Super Rugby: Crusaders land controversial 14-13 win over Stormers
Tom Taylor's penalty six minutes from time gave the Crusaders a 14-13 win over the Stormers in Christchurch.
Last Updated: 08/03/14 11:24am
Taylor's late kick ensured the Crusaders maintained their unbeaten home record against overseas teams, which stretches back to 2004, but they would have to consider themselves fortunate to overcome their gallant South African opponents.
The Cape Town-based side held them to 3-3 at half-time even though the Crusaders had 80% of the possession and a 70% territorial advantage on their way to a belated first win of the season.
Stormers surged into a 13-3 lead after the interval thanks to a second penalty from Demetri Catrakilis and Damien de Allende's converted try.
Taylor cut the lead with the second of his three penalties and he kicked the vital three points after a try from debutant Kieron Fonotia had brought them within two.
But the win was somewhat fortuitous as the Stormers had what seemed to be a perfectly good try in the first-half ruled out when Jean de Villiers forced the ball against the goal-post - on review, the television match official denied the score without giving an explanation.
Taylor's match-winning kick was also subject to dispute with lock Michael Rhodes penalised for intercepting from an offside position - replays showed he had seemed to come from on-side.
The All Blacks fly-half came to the rescue again in the closing seconds with a superb tackle to stop the Stormers' Nizaam Carr from scoring a try with seconds left on the clock.
