Stormers blow past Lions and cement top place in SA conference

The Stormers cemented their place at the top of the SA conference in the United Rugby Championship (URC) with a resounding 32-10 win over the rapidly receding Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday.

Though the Stormers, who led 10-3 at the break, played with intent from the start it took them a while before they solidified their position in this game.

The game efforts of wings Edwill van der Merwe and Stean Pienaar, plus substitute scrumhalf Morne van den Berg apart, the Lions lacked the urgency and energy to keep up with the visitors.

Despite a knock-on from the kickoff the Stormers showed their intent from the get-go. They were happy to take the ball across the width of the field and while they made some line breaks the Lions kept them out in the first 20 minutes.

All the visitors had to show for their endeavour in that period was a Manie Libbok penalty.

That changed, however, and it wasn't so much the Stormers probing as a collective that earned them greater profit. No.8 Hacjivah Dayimani, who used to dazzle here in Doornfontein, came back to his old stamping ground and terrorised his former teammates with sharpness of hands, feet and mind.

In a Stormers team well endowed with gifted ball carriers Dayimani's attacking instincts are easily aided and abetted and it was he who tellingly first prised open the Lions' defence.

The former Ysterplaat Primary pupil put on the afterburners as he dashed away from the home side's defence in the 29th minute.

He wasn't the only standout Stormers figure. Loose head and captain Steven Kitshoff became increasingly influential, flank Deon Fourie proved a menace, while centre Ruhan Nel was typically dexterous and intuitive.

The Lions by contrast were at times sloppy, which did little in their search for continuity.

They were a little disjointed in attack but to be fair the visitors gave them very little breathing space and were alert to poaching opportunities on the deck with Fourie almost permanently in the crouched position.

Often the Lions would run themselves into promising positions only to leave the visitors' 22 empty-handed.

For all their discipline in the first half the Lions conceded a soft penalty for drifting offside early in the second, which helped gift the visitors further impetus.

Libbok, who plays with more assurance with each passing week, added his second penalty and soon after, with Lions' heads gradually dropping, the Stormers made another telling incursion. That attack eventually resulted in Seabelo Senatla finding himself with time to spare and he duly crossed for the second try.

Perhaps a microcosm of what had been unfolding played itself out in the build-up to the Stormers' third try. The Lions were hot on the attack in the visitors' 22 but conceded a turnover that resulted in the Cape side sweeping upfield and Sergeal Petersen skipping out of a tackle before running in to score.

The Lions did find an extra gear when their substitutes came on. Van den Berg brought urgency, and Jannie du Plessis greater grunt in the scrums, while the sight of Jordan Hendrickse after a long injury would also have been a welcome sight to the Lions' brains-trust.

For their late toil the Lions scored a late consolation try but at the rate their season is going their fans may soon have reason to be inconsolable.

Scorers

Lions (10) — Try: Morne van den Berg. Conversion: Jordan Hendrickse. Penalty: Tiaan Swanepoel.

Stormers (32) — Tries: Hacjivah Daymani, Seabelo Senatla, Sergeal Petersen, Ruhan Nel. Conversions: Libbok (3). Penalties: Manie Libbok (2)