The Golden Lions beat the Wildeklawer Griquas 45-24 in an Absa Currie Cup match at the Ellis Park Stadium on Saturday, to stay in the running for a play-off berth.
The Lions looked the better side throughout the 80 minutes as Griquas made schoolboy mistakes.
The stubborn Kimberley side, however, fought on and troubled the hosts at times, but overall, their play was inconsistent and lacked creativity.
Griquas hooker Hansie Van Dyk opened the scoring as his pack forged through the Lions defence for a well-worked try. Flyhalf Conrad Barnard could not add to the five points as his kick hit the posts. Five minutes later Lions winger Wylie Human got the first of three first-half try’s for his team.
Flyhalf Louis Strydom converted to make another the score 7-5.
Although the Lions dominated possession it took them 12 minutes to score again.
Fullback Louis Ludik broke through a timid Griqua defence and touched down under the poles. Flanker Cobus Grobellar did the same three minutes later and Strydom converted both for a 16-point lead.
Griquas fought back and their powerful mauling again lead to a try, again for Van Dyk. The Lions then won a penalty which Strydom converted to make the score 24-10.
As the half wore down Griquas pressed hard and got a lucky break when a grubber kick hit the post and Bert Geel showed great reflexes to catch it — at speed — and score. With Griquas getting back in the game the referee signalled for halftime.
It took the Lions four minutes to score after the restart. Jaco Pretorius got the five points and scrumhalf Jano Vermaak converted as Strydom was replaced. The scrumhalf scored two minutes later and converted his try to make the score 38-17. The never-say-die Kimberlites fought back and got their final points in the game.
Lions were not done though as Jannie Boshoff scored in the last minute of the game and his team are now fourth on the Currie Cup table. – Sapa