The Lions team secured a convincing victory over the Stormers XXIII with a score of 36–5 at Ellis Park stadium on Friday evening. This match marked an excellent week for the Johannesburg club, especially after their team nearly managed to beat the All Blacks in the United Rugby Championship.
The outcome of the match was highly significant, as the winner virtually guaranteed a spot in the Currie Cup semi-finals, while the losing team was eliminated from the race for a playoff place. With this win, the Lions climbed to fourth place, albeit a precarious one, given the important games scheduled for the weekend.
In the battle for the two semi-final spots alongside the Lions, the Bulls and Cavaliers are competing. Meanwhile, Griquas and Cheetahs have already secured two top positions in the standings.
Currie Cup Match Highlights
At the start of the match, the Lions received a penalty kick for slowing down the game by the Stormers, which Matt Coetzee converted via a fly-half. The Stormers managed to earn a penalty after the first scrum and stole the out ball, but the pressure from the home side was relentless. Ultimately, fullback Guillermo Mentoe found himself free near the sideline and scored a touchdown. This made the score 10–0.
Despite the visitors having numerous opportunities to improve their score through dominant scrums, they failed to bring the ball into the try line. In the first half, the Lions finished the half stronger, and shortly before the break, captain Jared Cairns kicked the ball over the maul out, giving the team 15–0. Although the conversion was missed, it was a confident advantage for the home team.
In the second half, the Stormers had to work hard to level the score. However, the first try of this period was scored by the home side's center, Ethan Adams, after right winger Joel Leotlela broke through the defense and entered open space. At a score of 22–0, with only a quarter of the match remaining, the Stormers seemed capable of coming back into the game.
Subsequently, flank Renzo du Plessis scored the fourth touchdown for the Lions, and Marcus Müller demonstrated class by breaking through the defense and adding points to his team. However, the Lions' dominance was cemented when left winger Latika Nel scored after a brilliant attacking move from 22 meters. The only late consolation touchdown came from Altus Rabie.
Scorers:
- Lions — Touchdowns: Guillermo Mentoe, Jared Cairns, Ethan Adams, Renzo du Plessis, Latika Nel. Penalties: Matt Coetzee. Conversions: Coetzee (3).
- Stormers XXIII — Touchdowns: Marcus Müller, Altus Rabie. Conversions: Kyle Smith.