Veteran Brumbies flanker George Smith has gone from possession pilferer to try stealer in his side's potentially season-shaping 19-17 win over the Stormers in a torrid Super 14 clash in Cape Town.

The Canberra-based franchise's second win in three away games gives them a strong platform heading into a run of five home matches in their next six fixtures.

"Seven of our last ten games are at home now, so it looks like a good run home, but it's as good as we will make it," Brumbies captain Stephen Hoiles said.

Numerous errors and penalties contributed to a dour struggle in which most of the drama was reserved for the final five minutes, in which the only two tries were scored.

Smith's converted 77th minute intercept try off a pass from Stormers prop Brok (Brok) James broke a 12-12 deadlock, but the visitors survived a late scare before clinching their victory.

Stormers flanker Pieter Louw, who had a first half try disallowed for grounding the ball on the in-goal line, crashed over for a legitimate score in the final few seconds.

However, the conversion attempt of fullback Joe Pietersen drifted wide of the posts and the Stormers surrendered their unbeaten record.

"It was tough and we were a bit lucky in that last minute to get away with a win," Smith told AAP.

Better known for stealing possession than scoring tries, Smith is finding it harder to do the former under the current breakdown interpretations, but has rediscovered the art of doing the latter.

After going four years without a Super try, Smith has scored in successive weeks and is the only Brumby this season to cross the opposition line more than once.

"I haven't scored too many tries in the past, but I've been quite lucky the past week to get a meat pie in each game and they are the first two tries I've had in three or four years so it's very foreign to me," Smith said.

The win was based on strong defence, hard nosed forward play in an attritional encounter and the unerring goalkicking boot of five-eighth Matt Giteau.

Brumbies coach Andy Friend described the game as a "fairly old arm wrestle and thought a draw would have been a fair reflection of the play.

"I thought our forwards did very well they ground out that win for us there tonight," Brumbies coach Friend told AAP.

Prior to the two late tries, the match developed into a goalkicking duel between Giteau and Pietersen, both of whom kicked four penalties.

The Stormers twice led by three points in the first half which ended with a 6-6 scoreline.

After the break, Pietersen nudged the Stormers ahead but Giteau levelled for a third time.

The Brumbies led briefly after Pietersen missed from 45 metres and Giteau raised the flags for a fourth time, but the Stormers fullback quickly tied the scoreline with yet another penalty.

"We'll take the win, but we know we need to be a lot better, we have to be more disciplined and we need to have a look at what we're doing that is incurring the wrath of the referees," Friend said.

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