Stormers hold off gutsy Lions
24 Mar 2012
SIMON BORCHARDT reports on the Stormers’ unconvincing 24-19 win against the Lions at Ellis Park.
In the build-up to this game, much was made of the fact that the Lions had lost 11 first-choice players to injury. But their rookie replacements more than held their own against the SA conference champions, with scrumhalf Tian Meyer in particular looking like a Super Rugby veteran and the front row of Caylib Oosthuizen, Callie Visagie and Pat Cilliers – who had four Super Rugby caps between them coming into the match – achieving parity at scrum time, apart from one costly tighthead. The Lions dominated the breakdown, which wasn’t a surprise as the Stormers don’t have a recognised fetcher.
In the end, though, the Cape side was still too good on the night, racking up 18 points in the first quarter and then stepping up a gear at the end of the third to regain control of a match that was slipping away from them. But it was a far from convincing performance and the Bulls must be looking forward to their trip to Newlands next weekend.
The Stormers made the perfect start to the game when Bryan Habana tapped the ball back from the kick-off and nine phases later Tiaan Liebenberg crashed over for a try in his 50th Super Rugby match.
Fifteen minutes later, the Stormers won a tighthead and the ball went wide to Habana, who kicked ahead, raced past Warren Whiteley and dived on the ball just before it went dead for his 50th Super Rugby try. Joe Pietersen missed the conversion but slotted two penalties to make it 18-zip.
The Lions finally got on the board on the half-hour mark when a sustained attack on the Stormers’ line resulted in a try for Meyer. That gave the hosts a big boost and they began to dominate possession, taking the ball through 17 phases just before half-time, although they were unable to cross the whitewash.
The Lions’ fightback was evident by the fact that the Stormers had to make 55 tackles compared to their opponents’ 24 in the first half.
After 20 minutes of the second half that stat had blown out to 87-28 and the visitors’ lead had been cut to just two points after three penalties from Butch James.
But the Stormers raised their game in the final quarter and two penalties from Pietersen secured a win that takes them to the top of the combined Super Rugby standings.
The Lions did get a deserved bonus point when Andries Coetzee slotted a drop goal after the hooter, but they will be disappointed not to have got four.
445 Comments
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24 Mar 2012, 21:56 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-198:
What exactly do you want to do to the Poms Coach??
24 Mar 2012, 21:56 pm
@Tuna(Tuna)-200:
200 What???
24 Mar 2012, 21:57 pm
Commiserations to Katman, HHS and other Lions fans… No doubt the best team on the field lost today… Stormers are very lucky to get this one.
The Lions definitely deserved the win… Played the better rugby by far…
24 Mar 2012, 22:02 pm
Lions lost it in the first 20 min. The team was diabolical in that period. Lions have some good youngsters they can fall back on. Some of the boys are raising to the challenge. A full strength Lions team would have clinched it today…. with ease.
Taute is no 13… maybe in school and other levels but not Super Rugby and he should stay at 15. Kamana is an impact player at best.
Stormers are running their players into the ground again…… no rotation plan there.
@carol(carol)-202: Post 200.
@HHS(Hop Hop Spinnekop)-163: I agree. I think he will get a run at flyhalf next week with Butch moving to 12 because of Doppies injury. Against the Crusaders it will be tough but let’s see how the kid goes.
24 Mar 2012, 22:03 pm
Oh yes. Linda Hamilton with the pump action shotgun ch 106.
Re-load!
24 Mar 2012, 22:03 pm
Koster stuffed up a lot today. Minnie and co made all the difference at the breakdown causing the Stormers 8 to get caught holding on a few times. Brok should also be dropped to the bench.
Stormers to team to demolish the Bulls:
1. Steve
2. Liebenberg
3. Malherbe
4. Eben
5. Bekker
6. Kolisi
7. Eldstadt
8. Duane
9. Louis
10. Grant
11. Van der Heever
12. JDV
13. JDJ
14. Aplon
15. Small Joe
24 Mar 2012, 22:05 pm
@carol(carol)-202:
Hello Bulls fan,
Next week you are going to cry long tears together with fellow new Bull Dawn.
It beats me why all the females on this site are Bull fans?
Short pants, boep and horns?
Re the Poms- Jennifer Capriati was the best flyhalf at super rugby during the last weekend.
Nice tattoos as well.
24 Mar 2012, 22:05 pm
@garth(garth)-206: Stormers look tired…. I expect the Bulls to run rampant in the 2nd half next week.
No more unbeaten teams.
24 Mar 2012, 22:08 pm
Zim we can’t take the stormers stress!
24 Mar 2012, 22:10 pm
Aaagh, so close but so far.
I am proud of the team today, showed lots of guts and heart.
i didnt expect the lions to win today, but after 60 mins i thought that we can
win this game
Well done to the stormers, they’re defence were oustanding.
I cant wait for the injured Lions to return to make the team competative.
Cyalib Oosthuizen, Callie Visagie, Tian Meyer and Andries Coetzee played
oustanding rugby today. They got bright futures, i hope that they will remain with the Lions
24 Mar 2012, 22:12 pm
@garth(garth)-206:
Koster is a number 8- he had to try and cover up for the fact that the Stormers had no specialised ground player to cover the impressive Minnie.
I will drop Grant and Brock and start with van Aswegen and Malherbe and also bring Groom on to the bench. Will also bring Elstadt on to the bench for Steenkamp.
Amd yes, Hekkies must get gametime- but Bryan was good today- tough one, maybe Aplon to the bench?
24 Mar 2012, 22:14 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-209:
I take you point
To be a Stormer supporter is not for sissies.
Only the hard core (or the stupid) can handle it
24 Mar 2012, 22:17 pm
They would have been tired making all those tackles. That’s what happens when you kick away all your possession. Brok would have been tired running at 13. With Schalk at 10 and Brok at 13, we’ll see our arse, but not before then.
24 Mar 2012, 22:17 pm
@Tuna(Tuna)-208:
Stormers are not at all tired.
They had a massive physical session on Wednesday.
Warming up for the Bulls.
Watch this space.
24 Mar 2012, 22:20 pm
James Kamana is probably the kakste backline player in the S15 comp!
Any other players for this honour?
In two years that hes been with the Lions, he hasnt done one thing good or exceptional. I cant think of one thing worth remembering. No line breaks, no stepping, none passing skills.
Why (How) is he even playing rugby at this level? Mitchell knows his story, but how does Kamana fit in it, i cant say
24 Mar 2012, 22:23 pm
@carol(carol)-201:
Well sweety Not directed to you
24 Mar 2012, 22:24 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-214:
We got to play with our cards close to our chest.
Hate it when we called ‘arrogant’ Stormers supporters.
24 Mar 2012, 22:24 pm
@Chris4Lions(Chris4Lions)-215:
As a neutral observer, I must say Kamana always looks dangerous when he comes on. Seems to inject some Maori hard running into the backline.
Then again, that’s just a general impression. I’can’t really recall any specific moments of brilliance from him.
24 Mar 2012, 22:26 pm
anybody who thinks going to Ellis Park and beating a fired up do or die Lions side that has been instilled with a hard edge belief by Mitch is an easy affair .. think again.. or else ask the star studded guppie yuppies that were drilled to hell and gone last year in the CC final how easy it is…
Stormers did well enough to nail this one in a tough no holds barred encounter with the CC champs on their home turf..
Those still bemoaning about Grant letting the side down obviously got few skew eyes in the kop… the weak links in Stormers outfit are Brok Harris and Koster.. and even though he scored two lucky breakaway tries (one last week and one this week), Van den Heever is still a better wing than Habana…
JdV and his boys pulled out a hard fought win against the odds .. and its tough wins like these that build character and resolve and belief.. bulls gonna get drilled next week.. make no mistake about it.. the easy peasy walk in the park against an injury ravaged Reds team is no measure of how strong Bulls are.. they got done by Blues who Stormers accounted for.. and next week Bulls meet their local match.. no question.
Stormers should play Elstadt at 7 for Bulls and put Vermeulen back in his proper position at No.8.. Koster can ride bench or even get dropped outright for Carr.
Harris can play bench and start Malherbe, and possibly start Van den Heever and play Habana off bench.
24 Mar 2012, 22:28 pm
Aha! Gravitas himself!
24 Mar 2012, 22:28 pm
Just leave Schalk far away from this team.. if Schalk had captained this game today Stormers would have lost.. almost guaranteed..
and wtf everybody ganging up on Duvenhage for.. one kick out on the full… what else he do wrong?
24 Mar 2012, 22:29 pm
@carol(carol)-201:
Only directed towards some of your players
Especially scrumhalves who take 60 seconds to get the ball our of scrums and rucks geeeeeeeeeeez Has anyone told them you can do more with quicK ruck ball than “foking stadig” crappy ball?
And my dear you are a true English Rose
24 Mar 2012, 22:30 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-218: The strange thing about him is that he is not making mistakes, but he doesnt do anything to impress. I am sure there is another youngster out there to take his place to bring a spark to the backline
24 Mar 2012, 22:31 pm
Tacitus re-loaded for the week.
24 Mar 2012, 22:32 pm
@Jeraldjay(Jeraldjay)-217:
Nearly all the Stormer supporters on this blog are well informed, humble, polite and have their feet firmly on the ground.
We deserve some throphy’s- the time has arrived for the players to step up and reward us
24 Mar 2012, 22:33 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-221:
Hi Skoppie Yeah I agree. However there was that tap penalty in front and then intercept pass
Must take the 3 in front of posts in tight away game
24 Mar 2012, 22:34 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-225:
Nearly all
24 Mar 2012, 22:34 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-214: A quick reality check.
Against the Hurricanes the Stormers almost lost it against ravaged by yellow cards.
You won a tight one against a piss poor Sharks side.
Then you guys had your first decent game against the Blues (bottom of the log team)
Let’s be honest here the Stormers where lucky tonight against a team with a scroll list of injures.
Now from where is this confidence coming from? #honestquestion
24 Mar 2012, 22:34 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-220:
Hello my fellow Bulls supporter.
24 Mar 2012, 22:35 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-226:
But had the skip pass worked he would have been a hero
24 Mar 2012, 22:35 pm
@Chris4Lions(Chris4Lions)-223: Kamana is an impact player, and he needs space. Then you will see impressive.
24 Mar 2012, 22:36 pm
Stormers only hope of going all the way this year is leave JdV in charge with captaincy and keep Schalky far away from any demolition jobs he is intending on undertaking.. cause the only demolishing he would do is demolish his own teams chances from first receiver mid field no where man position and screw the Stormers mid field coordination to hell again.. Brok must also depart.. two behemoths in the back line is two too many…
24 Mar 2012, 22:36 pm
it is a testament to how much is expected of this stormers team that after 4 unbeaten games neither their own fans or the oppositions think they are doing very well.
they have a great pack of forwards, despite imbalance in the back row – need flo back or at least for schalk to return from injury.
outside backs also plenty good enough. what stormers lack is a top notch halfback pairing. duvehage and grant are adequate – but they will never control a game and win it for you.
24 Mar 2012, 22:36 pm
Stormers brimming with confidence again, I see.
In other words, no different from every year.
24 Mar 2012, 22:40 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-230: Lions player who intercepted that pass was about 15 mts offside .. the kiwi ref was trying the best he could to even up the playing fields in favor of his kiwi pal in charge of Lions coaching … and he almost succeeded.
24 Mar 2012, 22:40 pm
It is nice being a bull for the foreseeable future.
I feel a change in my chakras.
24 Mar 2012, 22:40 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-232:
I think when a prop is found too often in the backs he is unfit and does not want to get to the breakdowns, Or is lazy
24 Mar 2012, 22:40 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-222:
Sorry Coach, called away….
I know you are actually the perfect gentleman!!
I also know you poor Saffas still struggle with anyone from our end of the NH!
24 Mar 2012, 22:41 pm
@Tuna(Tuna)-228:
I get my condidence from the fact (well, imo) that:
Very few teams would have beaten the Lions tonight.
They were out to prove the doomsayers wrong- threw everything at the stormers- had nothing to lose- it made them dangerous- typical SA mentality of producing your best when the chips are down.
The Bulls wont have such a do or die attitude next week.
Stormers by 7-10.
24 Mar 2012, 22:41 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-235:
yeah i did not see how much he was offsides
But the safe bet was the 3 points
24 Mar 2012, 22:42 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-236:
Dawn, the Bulls are a very cool side.
People like you and I are not supposed to like them……!!
I do not like being put into a box.
24 Mar 2012, 22:43 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-234:
4/4- what do you expect us to say?
24 Mar 2012, 22:43 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-225:
Rob, 11 years is a long time without any silverware especially with our resources available in terms of infrastructure and talent in the Western Cape.
But with our current mix of youth and experience success is around the corner.
24 Mar 2012, 22:43 pm
Duvenhage’s tap penalty was not his mistake… it was Glen Jackson’s mistake… Lions had not retreated 10… scrummies take quick taps every game get 10 metres or take it again… Jackson shoulda pinged the Lions again for not retreating behind the line or at least let Stormers take it again… In which case they would’ve gone for posts…
24 Mar 2012, 22:43 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-235: Look again, Killian was on the try line when he intercepted. Duvenhage was poor and Hougaard is going to make him his boy toy next week.
24 Mar 2012, 22:43 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-239:
Hello Gorgeous
See you are giving us Bulls supporters a tough time again.
Did you see the Bulls winning margin today….Flipping Hec !! lol
24 Mar 2012, 22:45 pm
Zim please. The way the stormers performed tnite will never convince me that they will beat bulls coming off a tryfest!
24 Mar 2012, 22:45 pm
@ufo(ufo)-244: If the Lions retreated 10 then they where on the dead ball line.
@Robzim(Robzim)-239: Bulls by 12.
24 Mar 2012, 22:46 pm
@carol(carol)-238:
Thanks
I tell you, IRB are going to tell refs to enforce rule that once ball is out is free ball for anyone and Refs are going to call it quick
Only problem is some of your scrumhalves will still think they have all day to play it.
Its crappy rugby and needs to be stopped
Along too with intentional knock on for any penalty where advantage is been played
24 Mar 2012, 22:47 pm
@Jeraldjay(Jeraldjay)-243:
Let me guess. Unlike previous years, you really feel THIS is your year..
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