Lions lose 11th match to the Stormers – Rugby news
Stormers continue to horrify the Lions, as Lions lost their 11th match to the Stormers on Saturday. This is second time this year that the Stormers have defeated the Lions.
This is the Lions consecutive fifth defeat in Super Rugby 2011. Sorry looking Lions failed to secure a point from the match. Stormers on the other hand will be happy to get results in their favour after their defeat at home by the Reds to break their unbeaten
streak in the Super XV. Lions and Stormers played each other at the Coca-Cola Park.
Stormers with this win have retained their third position on the Super XV combined point table and leading the South African Conference. Stormers have won seven of their eight matches in the season so far and have scored 33 points.
Stormers have missed few try scoring opportunities that would definitely help them to close the point difference with the Super XV table leaders. Bulls with their two consecutive losses have slipped 12 points behind the Stormers in the South African conference.
Stormers playing most of their second strings players were too good for the Lions. Stormers were in control of the game since the beginning. Stormers’ task was made easy by the Lions ball handling errors and other lapses in both attack and defence.
Stormers were first to score in the match as their Fly-Half Gary van Aswegen scored on the penalty in the fourth minute of the game. Five minutes later, Stormers Winger Danie Poolman collected the ball, dropped by Stormers Flank Schalk Burger to score the
first try of the match.
This was Stormers Scrum Half Dewaldt Duvenhage conversion to take the lead to 10 points. During the 15th minute, Lions scored through their Fly – Half Burton Francis’s drop goal. Stormers were on attack and were Lions defence was under tremendous pressure
as substituted Fly – Half Lionel Cronje scored a penalty during the 18th minute, which was followed by Francis penalty. Cronje scored his second penalty of the match during the 28th minute.
Moments later, Lions Number 8 Warren Whiteley’s scored a try followed by Francis conversion to reduce the lead to just 3 points. Stormers replied strongly as their Centre Jack Fourie scored the first try for Stormers, followed by Cronje’s conversion to take
the scorecard reading 13-23, in favour of Stormers that remained the same until the end of the first half.
Lions start the second half with some intensity however, Stormers denied them with the opportunity to built or sustain the momentum. Apart from 43rd and 58th minute penalty goals of Francis, Lions fail to make an impression on Stormers.
Stormers’ Cronje scored his last penalty of the game during the 52nd minute. Lions’ captain was sin binned for tackle on Stormers centre, with a man down Lions started to run phases and enjoy better ball control. Stormers on the other hand missed a definite
opportunity to earn a Tries Bonus Point.
Their third penalty came during the 78th minute as substitute Johan Sadie scored a try followed by Cronje’s conversion to take the scorecard reading 33-16 that remained the same till the end of the game.
Stormers will enjoy a BYE next week that would give Stormers injured players enough time to recover so that they can field their full strength against the Sharks at Cape Town.
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