The Stormers are being spoken of in South Africa as serious contenders for the title in 2010.
Even Jake White has suggested that they could reach the play-offs.
Match detail
We are waiting for the kick off.
The Stormers kick off and we are underway.
1.00: Jonothan Mokuena gives away a penalty.
2.00: Joe Pietersen takes the kick and slots it so the Stormers have scored first.
4.00: The Stormers fail to roll away after the tackle this time so they get blown up for a penalty.
5.00: Earl Rose takes the shot and slots it and levels the scores.
8.00: It's scrappy and agressive stuff but neither team is really stamping their mark yet. Some counter-rucking earns the Stormers a penalty as the Lions get caught playing the ball on the ground.
10.00 : Joe Pietersen whacks the ball with his boot but the direction is off and he misses.
12.00: Another penalty for the Stormers so Joe Pietersen takes the kick again but this one he nails.
18.00: The Stormers are starting to stamp their authority on the game. Habana gets his first real touch of the ball but gets hauled down.
19.00: The Stormers get another penalty so again Joe Pietersen takes the kick for posts. It's a big one and he gets it.
20.00: Gee the penalty count is mounting against the Lions. Yet another one. It's too far to kick though so the Stormers kick for touch.
21.00: Stormers set up a maul and then Pietersen attempts a drop goal - badly so he misses.
23.00: Another minute another penalty against the Lions. Stormers kick for touch. Stormers win the line out and swing the ball wide. They change sides and Wandile Mjekevu catches them on the other side with a thumping tackle.
27.00: The Lions give ....yes you guessed it another penalty away so Joe Pietersen takes another shot at goal and adds three points.
Now since I know that only real rugby fans visit this site I can tell you that after 67 mins Wales are trailing Scotland 14-24 in Cardiff - thats in the Six Nations.
28.00: The Lions are doing a bit better now as they start to run the ball and hold on to it for a change. However the touchie comes in and says he saw a tackle with no arms. So, the Lions have a penalty. The tackle was by Burger on Spencer but really it was all arms. How silly. Earl Rose bangs the penalty over.
30.00: Habana gets some ball and has a run but the Lions defence is up to the task.
32.00: The Lions win a scrum, Spencer boots the ball downfield and after one bounce it rolls out.
34.00: The most exciting point of the match - The Stormers swing the ball off the back of the scrum to Habana who darts off and passes to Pietersen who runs in the first try of the match. Decent try but the Lions defence was nowhere.
35.00: Pietersen converts his try.
38.00: It's all the Stormers. They keep the ball moving, they swing it from side to side and former Lion Jaque Fourie finds a hole and takes it to score the Stormers second try.
39.00: Joe Pietersen nails the conversion.
40.00; The half time siren goes. It's half time.
The half time score was Lions 6 Stormers 26
The second half is underway.
The Lions have gone to the bench and made mass changes as what they did have was clearly not working. For the record - Wales surged and beat Scotland 31-24.
41.00: Todd Clever is now on. Tonderai Chavhanga has a little dart. The Lions look like a new team. They push for the line and win a penalty - what a turnaround.
42.00: The Lions take the line out. They keep it tight and the drive for the line. Doppies La Grange darts for the line but gets caught. They recycle.
43.00: Lions are called back for advantage.
44.00: Its all the Lions. They have camped on the Stormers line and are putting them under enormous pressure.
45.00: The Lions drive over the line. Michael Kilian has the ball and he is over the line but we have to go upstairs - there is no way they can see the ball but the TMO will have to try. No try. 5m scrum.
46.00: The Lions win the scrum. Coetzee takes it quickly but the Stormers dont retreat. They go again. This ref has not read the same brief as the ref who reffed the Reds vs Waratahs match.
47.00: The Lions go anyway and they get held up so we have another scrum.
49.00: All that pressure comes to nothing and the Stormers turn the ball over and run it down the wing and almost score a try.
52.00: The trio of Fourie, Habana and Pietersen seems to be working well for the Stormers. When they start getting clean ball opposition defence will be troubled.
54.00: Gio Aplon makes a break but the Lions defence shoves him into touch.
55.00: The Lions show some fight and they make a break down the middle of the field but the Stormers defence gets back and saves the day.
58.00: Sadly no score yet in this quarter folks but at least the Lions have slowed the penalty rate. Ricky Januarie comes on for the Stormers.
60.00: The Lions are doing all the work now. In the first half it was the Stormers banging away at the Lions defence and now in this half its been the Lions banging away at the Stormers defence. It's quite clear the Stormers have the upper hand in both departments.
61.00: Unbelievably given the score the Stormers have missed 9 tackles and the Lions 5 !
62.00: And the Lions burst into life as Michael Kilian finds a gap and takes it - he runs on to score under the posts. Earl Rose zaps the conversion over and we are back on.
64.00: The Stormers give away a scrum penalty, The Lions take it quickly and Earl Rose is off but he passes so poorly to the wing the ball goes straight out.
67.00: The Lions suddenly look full of fight and hungry. Perhaps its the sound of Sweet Caroline by Neil Diamond being played in the stadium. Jaque Fourie goes down with cramp.
69.00: The Lions take another quick tap, its startiung to work a little for the Lions but they are tired. Both teams look tired in fact. Jaque Fourie is off now.
71.00: Both teams go to the air but it ends when the Lions knock on trying to catch the ball.
72.00: The Lions give away a penalty so Joe Pietersen takes the kick and sends it wide.
74.00: The Lions need to score a converted try if they want to pick up a losing bonus point.
75.00: Habana grabs a loose ball but is high tackled. Pietersen will go for posts. He hooks it from about 35m out.
77.00: There is a bit of aggression between two players. Silly stuff. We have a scrum.
78.00: The Lions look to break and they get through but ...oh no ... they knock on.
80.00: The siren goes and the ball rolls out. Thats it Stormers win.
The final score is Lions 13 Stormers 26
Scorers
Lions
Tries - Michael Kilian
Pen - Earl Rose 2
Con - Earl Rose
Drop -
Stormers
Tries - Joe Pietersen, Jaque Fourie
Pen - Joe Pietersen 4
Con - Joe Pietersen 2
Drop -
Match Officials
Referee: Jaco Peyper (SA)
Ass. Refs: Mark Lawrence (SA), Kobus Wessels (SA)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (SA)
Teams
Lions :Earl Rose,Tonderai Chavhanga, Deon van Rensburg, Doppies la Grange,Wandile Mjekevu, Carlos Spencer, JP Joubert, Jonothan Mokuena, Franco van der Merwe, Cobus Grobbelaar (capt.), Willem Stoltz, Jacque Lombard, Ross Geldenhuys, Hannes Franklin, Heinke van der Merwe.
Reserves: Charles Emslie, JC van Rensburg, Todd Clever, Jacques Coetzee, Derrick Minnie, Burton Francis, Michael Kilian.
Stormers :15. Joe Pietersen,14. Gio Aplon,13. Jaque Fourie,12. Juan De Jongh,11. Bryan Habana,10. Peter Grant ,9. Dewaldt Duvenage,8. Duane Vermeulen,7 Francois Louw,6. Schalk Burger (C),5. Andries Bekker ,4. De Kock Steenkamp,3. Brok Harris,2. Tiaan Liebenberg ,1. Wicus Blaauw
Reserves:16. Deon Fourie,17. JC Kritzinger,18. Anton Van Zyl,19. Pieter Louw,20. Ricky Januarie,21. Lionel Cronje,22. Sireli Naqelevuki
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