Wing Cheslin Kolbe scored 23 points, which included a hat trick of tries, in the Stormers' narrow 40-34 victory over the Cheetahs in a Super Rugby match at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein. The Stormers led 26-17 halftime.
But the margin of victory could have been bigger for the visitors from Cape Town if it weren't for two yellow cards and a red card during the fixture. Their discipline is something they have to get right if ahead of the playoffs, which they have already qualified for.
The match was played at a blinding tempo, with both teams playing attacking rugby and keeping hold of the ball. The Stormers opened the scoring as early as the second minute when Kolbe scored the first of his three tries following some great handling by the backs.
The Cheetahs, though, hit back six minutes later when lock Reniel Hugo barged his way over the line after the Stormers turned the ball over at scrum time.
The visitors dominated the middle part of the first half, and scored three tries in an 11-minute period from the 21st to the 32nd minute.
Young flyhalf Damien Willemse scored after a magnificent break from his own half, while Kolbe and replacement wing Seabelo Senatla also crossed the Cheetahs' line to give the Stormers a comfortable 26-10 lead.
However, the home side had the final say of the first half barely a minute after flank Rynhard Elstadt was sent to the sin bin for foul play. Cheetahs hooker Elandre Huggett crossed the line on the stroke of halftime to give the home side a sniff.
Cheetahs flyhalf Niel Marais converted a penalty for the first points of the second half in the 43rd minute, but Kolbe completed his hat trick 10 minutes later to give the Cape side a 33-20 lead.
The Stormers then found themselves down to 14 men in the 55th minute after lock Pieter-Steph was yellow carded for a high tackle. The Cheetahs then scored two quick tries during Du Toit's cooling off period through Clinton Swart and Springbok wing Raymond Rhule to take a 34-33 lead just after the hour mark.
The Stormers scored the winning try four minutes from the end when flank Sikhumbuzo Notshe scored in the left after corner after a lovely offload in the tackle by hooker Bongo Mbonambi.
The match then ended on a sour note when Elstadt and Cheetahs flank Henco Venter were both shown straight red cards for a fight.