Stormers repulse Bulls fightback to top table

CAPE TOWN (AFP) - Western Stormers repulsed a stirring fightback by Northern Bulls to retain their unbeaten record with a 20-17 win in a Super 15 clash at Newlands Saturday.

A penalty three minutes from the end by fly-half Peter Grant enabled the Cape side to lead the table by two points from Otago Highlanders.

But the Bulls were the dominant team in the second half of a ferociously contested match, fighting back from a 14-point deficit to level at 17-17 with 13 minutes to go.

The Bulls scored two tries to one by the Stormers, but full-back Joe Pietersen landed all four penalty attempts and Grant succeeded with his only shot at goal after Pietersen went off injured.

Bulls' Springbok fly-half Morne Steyn converted tries by wing Bjorn Basson and centre Wynand Olivier - the latter from the left touchline - but missed two penalty attempts and was just short with a late drop goal attempt which could have put the Bulls in front.

"It was a massive effort," said Stormers captain and centre Jean de Villiers. "It shows the advantage of playing at home. There was nothing in it. I am just happy we pulled through."

Bulls skipper Pierre Spies admitted: "We were put under pressure in the first half but I am proud of the way we came back in the second half."

The visiting team looked stronger in the early stages in front of a near-capacity crowd, but Stormers went into half-time with a 14-0 lead.

Pietersen landed a penalty goal after 11 minutes and Bulls had cause to rue not taking an opportunity to equalise eight minutes later when Spies opted to go for touch instead of asking Steyn to go for posts.

A Bulls drive foundered and Pietersen added another penalty before Steyn missed from a more difficult position than the one his team had spurned earlier.

Another Pietersen penalty was followed by a try by hooker Tiaan Liebenberg after the half-time hooter.

Stormers attacked from a scrum in the Bulls 22 and after a promising double scissors move by the backs was held up, the ball went back to the forwards and Liebenberg powered over with the assistance of powerful lock Eben Etzebeth.

Bulls lock Flip van der Merwe was sin binned two minutes after half-time for taking out Etzebeth in the air at a line-out.

But his side scored 10 unanswered points while he was off the field, although Basson's try came from a counter-attack after scrum-half Francois Hougaard picked up a loose Stormers pass and kicked ahead for Basson to chase more than half the length of the field.