Winger Bryan Habana’s individual brilliance and 14 points from the boot of fullback Joe Pietersen gave the Stormers a 24-19 victory over the Lions in an all-South African Super Rugby match on Saturday.
Habana’s 13th-minute score helped the Stormers race into an early 18-0 lead.
“We’re happy with the win, but we disappointed ourselves with our execution,” captain Jean de Villiers said. “For 50 minutes, the Lions had the better of us.”
The Stormers picked up their fourth win on the trot after a hat-trick of home victories and they remain the only unbeaten side in the 15-team competition.
The Cape Town-based side went in front after two minutes when burly hooker Tiaan Liebenberg drove over from close range.
Habana quickly added a second touchdown, showing great pace to dive on his own kick-and-chase after being freed down the left touchline from an attacking scrum.
Pietersen missed the conversion, but made amends with a 21st-minute penalty that moved him past the 50-point mark for the season, before a second penalty five minutes later made it 18-0.
The injury-plagued Lions, South Africa’s domestic Currie Cup champions, were stung into action and scrumhalf Tian Meyer dived over under the posts, before flyhalf Butch James converted.
James added two penalties in the 44th and 47th minutes, and then booted a third on the hour.
The Stormers, who had spent much of the second period on the back foot, finally added to their first-half points tally when Pietersen expertly curled in a touchline penalty with 12 minutes left.
The same player booted another penalty from 50m in the 79th minute to seal the victory.
“We basically lost the game in the first 20 minutes,” Lions skipper Doppies la Grange said.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care