URC result: Lions first half show downs Stormers at Ellis Park

A first half show from the Lions was enough to secure them a comfortable 30-23 win over the Stormers in their United Rugby Championship (URC) match at Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon.

The hosts ran in three tries and superbly defended their line to take a strong 24-6 lead into the halftime break, and although the visitors fought back with two tries of their own in the second half, it still took a penalty on the fulltime hooter from flyhalf Jurie Mathee to earn them a losing bonus point.

The result breaks a four match losing streak for the Lions in the URC and is their first win over the Stormers since they beat them in Cape Town in the first season of the URC, which saw them lose their next six straight games against them.

Top defence

In the match the Stormers got off to a good start and dominated the first 10 minutes in the Lions half, but some top defence from the hosts, including stopping two mauls from 5m lineouts, kept the scores level.

In the 13^th minute the Lions took the lead, after attacking from a lineout in the Stormers half, outside centre Henco van Wyk made the break getting to the 5m line where visiting fullback Warrick Gelant impeded at the breakdown, earning a yellow card.

Flyhalf Gianni Lombard slotted the penalty, but soon after the restart the Stormers received a penalty at the breakdown and flyhalf Jurie Mathee converted from in front to level the scores in the 16^th minute.

In the 19^th minute the Lions attacked from a lineout in the Stormers half, spreading the ball quickly where fullback Quan Horn made the break down the line, stepped inside and put in scrumhalf Morne van den Berg for a converted score and 10-3 lead.

The hosts were now cooking and three minutes later they stole the ball in their own half and set off on attack, Horn was again the key contributor, bursting into the 22m, where the ball went through the hands for Van Wyk to receive and go over under the sticks for a second seven pointer.

In the 31^st minute Mathee knocked over the visitors second penalty, but the Lions responded with a try three minutes later, wing Edwill van der Merwe breaking down the line and chipping ahead for inside centre Marius Louw pick up and dive over, with Lombard’s extras putting them up 24-6.

Big moment

On the stroke of halftime the Stormers had a final 5m lineout to try reduce the deficit, but the Lions brilliantly defended the maul, allowing them to go into the break with a solid lead.

The Stormers got off to a flyer in the second half as they went over for their first try of the game in the 44th minute, after a good bit of play in Lions half Gelant sliced through a gap and scored, with Mathee adding the extras to cut the deficit to 11 points.

However the Lions weren’t taking any chances and when the Stormers were penalised in their own half, they took their points with Lombard nailing 47^th and 59^th minute penalties to put them into a 30-13 lead.

A yellow card to Lions wing Richard Kriel in the 63^rd minute for a deliberate knock-on, despite the players pleas that he never touched the ball, gave the visitors an extra man.

They utilised that to their advantage six minutes later after enjoying a good spell of possession in the Lions half, they attacked down the line and the hosts ran out of defenders with eighthman Evan Roos going over for the converted score to give them hope going into the final 10 minutes.

Scorers

Lions: Tries – Morne van den Berg, Henco van Wyk, Marius Louw; Conversions – Gianni Lombard (3); Penalties – Lombard (3)

Stormers: Tries – Warrick Gelant, Evan Roos; Conversions – Jurie Mathee (2); Penalties – Mathee (3)