CAPE TOWN - The Stormers ended the preparation for the Rainbow Cup on a high by thumping the Lions 44-12 in the last game of the Preparation Series.
Attack coach Dawie Snyman, who acted as the head coach for this game, would certainly have been pleased with what his side did on the day, continuing what so far, and playing with flow and freedom on attack.
The Stormers wasted no time as they shot right out the blocks, scoring a try in the very first minute.
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With the kick-off having been won back, the hosts took it through the hands before Seabelo Senatla picked up a classy grubber by flyhalf Abner van Reenen to assist the and get the ball to Springbok scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies to score the opener (7-0).
The Stormers followed that neat display up with some solid defence on their tryline to prevent the Lions from adding to the scoresheet.
After working their way upfield, they added to heir dominance with a turnover and sent it wide, where centre Ruhan Nel made a linebreak to set Senatla up to run in a try at the ground he knows all too well from his Sevens days.
They didn’t stop there.
Van Reenen, who made the most of his starting berth as he produced a top performance with his fine touches on attack, distribution and flawless goal-kicking and kicks from hand, added to all that when he and Senatla created some magic to put Jantjies away for his brace.
Van Reenen extended their already-commanding lead when he connected a penalty after a proper scrum by the Capetonians to take the score to 24-0.
The DHL Stormers started like a house on fire and did not look back in their clash against the Emirates Lions.
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) March 27, 2021
Herschel Jantjies dotted down the first of his two tries inside the first 30 seconds of the match. pic.twitter.com/mAqRlNyEmz
The Stormers put their packing bench to use when they brought on the World Cup-winning front row of Steven Kitshoff, Bongi Mbonambi and Frans Malherbe after halftime, and it didn’t take too long for them to make an impact as they won a scrum penalty, which was followed up by a strong driving maul. Mbonambi, staying true to form, made proper use of the move and scored their fourth try of the evening.
He added three more points late early in the fourth quarter and another shortly afterwards to keep his kicking record at 100 percent.
The Lions got their first try when replacement MJ Pelser went over, but it mattered not, and the home side added yet another one through Nel to take the score to 44-5 with five minutes to play.
The Lions for a bit of a consolation when they were awarded a penalty try, but there can be no doubt as to who owned this game.
Point scorers:
Stormers: Tries: Herschel Jantjies (2), Seabelo Senatla, Bongi Mbonambi, Ruhan Nel. Conversions: Abner van Reenen (5). Penalties: Van Reenen (2). Drop goal: Van Reenen.
Lions: Tries: MJ Pelser, penalty try