British and Irish Lions vs Stormers LIVE: Result and reaction from South Africa tour match
Follow live reaction from the tourists’ final warm-up before the Test series begins next weekend
Follow live reaction after the British and Irish Lions beat the Stormers in the tourists’ final warm-up before the Test series.
Scrumhalf Ali Price impressed as the visitors scored seven tries in a comfortable 49-3 victory on Saturday. It was another slow start for the Lions in the opening 20 minutes but once they found their groove they were far too strong for the hosts, who battled with the tourists’ impenetrable wall of defence and quick ball at the breakdown.
Price allowed them to play with that high tempo in the opening hour and he must now be putting pressure on tour captain Conor Murray for a starting place in the first test against the world champion Springboks at the same venue next weekend.
Loose-forward Hamish Watson was an aggressive runner with ball in hand as was excellent hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie, while more good news for coach Warren Gatland was the return of lock Alun Wyn Jones who got 30 minutes under his belt after dislocating his shoulder three weeks ago. Follow all the reaction:
Lions vs Stormers: Final chance to push for selection
There will be a step down in intensity today, you would guess, but this is a good Stormers side, and there are a number of Lions who will fancy their chances of forcing their way into Warren Gatland’s 23 next The fact that there is a week until the First Test means that selection for the final warm-up is not a death knell to your starting hopes, as it has sometimes been when scheduled in the week leading up to the opener in the past.
Gatland indicated on Thursday that his preferred 23 is crystallising in his head, but those involved today will get to give the final on-field word. Here are three involved today with something to prove:
Three British and Irish Lions players with points to prove against the Stormers
A number of places are up for grabs against South Africa.
Lions vs Stormers: Test series war of words begins
With this Lions tour so different to those of the past for many reasons, and having endured so much disruption, there has been limited animosity between the two sides, with a can-do attitude adopted to ensure each side gets a suitable amount of preparation. With so many potential Test starters involved and the game played at such intensity, Wednesday’s clash lit the fuse, however, with Rassie Erasmus suggesting the Lions were perhaps dodging another encounter with South Africa A today, an accusation that Warren Gatland had little time for.
Gatland was rather tickled by Erasmus’ appearance as an over-qualified waterboy during Wednesday’s clash, but it is on the officiating that the pair have most publicly clashed. After Gatland revealed that he felt Faf de Klerk was fortunate not to be shown red for his tackle on Wyn Jones towards the end of the first half, Erasmus fired back on social media, utilising Twitter to direct his Lions opposite towards a pair of questionable tackles by Owen Farrell. It’s all hotting up...
South Africa boss questions Owen Farrell tackles in call for ‘clarity’
Rassie Erasmus has used social media to hit back at Warren Gatland
Lions vs Stormers: South Africa A lose to the Bulls
It’s a busy old day in the rugby world, with plenty on in both hemispheres. This morning Samoa secured a place at the 2023 Rugby World Cup this morning with victory over Tonga, while New Zealand proved too mighty for a talented Fijian side. A thrilling final encounter of a captivating three-match series between Australia and France provided plenty of entertainment and controversy, while Argentina and Wales is hotting up rather nicely in Cardiff.
Of greatest pertinence to the Test series, however, is the fact that the Bulls (coached by World Cup winning coach Jake White) have knocked off South Africa A, which bore a more accurate resemblance to their billing than the fully-loaded Springboks side that ran out under a misnomer earlier in the week. A fine triumph for the Bulls, who were disappointed to miss out on an encounter with the Lions due to Coronavirus issues, particularly after losing the Rainbow Cup Final to Benetton last month.
Lions vs Stormers: Team news for Stormers with late changes
Unfortunately, it is in the Stormers camp that the late rejigging has occured today. It is largely minor, with bruising centre Rikus Pretorius the only man forced out of the starting side, though experienced former Wasps 13 Juan de Jongh should ensure there is no dip in midfield quality.
On the bench, Dian Bleuler and Marvin Mazibuko have become the back-up props due to Covid protocols, and Cornel Smith is called in to the 23 affter de Jongh’s elevation. The Stormers have very kindly spreadsheeted their newly updated side - Tim Swiel is a familiar name, a former Harlequins teammate of Marcus Smith and chief string-puller for John Dobson this afternoon. We’ll get to some other dangerous individuals a little bit later...
Lions vs Stormers: Team news for Warren Gatland
Thankfully for Warren Gatland, the Lions appear to be as they were at Thursday’s team naming, all-change from Wednesday’s encounter with the A-team as Gatland gives fifteen new names a final shot at pushing for a starting shirt from opening kick-off. As mentioned, Marcus Smith’s Lions debut is of real intrigue, as is the timely return of presumed Test starter Robbie Henshaw, while Josh Adams is back in the team having been hurried out of the side earlier in the week for a very special Zoom call - congratulations to the Adams family on the safe arrival of their first child.
Stuart Hogg is back, too, out of isolation and handed captaincy duties, while compatriots Ali Price and Hamish Watson are two who could stand to gain from a strong showing as they look to win starting berths at scrum-half and on the openside.
Lions vs Stormers: Final warm-up game of tour
Good afternoon and welcome to the British and Irish Lions’ final warm-up game of the tour. After a dramatic step-up in intensity for Wednesday’s bruising encounter with South Africa ‘A’, another group of Lions get their final opportunity to press their case for Test selection. The Lions go back into battle at Cape Town Stadium one week out from the First Test, with John Dobson’s dangerous Stormers perhaps their toughest club opponents of the tour thus far.
This has been a tour of late selection reshuffles, and we’ve not made it through today unscathed, either. Let’s check in on the team news...
British and Irish Lions vs Stormers
Follow live coverage of the British and Irish Lions vs the Stormers today in the tourists’ final warm-up before the Test series which begins next weekend.
England fly-half Marcus Smith will make his Lions debut this afternoon while Alun Wyn Jones makes a dramatic return to the bench. Smith, who won his first England cap against the USA two weeks ago, only joined up with Warren Gatland’s squad on Monday after Finn Russell sustained a potentially tour-ending torn Achilles.
The Lions are experiencing an injury crisis at fly-half with Dan Biggar also receiving treatment for a rolled ankle that forced him to withdraw from the team for Wednesday’s 17-13 defeat by South Africa ‘A’.
Owen Farrell replaced Biggar in the starting XV against the shadow Springboks side, having just recovered from a rib problem, meaning there is no specialist 10 cover on the bench.
Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw makes his first appearance since the curtain-raiser against Japan after finally overcoming a hamstring complaint, with Stuart Hogg returning from self-isolation to lead the team.
And in an unexpected twist, Jones is included among the replacements following his stunning recovery from a dislocated shoulder.
Follow all the action throughout the evening.
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