Match Details

Stormers (SA)

VS

Lions (SA)

30

Cape Town Kick off times: 5:00pm (Local) Sat 7 Apr 1:00am (AEST) Sun 8 Apr

8

The Stormers have severely dented the title aspirations of the Lions with an entertaining 30-8 victory in their Investec Super 14 match at Cape Town on Sunday morning.

Stormers' Bok flanker Schalk Burger won the man of the match honours with a typically bullocking display as the home side ran in three tries to one to claim only their fourth win of the campaign.

The match-up between Stormers centre combination of De Wet Barry and Jean De Villiers and Lions midfielders Doppies La Grange and Jaque Fourie lived up to its pre-match billing with all four playing a major part in the expansive style of the game.

Andre Pretorius v Peter Grant at flyhalf was also another great battle with Grant having the last laugh with a try, three conversions and three penalties for a personal tally of 20 points to lead the Stormers to victory.

The loss sees the Lions anchored in the bottom half of the table and all-but ends their run to the semi-finals after a better than expected performance this season.

Both sides went close to scoring in the opening 10 minutes of the game. Lions scrumhalf Jano Vermaak looked like he earned a five-pointer when No.8 Ernst Joubert grabbed a loose ball from an Earl Rose high bomb and fired a pass to Vermaak to dive over in the corner but the pass was ruled to be forward.

Just moments later the Stormers bombed a certain try when Barry strode into a huge gap 35 metres out only to see his final pass go behind his support play and into touch with the try-line begging.

Fourie went agonisingly close in the 18th minute when he swooped on a loose ball in his own 22 and sprinted upfield. As the cover defence closed in his chip kicked and led the race but Stormers fullback Conrad Jantjies managed to field the ball two metres out from his line and kick to safety.

Grant and Pretorius exchanged penalties for the Stormers to hold a 6-3 lead before the Stormers No.10 sliced through a gap in the Lions defence to dive over adjacent to the posts after a period of concerted attack. He converted to give his side a 13-3 lead at half-time.

The Third Match Official (TMO) ruled Stormers lock Andries Bekker had dropped the ball over the line after a nice break from hooker Schalk Brits in the 49th minute. But the home side was in just one minute later when a sublime pass from Grant put Barry through a gap just five out from the Lions line. Grant converted for a 20-3 lead.

The Lions stayed in the match when Fourie was duly rewarded with a try when he was on hand to take the last pass after winger Jaco van Schalkwyk made a break on the right wing in the 58th minute.

The TMO was called into play again when Burger dived over in the corner in the 75th minute after a 50metre break from reserve wing Brent Russell. But it was adjudged the big flanker was into touch before he placed the ball.

The Stormers sealed the win after the final siren when reserve utility back Naas Olivier scored after another backline play.

Stormers 30

Tries: Grant, Barry, Olivier

Conversions: Grant 3

Penalties: Grant 3

Lions 8

Tries: Fourie

Penalties: Andre Pretorius