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.
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