MATCH STATS

The Brumbies came back to the Super Rugby pack after they were bashed by a determined Stormers outfit at Newlands and suffered a 35-22 defeat.

It means they’ll return to Canberra on Monday night with one win from two games on their South African tour.

It’s not the result they wanted. But after being outplayed by the Stormers for most of the match, the grit the Brumbies showed to fight back into the contest will serve their finals aspirations well.

Beating the Stormers would have set their season up perfectly and they would have extended their lead at the top of the table.

At a glance the 13-point loss was lop-sided. The Stormers scored four tries to the Brumbies one, the visitors made schoolboy errors and failed to continue their stunning form.

But with seven minutes remaining the Brumbies trailed by just three points

“As good as we were last week [against the Durban Sharks] in the first 40 minutes, we were probably just as poor this week,” White said.

“In terms of finishing things we started, I think that’s a great measure for just how tough this competition is.

“There are no illusions now about how tough it is to win in South Africa. The Stormers were outstanding, they really dished it up to us and that will be a massive learning curve for us going forward.”

The loss ends the Brumbies superb away-from-home form.

Prior to the match, the Brumbies were unbeaten in six games away from Canberra – a Super Rugby record.

But now they’ll return to the capital to take on the Pretoria Bulls at Canberra Stadium determined to win to keep their buffer in the Australian conference.

The Queensland Reds’ win over the Bulls means the Brumbies still lead the Australian table, but their advantage has been cut to six points.

The Stormers burst out of the blocks and caught a tired, battered and bruised Brumbies’ side off guard.

Instead of trying to run it from inside their own half, the Stormers – the top team in the South African conference last year – put the onus back on the visitors.

They pinned the Brumbies inside their own half and waited for them to make mistakes.

When it worked, they dominated and the Brumbies were left clutching at air.

Winger Gio Aplon scored the first try and baffled Brumbies fullback Robbie Coleman with some sublime footwork.

Not long after the Stormers set up a rolling maul and towering lock Andries Bekker benefited as the Cape Town pack monstered the Brumbies.

All of a sudden after just 15 minutes the Brumbies had already conceded more points than they had in any full match this season.

Henry Speight hit back for the Brumbies when they finally held on to the ball in their attacking zone.

He burst through a gaping hole and raced 20 metres to get the Brumbies back in the contest.

But it didn’t last long as the Brumbies made horrible errors and gifted the Stormers attacking opportunities.

Bekker got over for his second to give the Stormers a 12-point half-time lead before Christian Lealiifano’s penalty goals started to eat into the deficit after the break.

It was the first time the young Brumbies had been put in a pressure situation this season and the first time they had to fight from behind.

The teams traded penalty goals in the second half and the Brumbies closed within three points in the last 10 minutes.

But it was a mistake again which allowed the Stormers to clinch a victory.

Peter Kimlin threw an intercept pass and Gerhard van den Heever ran into open space to score the match-winner with five minutes remaining.

STORMERS 35 (Gio Aplon, Andries Bekkar (2), Gerhard van den Heever tries; Joe Pietersen 3 con, 3 pens) bt BRUMBIES 22 (Henry Speight try; Christian Lealiifano con, 5 pens)