ROB DAVIES, Johannesburg | Saturday 5.00pm.
THE Golden Lions under coach Laurie Mains were unstoppable in their 81-21 thrashing of the South Western Districts Eagles in a Bankfin Currie Cup semi-final at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The Lions showed the visitors no mercy and piled on 46 points in the first half, to which the Eagles could reply with only a goal in the 39th minute of the stanza.
Hennie le Roux played an outstanding match for the Lions, and, along with eighthman AJ Venter was the architect of most of the Lions’ tries.
Le Roux had a hand in the Lions’ first try when he showed fantastic skills in getting a pass away to centre Jannie vd Walt, who went over in the 7th minute.
The Eagles played against themselves for most of the first half, and lost valuable posession and points through errors and ill-discipline. Had Lions fullback Kobus Engelbracht packed in his kicking boots, the Eagles may well have been looking at the wrong side of 50 points at the break.
The Lions scored their second try through hooker Leon Boshoff, who went over after receiving a short pass from scrumhalf Brett Johnstone in the 17th minute. Engelbrecht converted to make the score 17-0.
Le Roux was again instrumental in the Lions’ third try when he sent speedy winger Thinus Delport on his way in the 19th minute. The try was converted by Engelbrecht, to take the tally to 24-0.
AJ Venter then claimed a try of his own eight minutes later when he crashed over under the posts after the ball had been spread wide. Engelbrecht made no mistake, and the scoreboard ticked over to 31-0. Centre Wickus Venter then went over for the Lions before lock Marius Bosman got one back for the Eagles, to get the score on to 36-7.
Before half-time the Lions struck a hard blow and scored two tries through Delport and Chester Williams.
After the break the Eagles came back with a vengeance, and Paul Treu produced some sterling wing-play to score in the 47th minute.
Williams then turned the taps back on and scored in the 50th minute, Kobus Engelbrecht also got in on the act and scored after AJ Venter set up a clean run for the stocky fullback.
Hennie le Roux again showed his class in the 62nd minute when he sent centre Wickus Venter through for his try. The score moved up to 65-14.
Jannie vd Walt got his second in the 65th minute, before Harold Karele got a consolation try for the Eagles in the last ten minutes.
The second half was by far less entertaining than the first half, dissolving into scrappy and disorganised play at times. The final score, however, bears testimony to the quality of rugby played by the Lions, and whoever meets them in the final will have to know their stopping.