The Lions will aim to arrest their form slide at the top of the South African Super Rugby conference when they take on the inconsistent Stormers. Join The Roar for live scores from 1:15am (AEST).
While the Lions are the best team so far this season in the South African conference and appear to be almost unbeatable at home, they haven’t been dominant in the true sense of the word.
The conference has been a closely run thing, with the Lions currently having four wins of their first seven games for the season. That, by no means, screams the best team competition-wise with the Hurricanes, Crusaders and indeed Victorian line up the Rebels all starting the 2018 season strongly.
Still, being top of the conference as the season approaches the halfway stage is a great place to be, and it’s certainly better to try and improve from in front of the competition than behind it.
The Lions started the season strongly, but they have lost three of their last four and the pressure is starting to build on the Johannesburg based outfit.
Their defence is a major concern with the Jaguares running up 49 points on them a fortnight ago. A lower-scoring game last week saw them lose at home to the Crusaders, and they badly need to pick up a win and restore some confidence here.
Playing the Stormers will give them a solid opportunity to do so, but the Lions have plenty of work to do.
The Stormers are in marginally better form than the Lions at any rate, their defence seems to be operating better, despite conceding 33 points to the Bulls last week. Before that, they picked up a win over the Reds away from home to keep them in the middle of the South African conference.
It means the squad from Cape Town have won two of their last three, giving them three from four for the season. While a difference in bonus points means they can’t completely close the gap to the Lions here, they certainly can continue to mount the pressure on their rivals.
Prediction
The Lions form hasn’t been splendid, but they are normally a strong side at home and have to turn it around at some point. Doing that against the Stormers seems like just about the perfect time to do so.
Lions by 5.
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Baylion
Roar Rookie
I didn't watch the Rebels game so can't comment on that decision. I felt the decision in the stormers game was right as the tackler's contact with the ball was incidental and part of the tackle, not an intensional rip or knock. But this was before I read the 2018 simplified laws, which leave even more questions than the previous laws.:) According to the simplified laws I quoted the interpretation is open and another ref/tmo might have ruled differently
cuw
Guest
there is no rip in either the Stormers case or the Rebels case in both cases the ball carrier was tackled and the tackler managed to dislodge the ball in the action of tackling. a rip as far as i understand is when an opponent uses one or both hands to rip the ball away from the hands of the ball carrier. if i remember correct Nigel Owens interpreted a SBW "RIP" in world cup. again - this was not the case in either Stormers or Rebels disallowed and allowed trys. in the Rebels match the TMO explained that the tackler had knocked the ball out of the Rebels players hands and thus the ball went backwards - so no Knockon. in the Stormers case the ball was knocked on by ball carrier - according to tmo - but no mention of the tackler and his hand dislodging the ball. last week a lot of peeps were discussing the validity of the try and the logic of that decision. am sure the reffing team had seen it ???
Baylion
Roar Rookie
The 2018 simplified laws are a bit confusing "Law 11.2 It is a knock-on when a player, in tackling or attempting to tackle an opponent, makes contact with the ball and the ball goes forward. Sanction: Scrum." Forward from the call carrier or the tackler? "Law 11.5 The ball is not knocked-on, and play continues, if: a. A player knocks the ball forward immediately after an opponent has kicked it (charge down). b A player rips or knocks the ball from an opponent and the ball goes forward from the opponent’s hand or arm." In the past the tackler had to be targeting the ball rather than making incidental contact during the tackle Now it seems to be up to the ref's interpretation
Baylion
Roar Rookie
Willemse was given a flyhalf Masterclass by Jantjies.
Cantab
Guest
Big win. That will kick start the lions campaign.
Stormers had three star performances, de Allende, Willemse, Pieter Stef du Toit. Kawgga Smith outshone Siya Kolisi. Willemse did more individual brilliant moments than Jantjies, but Jantjies did a more controlled job for the Lions. I see Jaco Peyper ignores the belly flop seal at the breakdown completely.
cuw
Guest
can someone tell me the difference between the try allowed to Rebels last week and the try disallowed to Stormers this week plz? as far as i saw the ball was knocked out of the Stormers hand by the lIons tackler. this was the explanation given in the Rebels v Hurricanes match.