It may have been Richie McCaw’s 100th Super rugby game, but it was the Stormers doing the celebrating in Cape Town as they completed an historic “Kiwi sweep” with a clinical victory over the Crusaders.

The 42-14, three tries to two, win sees the Stormers take a major stride towards a semifinal spot and leaves the New Zealanders vulnerable to the chasers over the closing fortnight as they cling tenuously to their own place in the top four.

The Stormers go to 38 points, just one behind the Bulls who host the Sharks early Sunday (NZ time), and the Crusaders stay rooted on 34 and with an equally difficult visit to Pretoria still to come. The second straight defeat on tour leaves Todd Blackadder’s side now contemplating, at best, an away semi, most likely in the republic.

But there was no doubting the significance of a Jaque Fourie-inspired win for the Stormers, with the classy centre grabbing a double as the home side completed the full set of victories over the five New Zealand sides in one season – a magnificent achievement that speaks volumes for how far they’ve come this year.

It’s the first time it has been achieved by a South African side and confirms the Cape Town outfit as a legitimate title threat as the season gets down to the business end.

The Stormers led 12-7 at halftime, but scored three tries in an impressive second 40 to run away with the contest.

Two of them went to Fourie who had a brilliant match. His first score was a dazzling individual effort from 60m out and the second, late in the piece, put an exclamation point on a dazzling display.

Inbetween big Fijian wing Sireli Naqelevuki touched down for the Stormers as they kept the scoreboard ticking over throughout a match that the Crusaders were never able to work their way into.

McCaw and his men were forced to make a lot of tackles, but they also missed far too many to allow them to hang in the game. They were also heavily penalised by Stu Dickinson, especially at the breakdown, and Peter Grant’s seven penalties ensured that the home team’s score kept mounting.

There were some moments of quality from the seven-time champions, but not enough to suggest they’re capable of adding to their silverware haul this season. Another off-key performance from Dan Carter didn’t help, but neither did general indiscipline and an error count that was still way too high.

A highly competitive, and intense, opening 40 minutes ended with the Stormers in front 12-7, much to the delight of the full house who packed Newlands for this top-of-the-table matchup.

Befitting a contest between the competition’s top two defensive sides, there was only one try in the first half, Dan Carter snaffling it for the visitors in the eighth minute when he charged down an attempted Peter Grant clearance off the left boot and gathered for the easiest of seven-pointers.

But Grant did slot four penalties to keep his side in the driver’s seat and there was a suspicion that a late yellow card for Crusaders loose forward Kieran Read (one too many infringements at the breakdown) could hamper the New Zealanders’ challenge.

Sure enough Fourie stuck after half a dozen minutes of the second spell, weaving his way through a handful of would-be tacklers for an exhilarating score after receiving a Grant inside ball 60m out and pure talent doing the rest.

That sparked Newlands into a massive celebration as the Stormers stretched out to 19-7, with the Crusaders in need of something inspirational themselves.

It never came. Grant banged over three straight penalties to extend the lead to 21, Sean Maitland couldn’t control the ball as he reached out after a surging run 11 minutes out, and then Naqelevuki struck to take the home side out to 35-7 with just five minutes remaining.

There was still time for Colin Slade to pick up a late consolation score for the visitors, via Andy Ellis’ pinpoint cross-kick, and for Fourie to complete a memorable night with a quality finish when Ricky Januarie’s double-round had put Gio Aplon into the gap.

And that was that.

The Stormers, with that big, thundering pack and those likely backs, confirmed they are very much the real deal after their Brisbane slipup last week. And the Crusaders are left with plenty to do over the next fortnight if they’re to make it into these semifinals.

It’s still on for the New Zealanders, but their game remains a long, long way off its best.

It was also not a good match for Crusaders hooker Corey Flynn who suffered a suspected ankle fracture in the first half of his return from a long spell out with an ankle injury.

The extent of the new injury was not clear immediately after the match, but Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder confirmed it was not looking good for the All Black hooker, who will certainly play no further part in this campaign.

Stormers 42 (Jaque Fourie 2, Sireli Naqelevuki tries; Peter Grant 7 pens, 3 cons), Crusaders 14 (Dan Carter, Colin Slade tries; Carter 2 cons). Ht: 12-7.