The Stormers start their season with a derby against the resurgent Lions.
The Lions will be high on confidence after their good display against the Bulls last weekend. The Stormers are fielding a few inexperienced players and those two facts coupled together could make this a very exciting and unpredictable game.
Sticking my neck out here. Lions to win by a reasonable margin.
Ref: Stuart Dickinson (Australia)
ARs: Ian Smith (Australia), Marc van Zyl (South Africa)
Venue: Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
Kick-off: 19:10 RSA Time
Stormers: 15. Conrad Jantjes, 14. Daniel Johannes George Poolman, 13. Jaque Fourie, 12. Jean de Villiers, 11. Bryan Habana, 10. Gary Jacques Van Aswegen, 9. Ricky Januarie, 8. Duane Vermeulen, 7. Francois Louw, 6. Schalk Burger (Captain), 5. Andries Bekker, 4. Rynhardt Elstadt, 3. Brok Harris, 2. Deon Fourie, 1. CJ van der Linde
Replacements: 16. Siyabonga Ntubeni, 17. Jozua Malherbe, 18. De Kock Steenkamp, 19. Pieter Louw, 20. Dewaldt Duvenage, 21. Peter Grant, 22. Juan de Jongh
Lions: 15. Jaco Taute, 14. Michael Killian, 13. Waylon Murray, 12. Doppies la Grange, 11. Lionel Mapoe, 10. Elton Jantjies, 9. Jano Vermaak, 8. Warren Roger Whiteley, 7. Joshua Zac Strauss, 6. Derick Minnie, 5. Franco van der Merwe (Captain), 4. George Earle, 3. Pat Cilliers, 2. Bandise Maku, 1. Jacobus Christo (Lions) Janse van Rensburg
Replacements: 16. Martin Bezuidenhout, 17. Kevin Buys, 18. Wikus van Heerden, 19. Cobus Grobbelaar, 20. Rory Kockott, 21. Burton Francis, 22. James Kamana
Tweet
It would seem that MTN is infact not the Lions sponser but Resurgent is 🙂
Back your Boytjies !!!
GO LIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We’ve had our upper, now for the downer 😉
LMS
Stormers 4
Lions 2
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 4) :
This is gonna be an exciting game. and I’m gonna miss the most of it 🙁
Have Stormers by 11 but wont mind a Lion’s win.
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 7) :
Game 14: Stormers v Lions: Lions by 8
@KSA Shark © (Comment 6) : I’ll miss it too 🙁
Go Lions!!
oh dear Not Bobby 🙄
There are Lions fans in Cape Town ..welcome back 😎
Game on !
Come on the Pride !
Opening exchages Stormers are full of running and looking hungry.
@csb (Comment 13) : Good luck dude! Hope you guys win.
The Bearded one introduces Januarie to the ground
@Ben (Comment 15) :
Cheers! You must be a happy supporter right now.
5min
Stormers 3
Lions 0
@csb (Comment 17) : Yeah I am got a little worried there closer to the end. But the blues had nothing on us! 🙂
Okay i’m off.
I’ll try and pop in later.
Peanut Lions kickable ..
Over 3 all
@KSA Shark © (Comment 20) :
Enjoy !
@csb (Comment 16) : Chuck Norris has a poster of Strauss on his wall 😆
@Danman110 (Comment 23) :
Stormers are dominating at the contact points.
@Danman110 (Comment 23) :
😆 as does Schalk and Bakkies 😉
@csb (Comment 26) : Did you forget Bismarck? 🙂
Sharks 5 stormers 0 🙂
Murray OVER !!
Lions score after some great hands and giving the ball air.
5-3 kick to come
@csb (Comment 26) : Strauss and Amla go to the same babershop
,Murray is playing the best rugby of his life.
Missed stays 8-3
Stormers 3
Lions 8
18 mins
@Danman110 (Comment 30) :
He sure is its awesome to see him in this form.
Stormers lucky not to get a yellow..late tackle on Jantjies.
Pleassssssssssse gets this oF&*$£%&&*
@csb (Comment 33) : Murray is on loan at the lions from the sharks, he should return home next season! 😉
@Ben (Comment 36) :
You wish !
@csb (Comment 35) : Mitch must get Rorry on to do the kicking.
Yellow card to Fourie I mean
Finally a yellow for the Stormers ..they a bit agro these Captonians.
@csb (Comment 37) : Hahaha 😉
So good to see Waylon playing so well. I still feel he was messed around at the Sharks – does this look like a 13 who shouldn’t start ahead of Stef?
@Danman110 (Comment 38) :
Its a tough one, Jantjies needs to pull up his socks ..Vermaak is vital to our quick game.
Stormers are being blown away by a far more commited team.
@Big Fish (Comment 42) :
It would please me to no end if he can push for the WC squad.
jeez we need to be calmer on attack..the try will come don’t force it.
I’m BACK!!!!!!! The job kette had for me has been delayed. 😎
Cilliers scruming alot better than last week.
@csb (Comment 46) : Yip they are forcing it too much.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 47) :
Welcome 😀
@csb (Comment 43) : True but if it comes down to the wire and you lose buy 3 it’s not going to do Jantjies confidence any good. Many people expect Jantjies and Lambie to kick 80% but they are still young,I wonder what % Steyn was kicking when he was 20.
8-6 Lions
32 min
@Danman110 (Comment 51) : There is no guarantee that Rorry will slot all his kicks?
@Danman110 (Comment 51) :
I hope it doesn’t , if memory serves Steyn was pretty poor.
Its so nice to finally see my beloved Lions actually defend..
Hahahaha Habana is an idiot
Habana’s season is starting where his last finished off.
nowhere near the form he is supposed to have.
The ORB need to get together and sort the scrums out ..its spoiling the game
IRB 😳
@KSA Shark © (Comment 57) : He just loves the fame too much and can’t see why he actually has to play well.
@Ben (Comment 53) : True he could be a bit rusty but he can handel the presure better I’m just concerned the same thing happens that happend to Ruan Pienaar a few years back.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 57) : score?
Halftime 9-8 Stormers
Im flying through my Hansa’s ..way to close !
@csb (Comment 54) : The young guns must work on their kicking styl and refine it and that takes a few seasons.
@Danman110 (Comment 64) :
In the CC Jantjies was kicking 80% so not sure why he is struggling now.
@csb (Comment 63) : Lions have done themselves no favours. Dominated the 1st half but find themselves a point back. They are playing well and should be well ahead but need to watch the discipline.
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 66) :
A bit of patience is needed ..saying that Stormers are a strong defensive side.
Big half of Rugby coming up.
@csb (Comment 65) : I think that kak game he had for the boks against the barbarians might have knocked his confidence hard.
Robbie Fleck: ” its always tough having a bye on the 1st weekend. Uhm when have they ever before had a bye on the 1st weekend?
Gotta defend here Stormers lineout 5m out .
I would ne frustrated as hell if I were a lion supporter.
Lions are defending damn well on their line.
Stormers camping out on Lions line ..holding out so far ..much improved scrum from the Stormers.
46min
still 9-8 Stormers
FOOK ME every man and his dog is trying to ref this game. it is going to get VERY SCRAPPY if Dickinson let’s them carry on like that.
@Ben (Comment 71) :
Walk in the park ..years of practice 😀
@KSA Shark © (Comment 74) :
Iv also noticed ..main culprit is Jaque Fourie ..very irritating
Nice .. now lets get down to the other side ..Lions side in previous years would have cracked under that pressure.
Relief for the Lions as Dickinson Penalises the Stormers on the Lions line.
Have the Stormers lost yet 😈
@csb (Comment 75) : No seriously dude, I’ve got heaps of respect for the lions supporters that sticked with their team through all thoise tough times! I know of a few that just gave up on the lions.
Vermaak what were u thinking ..lucky there..
Lions with a breakout with Killian..kick and chase ..late tackle ..peanut..
Come now my boy You can do it !!
Jantjies slots a PK
Stormers 9 – 11 Lions
51min
YES !
11-9 Lions
He is still looking very tentative ..Jantjies that is.
@csb (Comment 75) : Bwhahahahahahahhahaha
Kamana needs to come on now.
@Ben (Comment 85) :
Not yet Taute is playing well ..around the 60-65 min mark ..
Great stuff Habana! Living up too expectations!
Lions need to make the most of this situation.. big moment coming up.
EXCELLENT pressure by the Lions to casue Habana to pass under pressure causing Jantjes to knock on
attacking scrum Lions 5m out.
Need to get Mapoe more into the game..
Lions scrum 5m out stormers line.
Things must be REALLY BAD for Habana he doesn’t grin after he makes a cockup anymore. 😉
Great work!! Good move by the Lions!!
Taute OVER being refered.
not needed IMO.
WHOSEYOURDADDY !!!
Try Lions 😀 😀 😀
@KSA Shark © (Comment 93) : They can review all they like, the try was good.
@csb (Comment 86) : Did you call that one? The try I mean? 🙂
veldsman only has one look and the try is awarded!!!!
Jantjies misses the conversion from the touchline
Stormers 9 – 17 Lions
58min
@csb (Comment 94) : Whats happened to Jantjies kicking??
eish conversion missed ..tough angle though.
16-9 Lions
58min
I wonder how the boys at the WP supporters site are taking this? I see they still managed to run the Sharks down after the Blues game.
@Pablo Dinero (Comment 98) :
Dunno but VERY frustrating! 😈
Bekker has had 3 Lineout balls stolen off him now. 😯
Q Kamana ❓
Ariegato Grant 😛
12 – 16
64mins
Perhaps time for Kockett to come on .. 😕
Stormers 12
Lions 16
65 mins
Grant slots a PK
Stormers 12 – 16 Lions
65min
@KSA Shark © (Comment 108) : Beat ya to that one! 😉
@Ben (Comment 109) :
3 seconds 🙂
De Jongh on for Fourie
You can see this Lions side is not use to leading so close to the end of the game ..We simply have to break this duck.
70min
Stormers 12 – 16 Lions
Best performance I’ve seen this weekend…>Derrick Minnie for the Lions…been AWESOME!!!
Burton on for Doppies.
@csb (Comment 112) :
no jinxing from me so I’ll tell you whether I think you will or not afterwards. 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 110) : @Ben (Comment 109) : @Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 105) : 11 and 14 secs respectively 😛
Thanks Lions…made myself a nice weekend wage packet. Layed the Stormers at 1.32 and traded out at 2.8 so matter what the final result is I’m happy!
@Villie (Comment 114) :
?????? been penalised 3 times.
We need to play our rugby in their half Dammit !!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 110) : Whether I beat you by a second or a minute. Winning is winning. I live my life one comment at a time!
@Villie (Comment 114) :
Its between him and Strauss for MOM imo.
👿 👿 👿 👿
bugger Stormers score !
Allow me to clear my throat FUCK ! sorry
Shit!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 119) : Do yourself a favour KSA if you’ve got this on video…watch again and see how much work he’s got through and number of turnovers. Sure he he’s given away a couple of penalties but he’s been fantastic!
19-16 4min to go …
@csb (Comment 124) : A travesty if Stormers win this match!!
One last chance Lions!
This time I go away and the Lions blow it. Hard luck, should have taken their chances in the 1st and Jantjies should have nailed more kicks
I’m well gutted but kinda expected this result ..with the Blue up next getting our first win is going to be tough ..Thats all this team needs is a win.
My Heart !!!!
C’mon Lions
16 phases of attack
STOOOOOOOORMEEEEEEEEERS!!!!!!
Sorry Lions 🙁
Congrats Stormers !
Helluva game .. aai jaaaai
19-16
DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FULL TIME
Stormers 19 – 16 Lions
Darn lions!
Too close for my LMS..
Please Arsenal I need you to win tomorrow or else it will most certainly be a blue monday for me ..
@csb (Comment 140) : Bad luck dude. Could have gone both ways
TRY Time and frisbee depart from LMS.
98 teams entered the game:
19 still alive.
79 out of the game.
Final rant, Jantjies really needs to sort out his goal kicking …2nd game that its cost us a win.
Jitte but the Stormers were poor! Van Aswegan at flyhalf ahead of Grant was just stupid!! 🙁
@KSA Shark © (Comment 142) : I’m still alive
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 145) :
Same here and my pick for next week is already in. 🙂
@wpw (Comment 144) :
Congratulations on the win Wes ..Thought Grant looked very good when he came on.
Shame, a bit like the Cheetahs Bulls game yesterday. The better team on the day didnt win.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 146) : 😉
Right outta here have a lovely bottle of Chateau Plonk awaiting me 😀
Oh and Bugger fiddlesticks crying in a bucket Jolly gosh !!! 😥 👿
Enjoy the rest of the weekend people.
Lions need to sort out kicking cos this game and Bulls game were lost because of Jantjies failure to land the penalties
Same could be said of the Cheetahs Olivier missed more that he got
I’m no fans of the lions,but I’m positively enjoying the play of muscleman minnie ,that-moegoe-with-the-beard strauss,and whiteley(not so prominent on attack tonite).
@bergshark (Comment 152) : Ditto. Minnie and Strauss… sounds like a two-bit cop drama from the 80s! Sad that the Lions snatched defeat from the jaws of victory again though, and have to agree that Jantjies needs to sharpen up his kicking boots. I know there was a problem with his conditioning after the off season, and to be honest I don’t think he looks that impressive physically. A bit stodgy and slow. Lack of fitness could be hampering his overall performance. Not that I mind, particularly, as I wear the Black and White with pride!!!
@SharonvanWyk (Comment 153) : He has go alot bigger around his arms, chest and shoulders. He also looks faster now
@bergshark (Comment 152) : Strauss is awesome ,best lossie on the field
On weepee’s side ,I reckon elstadt looked impressive..would like to watch the game again and have a closer look @ his play.
Bad luck to the Lions. Seriously.
Don’t really have much to say about the Stormers.
First game of the season. 5 rookies. Happy with the 4 points, but that’s about it.
Watching exeter vs bath.. Sireli naqelevuki @12 for exeter and shoemark(former highlander)@13..pieter dixon on as sub for exeter(with 18min left to play).
Score is 9 all..former scrummie michael claassens now been subbed with ten min ti go..commentator says he “had a very good game,claassens”.
Pen scrum to exeter..
Claassens @bath,with luke watson and butch james.
Pen attempt..
Gareth steenson 2nd miss in about 4 min..poor goalkicking not just a problem in sa it seems..
“Typical south-west rugby on a raw saturday evening in february” is how one commentator sums up the game..
Bath 5 m from exeter line..exeter home crowd showing fantastic spirit..singing proudly.
Exeter crowd now booing loudly as ollie barkley lines up pen attempt..
Ollie barkley converts pen and bath lead 12-9..
Time is up..the final whistle ..bath win @exeter..
Bath have now won 5 in a row in aviva premiership rugby
Next game up: weepee vs lions in the vodacom cup. Methinks I’m going to sleep
Arsenal vs birmingham in carling cup final ..no fabregas for the gunners,though..
Claassens was lucky though not to be yellow-carded for a late shoulder charge on shoemark..couldve been interesting..pen wouldve. Been in bath 22 and bout 20 m in from touch.
Hahahhahaha Bergshark your funny dude!
Lions totally outplayed us but we’ll take the win even though we didn’t deserve it! 🙄
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 117) : 🙂 missed this one last night
And yet another close loss…Ai…
@wpw (Comment 171) :
I want to be happy with the win and not the game for a change…
A loss is a loss…no pride in losing!!!
My Take on the game:
1) Vermaak’s passing not good…not on target and he runs 2-4 steps to the side and or back before passing….
@Hmmm (Comment 175) :
2) Jantjies the best flyhalf we have…but he cannot be the goal kicker…he is the difference close win and a close loss (actually had he kicked like the Stormers kickers it would have been a comfortable win)…
@Hmmm (Comment 175) :
3) As good as Minnie played…he gave away 5 penalties…himself!!! He needs to work on that…else in close games like these where Stormers scored 6 points off his penalties…he could be the difference between a win and a loss…
@Hmmm (Comment 175) :
4) Murray needs to run a lil straighter and needs to work on his passes…after seeing him pass a few for a change I now know why he does not do that too often…did the Sharks teach him nothing?
@Hmmm (Comment 175) :
5) It is clear that Taute never practices catching the ball out of the air…EVER…and just for that I dont think he deserved Man of the match
@Hmmm (Comment 175) :
6) After 2 weeks Doppies is the best 12 in SA….by some margin….
@Hmmm (Comment 175) :
7) Maku and Bezuidenhout are playing great rugby…two very good hookers…
@Hmmm (Comment 175) :
8) Mapoe is doing very well…even though he needs to work on his pace a lil…
@Hmmm (Comment 175) :
9) Killian…well what can I say…he is standing his ground and he does not just o through the motions….he actually thinks on the spot and it pays off more times than not…great touch for Tautes try…
@Hmmm (Comment 175) :
10) Although we do not have conventional locks…they are doing good stuff…even in the lineout…
I am tired of losing…we have an unbreakable record…it is about time me stop breaking it ourselves….