Cheslin Kolbe scored a second hat-trick within eight days as the Stormers sealed third place in the Super Rugby overall standings by beating Sunwolves 52-15 in Cape Town Saturday.
After a humiliating 87-point drubbing from Golden Lions in Johannesburg last weekend, the Japanese restricted the South Africans to a 19-10 half-time lead at Newlands stadium.
But a much-improved Tokyo outfit ran out of gas in the closing stages and conceded three late tries with winger Kolbe scoring two of them.
The diminutive back was first to score in the round 16 match, skilfully picking up the ball when it flew out of a ruck and darting to the tryline on eight minutes.
Kolbe scored three tries last Saturday in an away victory over fellow South Africans Central Cheetahs.
SCORE
Stormers 52
Tries: Kolbe 3, Viljoen, Senatla, Willemse, Leyds 2
Cons: Willemse 4, Kolbe 2
Sunwolves 15
Tries: Goto, Hino
Con: Tamura
Pen: Tamura
Yellow card:
Sunwolves: Derek Carpenter (three minutes)
Bulls v Kings
Lionel Cronje scored a penalty from the last kick of the game to give condemned Super Rugby outfit the Southern Kings a thrilling 31-30 triumph over Northern Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday.
The result-deciding kick in a round 16 clash between the South African sides followed a controversial decision that led to a five-metre scrum at which the Bulls were penalised.
After watching big-screen replays, the Argentine referee judged that Bulls flanker Jannes Kirsten had touched the ball before it trickled out of ball, leading to the set-piece.
But SuperSport TV analysts Nick Mallett and Naas Botha, a former coach and flyhalf of the Springboks respectively, disagree with the decision.
SCORE
Bulls 30
Tries: Jenkins, Matthews, Visagie
Cons: Schoeman 3
Pens: Schoeman 3
Kings 31
Tries: Mapimpi, Cronje, Jaer
Cons: Cronje 2
Pens: Cronje 3
Drop goal: Cronje
Yellow cards: Bulls: Jenkins (22 minutes); Kings: Wandile Mjekevu (27 minutes), Lubabalo Mtyanda (65 minutes)
STANDINGS
Australian Conference
Brumbies 34 - qualified
Force 21
Reds 21
Waratahs 19
Rebels 8
New Zealand Conference
Crusaders 63 - qualified
Hurricanes 54 - qualified
Chiefs 53 - qualified
Highlanders 46 - qualified
Blues 37
Africa 1 Conference
Stormers 39 - qualified
Bulls 20
Cheetahs 17
Sunwolves 7
Africa 2 Conference
Lions 61 - qualified
Sharks 42 - qualified
Jaguares 29
Kings 27
NEXT WEEK'S GAMES
July 14: Highlanders v Reds, Rebels v Jaguares, Kings v Cheetahs
July 15: Sunwolves v Blues, Chiefs v Brumbies, Hurricanes v Crusaders, Force v Waratahs, Sharks v Lions, Bulls v Stormers
