The Lions outplayed the Stormers XXIII 36–5 at Ellis Park on Friday night to mark an excellent week for the Joburg club after their United Rugby Championship side almost beat the All Blacks.
Friday night’s game had the carrot of the winner almost certainly making the Currie Cup semi-finals, with the loser dropping out of the race.
It is the Lions that find themselves elevated into fourth place, albeit tenuously, as there are big games to come this weekend — the Pumas host the Cheetahs on Saturday at 2pm, and the Cavaliers are at home to Griquas on Sunday.
The Pumas and Cavaliers are fighting with the Lions for two semi-final spots.
Griquas and the Cheetahs have already booked the top two spots.
At Ellis Park, an early Lions penalty for the Stormers slowing the ball down was kicked over by flyhalf Matt Coetzee.
The Stormers won a penalty from the first set scrum, and then stole a lineout, but the pressure from the home team was unrelenting — eventually, fullback Gilermo Mentoe was put free near the touchline for the try. It was 10–0 after as many minutes.
The visitors had plenty of chances to hit back on the scoreboard thanks to their dominant scrum, but they could not get the ball over the line.
Instead, the Lions finished the half the stronger of the teams and just before the break, captain Jarod Cairns crashed over off a lineout maul.
The conversion was missed, but the halftime lead of 15–0 was a healthy one for the home side.
The Stormers needed to hit back on the scoreboard, but it was the home side that scored first in the second half — centre Ethan Adams scored after right wing Joel Leotlela kicked over the defence and into space. At 22–0 with only a quarter of the game to go, it was tickets for the Stormers XXIII.
Flank Renzo du Plessis charged over for the Lions’ fourth try before Markus Muller showed his class to burst through the defence and put his team on the board.
But the rout was complete when Lions left wing Latica Nela scored after a fine breakout by the backline from their 22.
There was a late consolation try for Altus Rabe.
Point-scorers
Lions — Tries: Gilermo Mentoe, Jarod Cairns, Ethan Adams, Renzo du Plessis, Latica Nela. Penalties: Matt Coetzee. Conversions: Coetzee (3).
Stormers XXIII — Tries: Markus Muller, Altus Rabe. Conversions: Kyle Smith
