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:
Stormers 3-28 Lions, 66 minutes
A first carry of a forceful nature by Alun Wyn Jones as he rumbles in the midfield, and Hamish Watson follows with a jinking run of his own.
Mako Vunipola makes the best carry of all, though, surging through a gap to break the line and intelligently teeing up the faster men alongside him. Marcus Smith sets Duhan van der Merwe on his way, but van der Merwe’s return offload inside the Stormers’ 22 stalls the fly-half ever so slightly, allowing the defence to scramble him over the touchline.
NO TRY! Stormers 3-28 Lions, 64 minutes
Beirne shakes his head again! It’s been called back for a forward pass as the Lions made their advancements down the left. Duhan van der Merwe had charged well and appeared to have superbly got an offload away to Stuart Hogg as he was driven towards the touchline, but it is forward from the hand and duly called as such after consultation with TMO Marius van der Westhuizen.
A shame, too, for Hogg and Gareth Davies then produced similarly deft offloads to keep the ball alive. Marcus Smith had then launched a crossfield kick that bounced fortuitously into the hands of Beirne on the right, but back we will go, and the flanker is denied.
Stormers 3-28 Lions, 62 minutes
The two sets of eight are invited to move to the left by Wayne Barnes away from a troublesome section of turf churning up under the two packs’ mass, but the Lions then scrum powerfully to win a penalty.
They play with advantage, though, and make ground down the left. Back to the right - Tadhg Beirne gathers and scores! Or does he?
Stormers 3-28 Lions, 60 minutes
Antoher penalty at the maul that comes after the lineout allows the Stormers further progress, but their attempt to revisit the tactic is less successful, and the Lions are able to legally bring it down and win a turnover.
That will be a concern for Warren Gatland, though - Jonny Hill has hit the deck and calls for some medical help on his left ankle. A healthy band of strapping is employed to hopefully solve the issue, and appears to have done the trick - Hill rejoins his mates assembling themselves for a scrum with a limp and a grimace.
Stormers 3-28 Lions, 58 minutes
Is Tadhg Beirne over? Not quite - he’s knocked it on!
The Lions misfire their lineout but Godlen Masimla can’t handle the stolen ball, and the Lions soon have it back. Mako Vunipola carries to within a metre and Beirne fances his chances from that range, but lets the ball squirm from his grasp as he tries to force it to the floor for the try. Jonny Hill concedes a penalty to allow the Stormers an even safer clearance of their lines.
Stormers 3-28 Lions, 58 minutes
More Lions players take their leave - Ali Price leaves proceedings along with Jack Conan, Robbie Henshaw and Josh Adams. On are Sam Simmonds, Gareth Davies, Chris Harris and Louis Rees-Zammit.
Stormers 3-28 Lions, 57 minutes
The Stormers are eventually forced to kick possession away having been pushed back some 25 metres, and Duhan van der Merwe scrambles back nicely to gather the chip and allow his teammates to clear.
Josh Adams chases brilliantly on the far wing and decisively steps in to make a spot tackle in an outside channel. The Stormers hold on - penalty to the Lions.
Stormers 3-28 Lions, 56 minutes
Little doing with either the maul or the carries around the corner so Sergeal Petersen meanders in search of a crack or two, failing to find one, but at least allowing the Stormers to gain a little bit of momentum. That’s nifty from Godlen Masimla - a clever little flick of a kick as a ball spills free from a ruck.
Petersen carries well once more but the Stormers are rather going nowhere. They do give Alun Wyn Jones three chances to test out that left shoulder - seems to be in working order.
Stormers 3-28 Lions, 54 minutes
Not the best of starts for Zander Fagerson - he slips his bind in his first involvement at the scrum. Jaco Peyper informs referee Wayne Barnes on the other side of the scrum, and that’ll be a penalty to the Stormers.
They head back to a left corner to which they are now well-acquainted.
Stormers 3-28 Lions, 53 minutes
Alun Wyn Jones is ready, willing and able to come on for the Lions - remarkable, really, three weeks on from a shoulder dislocation. He’s not introduced just yet as the Lions win a free kick at the scrum.
Zander Fagerson will be joining him in entering the fray - and here they come now after a final bash of shoulders against one another. The Lions will take the scrum option. Adam Beard follows Tadhg Furlong from the field.
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