Carizza starts as Stormers draw against Lions in Cape Town

South African franchises the Stormers and Lions competed to a 19-19 draw this afternoon in Cape Town. The result saw the Lions eliminated from play-offs contention as the Johannesburg franchise can no longer finish either top of the South African Conference or in second position.

The Stormers, in contrast, are now the Conference Champions. The two competition points that came from the draw are sufficient to confirm the Cape Town based franchise’s place in the play-offs with one round remaining. The team can now push for a home Semi Final. To do so the team must finish higher than the winner of the Australia Conference after Round 18.

Involved for the Stormers in today’s fixture was Argentine international Manuel Carizza. The veteran of Rugby World Cup 2011 started the fixture playing 69 minutes before being replaced by Jean Kleyn. Carizza has been out of favor with Los Pumas, earning his 43rd and most recent cap in June 2014. He is to ccontinue his career at Racing Métro next season.

Scorers

For Stormers
Tries: Groom, Leyds, Carr
Cons: Catrakilis, Coleman
Yellow Card: Kitshoff

For Lions
Tries: De Klerk, S van der Merwe, Marx
Cons: Jantjies, Boshoff

Stormers
15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Dillyn Leyds, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Seabelo Senatla, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Nizaam Carr, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Manuel Carizza, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Steven Kitshoff.

16 Michael Willemse, 17 Oli Kebble, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 Michael Rhodes, 21 Louis Schreuder, 22 Kurt Coleman, 23 Jaco Taute.

Lions
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Harold Vorster, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Warwick Tecklenburg, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Martin Muller, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Armand van der Merwe, 1 Schalk van der Merwe.

16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Robert Kruger, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Dillon Smit, 22 Marnitz Boshoff, 23 Howard Mnisi