Johannesburg – There was agony and ecstasy last night as the Lions slumped to their third straight defeat of the 2015 Super Rugby season, while the Stormers made it three wins on the trot.
In a pulsating game that went well into time added on, the Stormers took the lead for the first time in the 77th minute following a converted try by replacement flank Siya Kolisi and then hung on for dear life as the Lions looked to steal the win at the death.
Wave after wave of Lions attack in the dying minutes were thwarted by a desperate Stormers defence, with the Lions turning down a very kickable penalty to force a draw. Replacement centre Howard Mnisi also lost the ball going over the line, but then Damian de Allende, too, played a big role in dislodging the ball.
It was edge of the seat stuff, with the Lions enjoying the bulk of possession and dominating the collisions and set pieces, but it was not enough despite them producing one of the finest performances so far this season.
After two below par showings – against the Hurricanes and Sharks – the Lions finally showed the form that made them such a tough team to beat last year.
They were powerful in the scrums, dominant in the line-outs – where Martin Muller, Franco Mostert and Warren Whiteley shone – and more than matched the visitors at the breakdowns.
The hosts’ tactical kicking was also top-notch, while they were a menace at the breakdowns, thwarting a Stormers pack that up to yesterday had been the best of the local bunch.
But it was the Lions’ defence in particular that stood out.
Mostert led the charge for his team, with the hits on the Stormers unsettling the visitors and they were a far cry from the side that had jumped to the top of the points table after two weeks of action.
The Lions, though, were again their own worst enemies. Some silly basic errors at crucial times allowed the Stormers to escape from their own 22m area and transfer the pressure on to the hosts; and it was only a strong tackling display that kept the hosts out.
The Stormers came close to scoring tries on a few occasions, but in the end relied on the accurate goal-kicking of Demetri Catrakilis for their points.
Only very late on, when they were trailing 15-19, did they manage to breach the Lions defence.
A penalty kick to the corner set up a line-out drive and Kolisi came up with the goods.
Up to that stage the Lions had led throughout.
Elton Jantjies kicked his team into the lead on five minutes before Warwick Tecklenburg – another hugely impressive performer – scored his team’s first and only try in the 17th minute.
Several Stormers attacks came to nothing, even though on a few occasions their players were over the tryline, but held up, and the moral victory ended with Catrakilis eventually kicking the points.
At half-time it was 13-9 to the hosts and by the 53rd minute the Lions looked on course to do a double after winning the corresponding fixture here last year.
But a fifth Catrakilis penalty and the Kolisi try ended any of those hopes.
The Lions will feel this one got away, but they will be able to go on tour to Australasia today knowing they produced a massive effort and need not stand back to anyone.
The defeat here, though, will hurt like hell.
Emirates Airline Park
Lions (13) 19
Try: Tecklenburg; Conversion: Jantjies; Penalties: Jantjies (4)
Stormers (9) 22
Try: Kolisi; Conversion: Coleman; Penalties: Catrakilis (5)