The Leopards pulled off a superb 48-41 (half-time 27-20) victory over the Lions at Ellis Park on Saturday, with Leopards wing Ronnie Cooke scoring a hat-trick as his team ran in seven tries against the competition’s defending champions.
Up against a Lions outfit who have yet to impress in this year’s Vodacom Cup, the Leopards dominated the loose phases and ran the ball at every opportunity, with Cooke scoring his hat-trick in the first half.
It was only the boot of Lions flyhalf Quinton van Tonder, who kicked five penalties and a conversion, that kept the Lions in touch seven points adrift at half-time.
But the Lions had no answer to the running game of the Leopards, led by Cooke.
The winger scored his first try after a solid break by Leopards eighth man Jonathan Mokuena, who has impressed in his first two matches of this year’s competition, in the first 10 minutes.
Cooke added his second in the 22nd minute and then his third in the 31st minute.
The Lions managed to draw level with the Leopards at 27-27 in the second half. But the visitors surged ahead with three tries by centres Warren de Bruin, the experienced Barry Geel and wing Colin Lloyd.
The Lions fought back bravely to within a converted try of their opponents before the final whistle sounded.
Happy Leopards coach Jacques Swanepoel said after the match that he had told his team to pressure the Lions upfront and not allow the opposition to secure good first-phase ball.
”I had planned to play an expansive game when we got here and not be conservative in my approach. We also managed to use the turnover ball very effectively and I think that won the game for us,” Swanepoel said.
In the other matches on Saturday, the Pumas beat the Eagles 55-21 in George. The visitors were only 17-16 ahead at half-time but destroyed their opponents in the second half with five tries to one.
In Pretoria, the Vodacom Blue Bulls scored a comfortable 39-27 victory over the Griffons, with flyhalf Morne Steyn scoring 19 points on his own through a try, a drop goal, four conversions and a penalty.
In Wellington, the Boland Kavaliers beat Griquas 29-15 after leading 24-8 at half-time thanks in part to two great tries by fullback Antonius Verhoeven.
Western Province scored their first win of this year’s competition with a 34-15 victory over the Mighty Elephants, and the Wildebeest beat the Bulldogs 43-0 in Durban. — Sapa