In the first match of the great rivalry in Cape Town, the Stormers team demonstrated how vulnerable the All Blacks are in attack, although they could not defeat the visitors.
Despite the fact that the Cape Town team could not beat the visitors, their forward line confidently showed its skill in scrums and rucks, demonstrating to the world champions that this series could be decided by physical confrontations.
The New Zealand team won with a score of 38-21. Although this was only the first match of a long tour, it is clear that they still have a lot of work to do before they are ready to face the Springboks.
At the beginning of the game, the All Blacks started a fast attack, trying to move the ball to catch the Stormers off guard. This worked for some time, and perhaps the event itself influenced the home team, who looked stunned at the very beginning.
However, even after the All Blacks scored first just two minutes into the game, the Stormers did not give up. Five minutes later, midfielder Imad Khan left the field due to a knee injury, which prevented plans to use him together with rookie wing player Yakin Ahmed.
Nevertheless, despite the dominance of the New Zealand team, a strong scrum at the try line conducted by props Vernon Matongo and Nitling Fosie changed the course of the game. The Cape Town team emerged from their zone after the scrum and advanced half the pitch of the All Blacks thanks to powerful rucks, and for the next almost ten minutes they created pressure.
The first goal was scored thanks to an excellent ruck, and it was scored by veteran Deon Fury. The 39-year-old player performed brilliantly with fearless tackles and made a couple of important interceptions. Before his attempt at another ruck, which was scored by hooker Andre-Hugo Winter, the decision was made not to count the goal.
As is often the case with the All Blacks, the New Zealand team scored before halftime, taking a lead of 14-7. In the second half, the Stormers fought for about 25 minutes, even scoring first thanks to a magnificent outside play. Winger Seabelo Senatla broke through the defense after receiving the ball, and this try caused a burst of applause from the fans, leveling the score.
But the lack of full playing time always affected the Cape Town team. Their accuracy decreased in the last fifteen minutes of the match, and two tries near the end of the game secured the victory for the All Blacks.
The Stormers can be proud of their fight, and the penalty try at the end of the match showed that they never gave up. More than 47,000 spectators who attended the DHL stadium thoroughly enjoyed the game of both teams, and this clash sets the tone for a memorable tour.
Rugby director John Dobson is concerned about the injuries to Khan and captain Ruhan Nel. The latter left the field in the second half with a calf injury.
