The victory lifted the Stormers into 4th place in the table and end the semi-final hopes of the Blues who had kept their own hopes alive with victory over the Hurricanes.

However a win for the Sharks against the Chiefs in one of the two remaining games of the regular season will see them draw level with the Hurricanes and Stormers and see the final two semi-final places decided on points difference.

A bonus point win for the Sharks would see the Stormers' hopes ended.

The Crusaders and Waratahs will host the semi-finals after already securing first and second place in the ladder respectively.

Tries by Jean de Villiers, Sireli Naqelevuki and Robbie Diack were enough to secure the win for the Stormers.

However they may well rue the face that they missed what could be a crucial bonus point.

Earl Rose and Jannie Boshoff scored a try each for the Lions.

Despite an attacking approach from the Stormers for most of the game the result was in the balance going into the last 10 minutes with the scores locked at 8-8.

But Rassie Erasmus' side summoned a late rally to take charge of the game.

They opened up the play with some spectacular running and passing, there were a couple of surges through the middle, the Lions briefly regained possession and threatened.

But then it was the Stormers who had the ball again and big Naqelevuki crashed over the try.

Peter Grant’s conversion made it a seven point buffer before the Stormers struck again, this time after some great running from all the Stormers, but particularly big lock replacement Ross Skeate, and reserve loose-forward Robbie Diack was over in the corner.

The Lions were out on their feet and a fourth try for the visitors looked inevitable but in their desperation to commit themselves to all-out attack the Stormers saw a try go the other way to Lions replacement Boshoff.

The Stormers would not have been at all happy at half-time. They made a hash of too many lineouts, where Schalk Brits was uncharacteristically off target with his throwing, but they still had enough of the game in the first half to put the result beyond doubt there and then and make significant inroads into their quest for the four try bonus.

But they looked nervous and tense, trying to rush things too much, and this lack of patience translated itself into missed opportunities that just caused more frustration and caused the pressure to grow to the extent that soon the Stormers were caught in a vicious cycle.

Repeatedly the Stormers would make the initial break, and look to be building up for a score, only for desperate Lions defence to hold them out.

Grant did ensure the Stormers were the first on the board when he kicked a penalty in the 18th minute, but the Stormers had to wait until the 31st minute for their first try, which was scored by skipper De Villiers off a buildup that exhibited all the virtues, such as patience, that were missing earlier and indeed later on in the match.

At that stage the Lions, who were guilty of some cynical professional fouling, were down to 14 men after referee Marius Jonker sent Walter Venter to the sin-bin for knocking down a Stormers pass when they were attacking.

The Stormers continued to press until the break, and continued to enjoy several opportunities as they surged through the middle, but it was a day where it has to be said they definitely missed the searing pace of the injured winger Tonderai Chavhanga. Wylie Human is an experienced player and did some great things, but is not the finisher that Chavhanga is.

For the Stormers to challenge for the bonus point it needed for them to score early in the second half but instead it was the Lions who got in through a great try to former Western Province star Rose, who was on the end of a pass from replacement scrumhalf Jano Vermaak as the Lions surprised the Stormers by running at them from deep inside their own territory.

Rose equalised the scores with a good long range penalty, and from then it was going to be a battle just for the Stormers to win the game.

Almost all the rugby after that was played in Stormers territory as, in desperation, coach Rassie Erasmus rang the changes, with Tony Brown coming on at flyhalf, Peter Grant shifting to centre, Ross Skeate coming on for Andries Bekker and Deon Fourie coming on as the hooker, with Brits moving to the loose-trio.

The changes had their effect, but the next couple of hours will tell whether it was a case of too little, too late for the gallant Stormers. 

Lions (0) 13
Tries: Rose, Boshoff
Pen: Rose

Stormers (8) 22
Tries: De Villiers, Naqelevuki, Diack
Con: Grant (2)
Pen: Grant

Lions: Earl Rose; Louis Ludik, Jaque Fourie, Walter Venter, Ryno Benjamin; Jaco van Schalkwyk, Chris Jonck; Willem Alberts, Joe van Niekerk, Cobus Grobbelaar (captain), Gerhard Mostert, Dewald Senekal, JC Janse van Rensburg, Willie Wepener, Heinke van der Merwe. Reserves: Etthienne Reynecke, Ross Geldenhuys, Franco van der Merwe, Wilhelm Koch, Jano Vermaak, Jannie Boshoff, Dusty Noble.

Stormers: Conrad Jantjes, Wylie Human, Gcobani Bobo, Jean de Villiers (captain), Sireli Naqelevuki, Peter Grant, Ricky Januarie, Luke Watson, Francois Louw, Pieter Myburgh, Andries Bekker, Adriaan Fondse, Brian Mujati, Schalk Brits, Schalk Ferreira. Reserves: Deon Fourie, Brok Harris, Ross Skeate, Robbie Diack, Bolla Conradie, Tony Brown, Dylan des Fountain.