JOHANNESBURG: Quick thinking by replacement scrumhalf Faf de
Klerk handed the Lions a crucial 29-22 victory over the Stormers in a
brutal South African Super Rugby derby at Ellis Park on Saturday.
De Klerk took a quick tap penalty to score what provided a
decisive try as the Lions opened up a five point lead over the Sharks in
their Africa Conference 2.
The Stormers are a now just a single point ahead of the Bulls at the top of the other African pool.
The Lions also scored a try through wing Ruan Combrinck,
while flyhalf Elton Jantjies booted four penalties, two conversions and a
late drop-goal.
The Stormers’ only try came from loose-forward Siya Kolisi
as flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis kicked five penalties and a conversion.
The Lions dominated possession and territory in the opening
period, but each time the Stormers made a foray into their host's half
they were rewarded with a penalty.
It was tit-for-tat in the first half-hour as Du Plessis
edged the visitors in front from the kicking tee on three occasions,
only for Jantjies to hit back with a penalty to level the score.
Du Plessis added a further three points before the Lions
grabbed the initiative with an excellently worked try as they sucked the
Stormers defenders in before spreading the ball wide for Combrinck to
score in the corner and give the home side a 16-12 advantage at
halftime.
The Stormers had to weather more Lions pressure in the early minutes
of the second period but again bagged a penalty with their first break
into the home side’s half.
The Lions created some daylight on the scoreboard when they
broke 70-metres up the field and after earning a penalty in front of the
posts, De Klerk caught the Stormers defence on the back foot as he took
it quickly and managed to dot down for a try under pressure from two
defenders.
That gap was closed again when Kolisi side-stepped his way
to finish a brilliant move from the visitors and bring them within one
point again with little more than 15 minutes remaining.
Jantjies made the game safe for the home side with his
fourth penalty and a drop-goal to complete an excellent outing for the
Springbok hopeful.
(Reporting By Nick Said, editing by Alan Baldwin)
- Reuters
Lions keep Stormers at bay in bruising Ellis Park battle
Reviewed by Bizpodia
on
16:46
Rating:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Post a Comment