Bryan Habana nailed the bonus-point fourth try right on fulltime but it was the forwards who set up the Stormers' 33-0 whitewash of the Otago Highlanders in Super 14 rugby at Newlands Stadium on Saturday.

The Stormers pack has been criticised of late but it dominated the Highlanders in the set pieces, read the play better at the breakdowns, and stole the ball on important occasions in the lineouts. The competition's best defence wasn't bad either.

"We've defended well this whole season," Stormers captain Schalk Burger said, "but our attack can keep on improving."

His team looked assured of victory as early as the 14th minute when hooker Deon Fourie crashed over after the Stormers lineout jumpers pinched a Highlanders throw in.

"We worked hard on the lineouts this week and it paid off," said lock Andries Bekker.

Also impressive for the Stormers was the rolling maul, from which two tries were produced.

The first was by Burger, who rounded off a 25-metre effort for the second try, and then his replacement Pieter Louw went over from one that started a little closer to the tryline.

Habana's try came from more hard work by Louw, who charged down a kick on the halfway line. Habana followed up in a flash, and kicked ahead twice more before pouching the ball and diving over.

"They really brought it to us up front," said Highlanders captain Jamie McIntosh, who was penalised twice for front row infringements in scrums.

"We didn't respond, and it was a tough day at the office, to be honest."

The Stormers' first bonus-point victory kept them in fifth place, while the Highlanders dropped to 11th.

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