Lions deserving winners against Stormers at Newlands

The Stormers were a pale shadow of the team that triumphed against the Chiefs last and proved hugely disappointing for the home crowd of just under 30 000.

The Lions outscored the Stormers 4-1 in the try department, and they probably saved the match with a monster display on defence when they held out the Stormers for a sustained pressure spell straight after the halftime break.

After a somewhat nervous start by both sides, the Lions were first out of the blocks after opting for touch from a penalty from 15 metres out. From the resultant line-out the Stormers were unable to contain the driving maul and hooker Malcolm Marx dotted down for an unconverted try in the third minute (5-0).

Two minutes later, the Lions’ backline was disrupted when midfielder Rohan Janse van Rensburg was forced to retire prematurely from the game with what looked like a knee injury and he was replaced by Harold Vorster.

The Stormers started looking more composed as they clawed their way back, but the lacked the cohesion to threaten the Lions defence. However, it took some enterprising play by leftwing Dillyn Leyds to breach the defence out wide in the channel in front of the Railway Grandstand and he rounded off splendidly with a try near the corner flag. Stormers flyhalf Robert du Preez converted (7-5).

The Lions regained the lead four minutes later, when replacement Vorster matched Leyds’ solo effort with an opportunist run which caught the Stormers’ defence napping by streaking through for their side’s second try which flyhalf Elton Jantjies converted (12-7).

Midway through the half, the Stormers were starting to gain the upper hand, but the Lions defence held out. However, In the process the Lions twice in the space of six minutes conceded penalties by Du Preez and SP Marais saw the Stormers regain the lead at 13-12.

In between the penalties, the Lions lost loosie Jaco Kriel who was yellow-carded for a dangerous tackle on Du Preez in the 25th minute.

Just after Jantjies restored the Lions’ lead with a penalty (15-13), Kriel made a timely return to the fray to round off a Lions attacking sortie three minutes ahead of the break with a converted try (22-13).

The opening 15 minutes of the second half was played in the Lions half. After some five or six attempts to cross the tryline from close quarters, the Stormers were left frustrated as their predictable playing patterns saw them come away empty handed when the Lions finally managed to transfer play to the other half of the field.

As it turned out, the Stormers managed another Marais penalty 10 minutes from the end, but by that time they needed a miracle to turn the game around and on the evidence of their play, it was unlikely to happen (22-16)

Lions substitute wing Sylvian Mahuza put the final result beyond all doubt with a converted try (also the bonus point try) seven minutes from the end (29-16).

Scorers: Stormers 16 (13): Try: Dillyn Leyds. Conversion: Robert du Preez. Penalties: Du Preez, SP Marais (2)

Lions 29 (22): Tries: Malcolm Marx, Harold Vorster, Jaco Kriel, Sylvian Mahuza Conversions: Elton Jantjies (3). Penalty: Jantjies