Match Details
|
13 |
Kick off times:
3:00pm
(Local) Sat 17 May
11:00pm
(AEST) Sat 17 May
|
22 |
|
The Stormers moved a step closer to a place in the Super 14 semi-finals by beating the Lions 22-13 in a hard-fought affair at Ellis Park, but had their dreams crushed later on Sunday morning (Australian time).
The Stormers had to wait until the conclusion of the Sharks' encounter with Chiefs in Durban to know for certain if they are in the play-offs.
The Stormers needed to win with a bonus point to guarantee themselves a place in the play-offs and were sitting in fourth spot behind the Hurricanes who closed with the same amount of points but a better points difference.
This meant the Sharks either had to win by 19 points or more against the Chiefs, or pick up a bonus point for scoring four tries.
The Stormers, though, were their own worst enemy as they failed to make good use of their superior territorial and possession advantage in the first half and could only manage to lead by a slender 8-0 at half-time.
The Lions had done well throughout the first half to keep the Stormers at bay but their tired bodies eventually wilted when Stormers captain Jean de Villiers danced passed two defenders to score near the upright.
De Villiers' try added to an 18th-minute penalty from fly-half Peter Grant.
The Lions, who had been disruptive especially in the set-piece - stealing four of the Stormers' line-outs in the first half - hit back early in the second period with a sublime try by full-back Earl Rose.
Moments later Rose levelled the scores with a penalty before the Stormers mounted a late charge in the last 10 minutes of the game to score two quick tries.
Wing Sireli Naqelevuki and loose forward Robbie Diack crossed over to give the Stormers a healthy 22-8 lead with a few minutes remaining.
However, it was the Lions who would have a final say in proceedings as they threatened to steal the Stormers' thunder when Rose put through a cleverly-weighted grubber kick for Jannie Boshoff to out-sprint the Stormers defence and score.
It was the Stormers' seventh consecutive victory but not enough to secure the Cape Town-based franchise a pass into the play-offs.
<b>Lions 13</b>
Tries: Rose, Boshoff
Penalty: Rose
<b>Stormers 22</b>
Tries: Naqelevuki, de Villiers, Diack
Conversions: Grant 2
Penalty: Grant
