Match Report: All Blacks v DHL Stormers | Rugby's Greatest Rivalry

All Blacks

1 hour agoBy: Lynn McConnell

All Blacks score three late tries to secure a 38-21 win in the opening match of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tour.

Late surge secures victory for the All Blacks

The All Blacks were given an early reminder of the challenges of playing in South Africa before pulling away late for a 38-21 win over the Stormers in the opening game of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tour at DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday.

The final margin flattered the All Blacks, who were locked at 14-14 midway through the second half and were unable to breathe easily until three tries in the closing stages.

The Stormers' 6-2 bench split eventually proved costly as they ran short of backline replacements, while the physical toll of the contest began to tell.

Discipline tests the All Blacks

Discipline was a major issue for the All Blacks throughout. They received three yellow cards, conceded a penalty try and were penalised 16 times to the Stormers' 11.

The home side also enjoyed 57 percent of territory but struggled to turn that advantage into points, while being forced to make 149 tackles compared with 122 from the All Blacks.

No.8 Peter Lakai was one of the All Blacks' standouts and played a key role in the try that helped break the game open.

His ruck turnover inside the All Blacks' half sparked an attacking sequence that eventually saw the ball worked wide. Lakai appeared again at the end of the move, stepping inside before producing a backhand pass for Leroy Carter.

Carter still had plenty to do, beating three defenders inside the Stormers' 22 to score and extend the All Blacks' advantage.

Josh Jacomb shines on All Blacks debut

Replacement first five-eighths Josh Jacomb then kicked intelligently into space before Stormers flanker Hacjivah Dayimani, who had been forced onto the wing, attempted to clear. His kick was charged down by Josh Moorby, who regathered to score.

Moorby's fortunes quickly changed when he was sent to the sin bin moments later. He prevented Warrick Gelant from grounding the ball for a try, resulting in a penalty try to the Stormers.

The All Blacks had the final say in injury time. A scrum penalty gave them a lineout opportunity and, from the resulting maul, replacement hooker Asafo Aumua powered through the defence to score.

Earlier, Rieko Ioane's second-half try had proved crucial in helping the All Blacks regain control.

Halfback Cortez Ratima reacted quickly to take a tap penalty before the All Blacks repeatedly attacked the blindside, with lock Patrick Tuipulotu prominent. When the ball was finally shifted wider, Ioane, who had moved into centre, used his power to finish.

WATCH: Highlights from All Blacks v DHL Stormers available in selected territories

Stormers push All Blacks to the brink

The Stormers had drawn level at 14-14 in the 55th minute with a superbly executed lineout move.

Flanker Deon Fourie, who had won the turnover that created the opportunity, slipped a pass to blindside wing Seabelo Senatla, who hit the line at pace and raced under the posts.

Moments later, a heavy tackle on replacement prop Siale Lauaki dislodged the ball. It was kicked through towards the All Blacks' in-goal before replacement lock Sam Darry scrambled back to secure a goal-line dropout.

The All Blacks had started brightly, immediately looking to play at tempo.

A lineout close to the Stormers' line produced the opening points after five minutes, with hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho scoring from a rolling maul.

The Stormers, who had lost lively halfback Imad Khan to a knee injury after only three minutes, responded by exposing the All Blacks' discipline problems.

A succession of penalties allowed the home side to repeatedly kick for the corner and bring their lineout maul into play.

The pressure eventually led to a general warning from referee Karl Dickson before second five-eighths Anton Lienert-Brown was yellow-carded for head contact in a tackle.

The Stormers initially appeared to have capitalised when hooker Andre-Hugo Venter crossed from another driving maul.

However, after the conversion had been kicked, the TMO identified a truck-and-trailer infringement in the build-up and the try was overturned.

The All Blacks went down to 13 players early in the match

The review also revealed an infringement from All Blacks flanker Simon Parker, who joined Lienert-Brown in the sin bin.

Another Stormers lineout drive eventually produced their first legitimate try, with Fourie forcing his way over.

Despite playing against 13 men, the Stormers were unable to fully cash in. Debutant first five-eighths Yaqeen Ahmed twice opted for high kicks when there appeared to be opportunities to move the ball through the hands.

The All Blacks regained their composure and returned to their up-tempo approach, creating space out wide, although one promising opportunity disappeared when Billy Proctor was unable to hold a pass from Moorby.

Even so, the Stormers were forced to make 75 tackles in the opening half compared with 50 from the All Blacks.

The visitors struck again shortly before halftime.

A 38th-minute lineout steal from lock Fabian Holland created space for Ioane to charge through the midfield and carry play deep into Stormers territory.

When the Stormers conceded a penalty, Ratima again reacted quickly with a tap. A long pass found Holland wide on the flank and he released Parker to score, giving the All Blacks a 14-7 halftime lead.

Match Score Sheet

Scorers: DHL Stormers 21 (Deon Fourie, Seabelo Senatla tries; penalty try; Yaqeen Ahmed 2 con) All Blacks 38 (Samisoni Taukei'aho, Simon Parker, Rieko Ioane, Leroy Carter, Josh Moorby, Asafo Aumua tries; Beauden Barrett 3 con; Josh Jacomb con).
HT: All Blacks 14-7.