Madosh Tambwe scored four tries, including a hat trick in less than 13 minutes, to help the Lions beat the Stormers 52-31 in a Super Rugby match at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday.
The Lions extended their unbeaten run against South African opposition to 20 with the win and solidified their grip on the South African conference. They had a few indifferent performances over the last few weeks, especially in their defeat against the Jaguares, but they played some top rugby with the tempo and fire we have become accustomed to from them over the last few years.
The Stormers, meanwhile, have slipped behind the frontrunners in recent weeks following successive defeats against South African opposition. And with the way they are playing, they don't look like making the playoffs this year.
Left wing Tambwe stole the show in the first half with one of the fastest hat tricks in Super Rugby history, before scoring a fourth try 12 minutes into the second half. He left the field with a leg injury shortly afterwards, but his performance had already sealed the game for the Lions by then.
The Lions' defenders easily picked off the one-dimensional Stormers when they had ball in hand. The Stormers were penalised for holding on a number of occasions in the first half, as their one-off runners became isolated, and they were the perfect target for Lions hooker Malcolm Marx and loose forward Kwagga Smith.
The Stormers' kicking game also left a lot to be desired -- a little chip over the top by Stormers flyhalf Damian Willemse led to the Tambwe's first try in the second minute.
Tambwe's second try came seven minutes later when he ran a beautiful line to score from a Lions lineout. The DR Congo-born wing's hat trick came in the 13th minute when he collected a kick-pass from Andries Coetzee to score in the corner.
The stunned Stormers hit back in the 21st minute after managing to put some phases together. Tighthead prop Wilco Louw, who moments before had made a brilliant try-saving tackle on Lions wing Ruan Combrinck, barged his way over the line from close range.
But the Lions would extend their lead after a brilliant break by flyhalf Elton Jantjies from turnover ball. The flyhalf took the right option to attack the blindside, and he freed up outside centre Lionel Mapoe, who sprinted 40 metres to score.
Willemse kicked a penalty to move the Stormers into double figures, but the Lions would score their fifth try shortly before the break when Kwagga Smith ran a great angle and handed off two Stormers players to score.
The Lions scored two more tries after the break, with Jantjies playing a massive role in both tries.
Jantjies, attacking flat and with pace, cut the Stormers defence to shreds, before finding his captain Franco Moster to score in the 46th minute. Jantjies then set up Tambwe's fourth with a lovely cross kick, which the winger collected before dotting down in the 52nd minute.
To their credit, the Stormers never gave up, especially the talented Willemse, who emptied his bag of tricks on the night to help his team get back in the game, and the industrious Pieter-Steph du Toit, who carried, cleaned and tackled all night.
Willemse stepped and spun his way through the Lions' defence before going over to the score in the 59th minute. But Combrinck would score the Lions' last try two minutes later to bring up their half-century.
The Stormers scored twice in the last seven minutes through replacement scrumhalf Paul de Wet and a penalty try, but that was long after the Lions had taken their foot off the pedal.