This match is our Super Rugby match of the week and we strongly suggest that if possible you watch it as it will televised across the world. It should be a huge match.
Match detail
We are waiting for the kick off.
The Stormers will be without Gio Aplon for this match. He was bracketed which means that JP du Plessis is on the bench.
The Stormers kick off and we are underway. Here we go !
2.00: An early bit of kicking from both sides. The first scrum is a Stormers scrum just inside their half.
3.00: First scrum is reset but the second one is more successful. The Stormers boot the ball upfield so the Crusaders boot it back. Pietersen's return kick is bad so the Crusaders have a line out.
4.00: Crusaders win the line out and attack. They are all over the Stormers pressing them back to their 5m line. Stormers missed two tackles in that attack.
5.00: Penalty to the Crusaders. Tom Taylor takes the shot and nails it. Crusaders lead.
8.00: Bekker looks to be struggling and may have to come off. The Crusaders concede a penalty for "sealing off" so Peter Grant will kick for the posts.
9.00: Andries Bekker comes off as Grant nails the kick. Scores are level. Lower back injury for Bekker and he has been taken off as a precaution.
12.00: After 10 minutes territory is even but possession slightly favours the home side. Crusaders win the ball from a turn over and attack inside the Stormers half. Taylor gets through a gap and dashes for the line and scores the first TRY! Crusaders are really up for this.
13.00: Peter Grant comes off (blood) as Taylor converts his try. Amazing how the Crusaders factory churns out quality No.10's.
16.00: Stormers still using their kicking game looking for territory and not touch. This gives the ball to the Crusaders who like to run it.
20.00: Stormers decide to hold on to the ball but after a couple of phases the Crusaders turn it over and Dagg kicks deep. After a bit of phase play both teams kick again but Taylor finds touch.
21.00: The Crusaders are on attack and Juan de Jongh gets to the ball and then kicks it ahead and chases and pounces on it and scores. TRY!
22.00: Joe Pietersen takes the conversion and levels the scores.
24.00: Crusaders playing with greater intensity in this match. They keep making ground with the ball as they go through the phases. Crusaders have the advantage so Andy Ellis goes for a half hearted drop but misses. We go back for the penalty to the Crusaders.
26.00: Taylor takes the kick and nails it. Crusaders lead.
28.00: Crusaders continue to play the game at pace in the Stormers half. They keep testing the Stormers defence. A big hit goes in and the Crusaders lose the ball so the Stormers kick deep and we start all over again with the Crusaders attacking.
29.00: Penalty to the Stormers for a high tackle on by Wyatt Crockett on Siya Kolisi. There is notting in it but Crockett is shown a yellow. Stormers attack.
32.00: Penalty to the Crusaders. Stormers offside. Taylor bangs it over and extends the lead.
34.00: Eben Etzebeth comes off for the Stormers and Deon Fourie comes on. Both Stormers locks off now.
35.00: Stormers attacking trying to use the numbers. The Crusaders however turn it over and Matt Todd breaks. However the Stormers win a penalty. Stormers kick for touch.
38.00: Penalty to the Stormers for leaving the line out early. Joe Pietersen takes the kick amid a lot of unsporting boos from the crowd. Pietersen nails it.
40.06: The siren sounds but the Crusaders have a penalty for an infringement by Siya Kolisi being offside. Taylor will kick.
42.00: Taylor takes the shot and nails it. It's half time.
The half time score was Crusaders 19 Stormers 13
The Crusaders kick off and we are underway.
41.28: The game is held up by an injury to Tiaan Liebenberg. He gets up and carries on though.
43.00: Stormers going through the phases. When they get to the 11th phase the Crusaders don't roll away so we have a Stormers penalty.
45.00: Joe Pietersen takes the kick and nails it.
46.00: Almost out of nowhere the Crusaders find space on the wing and Dagg chases but Habana carries the ball over the line. We go upstairs to check who gets the scrum. It's the Crusaders scrum.
48.00: Stormers defence holding strong as the Crusaders attack their line.
51.00: Penalty to the Crusaders. Tom Taylor takes the kick again nails it.
55.00: Stormers testing the Crusaders defence in their.
57.00: The Crusaders show that their defence is just as tight as the Stormers defence.
59.00: Stormers are all over the Crusaders here. Habana has a couple of goes at the line and on the second attempt he gets through after some relentless attack from the Stormers.
60.00: Pietersen takes the conversion and misses. Probably due to the most enormous amount of noise while a kicker has taken a kick. Incredible racket. Trumpets the lot.
64.00: Crusaders trying to play the game in the Stormers half but they are falling off a little. Replacements starting to come on.
66.00: Rynhardt Elstadt is shown a yellow card for a high tackle. There is nothing in it just like the last card earlier. Tom Taylor will take the kick. he nails it.
68.00: Robbie Fruean makes a break but it ends when Guildford knocks on. Crusaders win a penalty from the scrum. Taylor will kick.
71.00: Taylor takes the kick and nails it. Thats 8 kicks spot on.
72.00: Sean Maitland comes off limping so Tom Marshall comes on.
74.00: Gerhard van den Heever goes for a high ball, slips and knocks on giving the Crusaders a 6 scrum.
75.00:Crusaders attack but the pressure pays off as they win a penalty in front. Taylor nails the kick.
79.00: Crusaders winding down the clock here.
81.00: The siren has long gone but the Stormers continue to attack.
83.00: Penalty to the Stormers. They will kick for posts as it will get them the losing bonus point. Grant nails it and the Stormers win their first bonus point of the season.
The full time score is Crusaders 31 (19) Stormers 24 (13)
Scorers
Crusaders
Tries - T Taylor
Pen - T Taylor 8
Con - T Taylor
Drop -
Cards - W Crockett (yellow 29)
Stormers
Tries - J de Jongh, B Habana
Pen - P Grant 2, J Pietersen 2
Con - J Pietersen
Drop -
Cards - R Elstadt (Yellow 67)
Match Officials
Referee: Chris Pollock
Assistant Ref 1:Vinny Munro
Assistant Ref 2:Mike Fraser
TMO:Kane McBride
Teams
Crusaders
1. Wyatt Crockett 2. Corey Flynn 3. Ben Franks 4. Tom Donnelly 5. Samuel Whitelock 6. George Whitelock 7. Matt Todd 8. Kieran Read 9. Andy Ellis 10. Tom Taylor 11. Zac Guildford 12. Dan Carter 13. Robbie Fruean 14. Sean Maitland 15. Israel Dagg
Reserves 16. Quentin MacDonald 17. Owen Franks 18. Luke Romano 19. Luke Whitelock 20. Willi Heinz 21. Ryan Crotty 22. Tom Marshall
Stormers
15. Joe Pietersen ,14. Gerhard van den Heever ,13. Juan de Jongh,12. Jean De Villiers (C) ,11. Bryan Habana ,10. Peter Grant,9. Dewaldt Duvenage,8. Duane Vermeulen,7. Rynhardt Elstadt,6. Siya Kolisi,5. Andries Bekker (VC),4. Eben Etzebeth ,3. Brok Harris ,2. Tiaan Liebenberg,1. Steven Kitshoff
Reserves: 16. Deon Fourie,17. Frans Malherbe,18. De Kock Steenkamp,19. Nizaam Carr ,20. Louis Schreuder,21. Burton Francis,22. JP du Plessis
