The Lions’ dominance in attack laid the foundation for their first-ever United Rugby Championship (URC) victory over the Stormers at Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon.

A 30-23 triumph ended a six-match losing streak against the Cape side in Johannesburg, though their failure to secure a four-try bonus point prevented them from overtaking the inaugural URC champions on the league table.

While the Stormers were thoroughly outplayed on a wet Ellis Park surface, they once again displayed remarkable resilience, battling back from a 24-6 deficit to earn a losing bonus point for the second consecutive weekend.

Given the half-time scoreline, the Lions should have won by a more significant margin, particularly as they had already secured the four-try bonus point.

They tore through the Stormers' defence with three first-half tries, hallmark Lions scores that effectively took the game away from their visitors. Exploiting space on the outside proved effortless, with former Lion Wandisile Simelane twice beaten in the early exchanges by his former teammates.

The tries from centres Henco van Wyk and Marius Louw were arguably the finest of the afternoon, with Van Wyk’s score standing out as the pick of the bunch.

That said, the five-pointer from Stormers full-back Warrick Gelant, as well as Lions scrum-half Morne van den Berg’s effort, were also moments of individual brilliance.

Van Wyk’s second try was a team effort that started inside the Lions’ half. Full-back and Player of the Match Quan Horn broke the line before the ball passed through several pairs of hands, eventually reaching Van Wyk, who crossed the whitewash.

Louw’s try, meanwhile, was made possible by the blistering pace of winger Edwill van der Merwe. Sprinting down the touchline, he chipped over one of the last defenders, and Louw was perfectly placed to finish off the move for the Lions’ third try.

Gelant was at his mercurial best once again, yet his fellow backline players struggled to match his vision in attack, a factor that continues to hamper the Stormers' progress.

Whenever he touches the ball, there is an expectation of magic, and his try and assist on the day reflected that. However, without additional playmakers stepping up, the Stormers’ attack remains disjointed.

With two games in hand, the Lions have positioned themselves well to push for a place in the URC play-offs. Meanwhile, another defeat leaves the Capetonians facing a tough challenge to revive their campaign.

They will be hoping to rediscover their attacking rhythm in the coming weeks to reignite their URC aspirations.

Match Summary:

Lions 30 (24)

Tries: Morne van den Berg, Henco van Wyk, Marius Louw.

Conversions: Gianni Lombard (3).

Penalties: Gianni Lombard (3).

Stormers 23 (6)

Tries: Warrick Gelant, Evan Roos.

Conversions: Jurie Matthee (2). Penalties: Jurie Matthee (2).