/ 6 September 2008

Lions run riot with 13 tries

It took the Lions just 18 minutes to score their bonus-point try in the 83-14 Currie Cup thrashing of the Valke in Brakpan on Friday night in what was a total mismatch.

In all, the Lions ran in 13 tries to two and gave their log-points differential a huge boost.

About the young Valke side, one can say that they never gave up.

Initially, they tackled well and supported strongly when the ball came their way. They are, perhaps, the side with the best handling skills in the country, but upfront they need some weight and power. The little hard work their forwards provided was no match for the Lions.

Six tries and a score line of 38-14 at the break told the story of the Lions’ initial dominance. It also disguised some wayward passing with Earl Rose, despite a good all-round game on the run, a culprit with a few passes that didn’t go to hand.

The second half was even worse for the Valke with the Lions running in another seven tries, although it took them 14 minutes to score after the break.

With big, in-form number eight Willem Alberts out for the season, it would have been pleasing for Lions coach Eugene Eloff to see the linking and work rate of Ernst Joubert in his first start after injury. He had a hand in virtually every try.

There was some great running by the Lions in the first half with the rugby becoming a little looser towards the end. Unlike the Springboks, their forwards still did their basics while playing an expansive game — and that was where they were better, stronger and more experienced than the home side.

Scrumhalf Chris Jonck, getting a rare start because of the suspension of Jano Vermaak, did not last long before a bump to the head saw Walter Venter come on at centre and Doppies le Grange move to scrumhalf with no number-nine replacement on the bench.

But such was the Lions’ dominance up front that Le Grange was seldom under pressure and scored two tries.

The second-half deluge came despite the Lions playing with 14 men for the last 16 minutes after Jaco van Schalkwyk was red-carded for a late spear tackle.

The Lions’ forwards were a little looser in the second half and could afford to be so, but Eloff will generally be quite pleased with their discipline and structure in a match that could so easily have disintegrated from their side.

Bulldogs beat Pumas
Meanwhile, in a remarkable game of rugby on Friday night, the Border Bulldogs overturned a 30-10 half-time deficit against the Pumas into a thrilling 45-40 win in their Currie Cup first-division match at East London’s Absa Stadium.

Deadlocked at 40-40 with the hooter having sounded, a third try by fullback Russell Jeacocks sealed the Bulldogs’ win.

It was an exceptional game as, with the wind in the first half, the Pumas dominated both in possession and territorially, notching up four tries in the process.

But the Bulldogs came out with purpose after the break and, after 15 minutes, had closed the gap to 10 points at 33-23 from two penalties and a conversion by centre Jeffrey Taljaard and a try to Jeacocks set up by centre Thabo Ratyana.

A good converted try to Pumas centre Jovan Botha then had his side 40-23 ahead with 13 minutes remaining, and it was then that the Bulldogs stepped up a gear or two with Jeacocks scoring his second try and another going to replacement wing Luthando Mondliwa against the run of play, making it 40-37.

Then, just when a draw seemed the likely result following a successful Taljaard penalty, Bulldogs lock and captain Andries Kruger broke clear from a ruck from 40m out and, when tackled, found Jeacocks up in support for the winning try. — Sapa