The Lions staggered back from their disappointing start to the Absa Currie Cup competition at Ellis Park on Saturday by destroying the Pumas 74-15 in their bottom-of‒the-log clash.
This was the home team’s second victory in seven games and, despite the fact that it was against the Pumas, who have been languishing in last place on the log standings since the first week of the competition, it was no doubt a huge confidence booster for the struggling Lions as they enter round two of the series next week.
The Lions ran in a total of 11 tries in the game — six of which were in the first half — in a game that turned out to be a spectacle of running rugby for the home team. In fact, the Lions were so dominant that their bonus-point try was scored as early as the 24th minute of the game.
The home team ran hard at the Pumas each time they had possession. But it was the impressive interplay between the Lions’ backs and their effectiveness in off-loading in the tackles that gave them the upper hand.
Springbok flyhalf Andre Pretorius also showed why he was one of national coach Jake White’s star flyhalves thanks to his instinctive attack, which was one of the key contributing factors to the team’s high try count in the first half. He was rewarded with a try in the seventh minute, eight conversions and a penalty for a personal tally of 24 points.
Pumas fullback Arno Coetzee opened up the scoring with a drop goal in the first minute of the game to put the visitors in the lead. But for the rest of the game, the Lions were the only team that featured.
To make matters worse, the Lions could have scored at least another two guaranteed tries in the first half, but unnecessary handling errors let them down.
The Pumas, however, salvaged some pride late in the first half thanks to a try by lock Bokkie Swanepoel three minutes before half-time to increase their points tally to 10. They tried hard to bounce back in the second half, but, aside from the fact that the Lions were too far ahead for the visitors to catch up, the home team continued to assert their dominance by taking advantage of the smallest gaps in the Pumas’ defensive line.
The Pumas, however, were their own worst enemy. They made costly handling errors at crucial times of the game, which came at the price of at least three tries.
It remains to seen if the Lions can recover from their bad start to the competition by staging a dramatic second-round come-back. However, stranger things have happened in rugby.
Western Province edge Griquas
In a pulsating fixture played at Absa Park, Kimberley, on Saturday afternoon, Western Province (WP), leading 21-11 at half-time, edged Griquas 27-23. Both teams scored three tries.
Unbeaten in their previous three home games, Griquas were determined to see off their old rivals and came desperately close to doing so. WP had to dig deep in this no-quarter-asked-or-given encounter played throughout at a frenetic pace.
With the players from both teams playing with tremendous passion and commitment, an estimated 5 000 spectators were treated to a thrilling encounter that could so easily have gone Griquas’ way.
WP coach Kobus van der Merwe praised Griquas for the type of rugby they are playing in the Currie Cup. ”They are a good team and it was a very good game. I knew it was going to be difficult to beat Griquas in Kimberley and I am just glad we are returning to Cape Town with the win.”
After early Griqua pressure, flyhalf Conrad Barnard — who had another very good match for the home team — kicked an 11th-minute penalty to give his team a 3-0 lead. In spite of exciting attack and counter-attack from both teams, that’s the way it stayed until the 25th minute. After a very good period of play, the visitors at last cracked Griquas’ resolute defence when flank Justin Melck passed to prop JD Moller, who proved unstoppable.
Flyhalf Naas Olivier, who had earlier missed a kickable penalty and a drop-goal attempt, added the conversion and it was 7-3 to WP. Griqua centre Lafras Uys’s decisive break down the middle saw right wing Vuyani Dlomo receiving and being stopped just short of the WP try line when forced into touch. Maintaining the momentum, Griquas regained the lead when, from eighthman Frans Viljoen’s quickly taken short penalty, the ball came back to lively scrumhalf JP Joubert, who wriggled his way over for an unconverted try (Griquas 8-7).
A decisive run down the middle by the lightning-quick WP fullback Gio Aplon resulted in right wing Egon Seconds scoring in the corner. Olivier did very well to kick the conversion from the touchline.
In the 38th minute, Olivier cut down the middle and gave to big lock Gerrie Britz, who ran through to score between the uprights. Olivier converted and suddenly WP were leading 21-8. Back came Griquas and, once again, Dlomo was forced into touch on the WP try line. On half-time Barnard slotted home his second penalty and Griquas trailed by 10 points at the break.
Griquas came roaring back and two minutes after the resumption, hooker Tiaan Liebenberg burst away with the ball from loose play, fed Uys and out to Barnard, whose long pass to Viljoen saw the forceful number eight trotting through to score and Barnard kicking the conversion (WP 21-18).
It was now Province’s turn to attack and Olivier’s successful, 37m penalty take doubled the visitors’ lead. With the Griqua forwards and backs now combining well on-attack, another long-range Barnard pass found left wing Alshaun Bock, who broke inside, drew the defence and passed out to Liebenberg, who ran through from 20m to score Griquas’ third try. This time Barnard’s conversion attempt failed and it was 24-23 to WP and the match was balanced on a knife edge.
Both teams looked dangerous on the counter-attack and, from one of these, Griquas were penalised for a high tackle in front of their posts. Olivier coolly slotted the kick home. Province led 27-23, which was also the final score in spite of exciting close shaves at both ends.
Boland embarrass Griffons
The Boland Kavaliers thrashed the Griffons 59-0 in Wellington on Saturday afternoon. The half-time score was 26-0. The Kavaliers are unbeaten after five games, one of them drawn, while the Griffons have lost five in a row.
The home side ran in nine tries, including a hat-trick from Rayno Benjamin. Flyhalf Jacques Schutte converted seven of the tries.
Boland dominated the game and the Griffons were unable to convert any of their opportunities on a day when nothing seemed to go right for them.
Cheetahs no longer at the top
The Blue Bulls knocked the Cheetahs off the top of the Currie Cup table with a 24-12 win over them at a packed Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein on Saturday. The visitors led 14-3 at the break.
The Cheetahs started strongly and dominated the opening phases, running up a 3-0 lead via a penalty by Willem de Waal. But the Blue Bulls hit back, against the run of play when flanker Johan Wasserman intercepted a cheeky pass from Cheetahs scrumhalf Michael Claasens on the halfway line, and some good support play led to a try by loose-forward Tim Dlulane, converted by Morne Steyn.
The Blue Bulls kept up the pressure and started getting some decent possession, and when they did have the ball they managed to capitalise, scoring their second try through winger John Mametsa, following a maul on the Cheetahs’ line.
The Cheetahs again started the second half strongly and were better value than the scoreboard suggested at that stage. They were finally rewarded for their efforts in the 50th minute when De Waal slotted a penalty to take the score to 14-6.
The hosts continued to pressure and another penalty by De Waal narrowed the score even more. But that gap did not last long, with Steyn landing a huge drop goal to stretch the score to 17-9.
Another De Waal penalty narrowed the gap to 17-9 but a try by Derick Kuun, converted by Steyn, knocked the wind out of their sails. — Sapa