CAPE TOWN – Offloads are a wonderful thing, and when executed properly, there are few things in rugby that are more beautiful than a perfectly timed, accurate and opportunity-creating offload.
And although Stormers coach Robbie Fleck has spoken a lot about the importance they have placed on their skills development since Kiwi skills coach Paul Feeney joined the union late last year, things didn’t look too great in that department (in the first half, that is) despite the Cape side beating the Lions 57-40 at Newlands on Saturday.
Maybe the Stormers were nervous, maybe they were anxious, but one thing was evident – they were just too hasty to get the ball away, and this resulted in awful 50-50 passes and even an intercept by Lions outside centre Howard Mnisi that led to a try by wing Madosh Tambwe.
The Stormers also struggled to hold on to the ball in the tackle, which saw their momentum being halted in the opposition 22 a number of times, and their support play wasn’t always on point.
But the Cape side got their act together in a proper way in the second 40 at Newlands to secure a massive victory over a full-strength Lions side and end their pre-season campaign on a superb note.
In the second half, the Stormers hit back with a much-improved performance.
They counter-attacked and showed some appreciation for the ball, but probably the most impressive thing was how they used the driving maul to great effect.
And their individual performances also went up a level.
Loose forward Nizaam Carr was one of the stand-outs and produced a few breaks and strong runs to get over the gain-line in both the first and second half, while Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi had a busy afternoon as he crashed over the tryline twice.
In the early stages, the Stormers pinned the Lions down in their half for a good few minutes, but the Lions struck first after a clearance kick by flyhalf and captain-for-the-day Elton Jantjies got them out of their red zone.
Wing Tambwe got the first try for Johan Ackermann’s team after enjoying a relatively unchallenged run to the whitewash. Centre Howard Mnisi capitalised on a fumbled Stormers pass and switched the ball to Tambwe, who finished things off before Jantjies converted the try.
The Lions struck again a few minutes later after turning over possession from an attacking Stormers lineout five metres out, which led to a try by powerful hooker Malcolm Marx, and the Stormers finally got a chance to get on to the score-sheet when lock Chris van Zyl went over. Flyhalf Robert du Preez converted to take the score to 7-14.
The Stormers were granted another chance to get out of their red zone after a knock-on by powerhouse Lions centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg, but the Lions turned it over and beautifully switched the direction of play to put an unmarked Tambwe over his second try of the match.
Shortly before half time, the Stormers managed to narrow the gap when inside centre Dan du Plessis ran a stunning line to dot down, and Du Preez converted the try to take the Stormers to 14-21, before Siya Kolisi got a try just before halftime (21-21).
Stormers centre Dan du Plessis gets away from Lions loose forward Cyle Brink to dot down. Photo: Phando Jikelo
Both teams got off to a fiery start after the break, and this time the Stormers were first to visit the in-goal area when Mbonambi powered through a pack of Lions bodies to score his first touchdown.
It all started when the men in blue and white took down Jantjies, who was trying to gather a kick, just short of the Lions’ five-metre line and stayed in control at the resulting ruck to get the try. Replacement flyhalf Jean-Luc du Plessis converted the five-pointer (28-21).
And a few minutes later, Jean-Luc created that magic that he so often showed last year with a beautiful, quick break before punting the ball downfield.
Fleck’s men then quickly recycled the ball at the breakdown, before Mbonambi crashed over for his first try of the match.
Mbonambi got his second try when the Stormers made use of a solid driving maul to get over the tryline, before the Lions ran in two more tries by hooker Akker van der Merwe and flanker Ruan Ackermann to narrow the Stormers’ lead.
But the hosts two more tries through Cobus Wiese and replacement loose forward Sikhumbuzo Notshe in the last quarter of the game, and the Lions bagged a consolation try by Corné Fourie.
And just as it appeared as if the game was over, Stormers replacement scrumhalf Jaco Vermaak made the victory even sweeter with a try as the siren sounded to end the game on 57-40.
They say it’s not how you start, but how you finish. And although the Stormers turned their first-half performance around in a great way on Saturday, let’s hope that they don’t wait for the second half this season to play the way they did in front of a scanty Newlands crowd.
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Points-Scorers
Stormers
– Tries: Chris van Zyl, Dan du Plessis, Siya Kolisi, Nizaam Carr, Bongi Mbonambi (2), Cobus Wiese, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Jaco Vermaak. Conversions: Robert du Preez (3), Jean-Luc du Plessis (3).
Lions
– Tries: Madosh Tambwe (2), Malcolm Marx, Armand van der Merwe, Ruan Ackermann, Corné Fourie. Conversions: Elton Jantjies (3), Andries Coetzee (2).