving the Stormers for French club Toulouse, claims a high ball ahead of James Lowe. Photo: Chris Ricco, BackpagePix
The Stormers will be saying goodbye to the likes of Kolbe, Juan de Jongh and a few others now, although the core of the squad remains for another Super Rugby campaign next year.
Fleck and Kolisi rightly mentioned the fact that there had been an upward curve in their game in 2017, with a more attacking approach overall being fully embraced.
But when it came to crunch time, they didn’t apply those same principles on Saturday, and it is something they will have to overcome if they want to be genuine title contenders in 2018.
* Ashfak Mohamed is the Digital Sports Editor at Independent Media.
@ashfakmohamed