Stormers end the year with a bang

The Stormers wanted to end the year with a bang and they did so with little consideration for their neighbours.

It was momentum and not regret they were keen to take into the new year and they achieved that with a crushing 40-8 win over the Lions in their United Rugby Championship (URC) clash at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday night.

Their bonus-point win means they ticked the box they wanted to populate most as they maintain their say near the top of the points table. The win also meant they went the calendar year unbeaten at home.

Their performance against the Lions was mostly business like, but there was enough festive spirit to bring delirium to the stands.

The Stormers thoroughly vanquished the last team to achieve success against them on home soil. That defeat just over a year ago stung the eventual champions and they started the new year with renewed vigour and resolve.

Emboldening win

This match however will be a far more uplifting experience and will embolden them as they face numerous challenges in the early part of the new year.

Damian Willemse, Deon Fourie, Manie Libbok and man of the match Hacjivah Dayimani again played starring roles in the Stormers' effort. Surely by now Dayimani must blip on the Bok radar with greater force.

Another underrated performer Dan du Plessis, again went about his business with efficiency and, befitting the occasion, a hint of effervescence.

The Stormers' cutting edge was soon evident. On their first visit to the Lions' 22 they struck.

Willemse faced the considerable mismatch of having to beat the Lions' behemoth tighthead prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye. Willemse waltzed past his marker with ease leaving the big fella to slap the ground in frustration. Later when he sized up the ball carrier or defender, Ntlabakanye made his hits count.

More exasperation

Soon after the Willemse try there was however collective exasperation for the visiting pack when flanker Fourie was at the back of a marauding maul that yielded five more points.

It was clear the Lions were not only going to plug holes at the back but needed to shore up at close quarters.

They tightened up for a while but they were unable to sustain their effort. The Stormers set up a midfield ruck after a line-out and when the ball emerged scrumhalf Paul de Wet, who has grown in that position this season, found space before offloading to a speeding Du Plessis. His slightly diagonal approach took him into the clear as he sped away unchallenged.

Leolin Zas again sparkled on the left-wing and occasionally so did right-wing Angelo Davids whose star until the start of the second half, had been in lower orbit.

He dotted down twice in the second half as he often operated in concert with Dayimani who again wreaked havoc in the wider channels.

Lions clawless

Edwill van der Merwe tried hard but the Lions' attack was blunt. Even when they played themselves into threatening positions they were repelled by a team as organised as they were bloody minded. They were thwarted by Fourie at the breakdown, while their maul was emasculated when it needed to be full frontal.

Down 19-3 at the break the Lions found some of their voice in the second half, in part thanks to substitute scrumhalf Morne van den Berg.

A long pass from Jordan Hendrikse eventually found space that led to a try for Henco van Wyk but this time it is the Joburg team that will take much to ponder into the new year.

Scorers

Stormers (40) — Tries: Damian Willemse, Deon Fourie, Dan du Plessis, Angelo Davids (2), Marcel Theunissen. Conversions: Manie Libbok (5).

Lions (8) — Try: Henco van Wyk. Penalty: Jordan Hendrikse.

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.