The Stormers proved far too strong for the Waratahs in Cape Town.
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In his weekly column in The Sydney Morning Herald, Greg Growden leads the inquest into the Waratahs' Super 14 semi-final defeat by the Stormers.
"In big games, you need big names. You also need a plan B when confronting an opposition as complete as the Stormers. Otherwise it's no contest - as was the case in Cape Town. Then again, as NSW Rugby Union officials say: 'No excuses.'
"The Waratahs desperately missed their Test No.8, Wycliff Palu, and world-class loose-head prop, Benn Robinson. They went back into their shell, reverting to uninspiring kick, bash and barge football that drove everyone mad for parts of the Super 14. Senior NSW players went missing, falling well short in the leadership and discipline stakes.
"And whenever the Waratahs were put under pressure, unsurprisingly considering how stifling the Stormers defensive line was, either their elementary skills collapsed - they fumbled basic passes, lost sight of what they wanted to do- or just became desperate, booting away possession.
"This was a classic example of a semi-final team being that in name only, because the big moment exposed them big time. There are bound to be casualties."
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