Lions roar at last
14 Jul 2006
The Lions claimed their first win of the Absa Currie Cup season when they beat the Valke 32-19 at Ellis Park on Friday night.
Eugene Eloff’s side ran in three first-half tries to lead 22-13, including a critical score by fullback Louis Ludik just seconds before the break. The Lions struggled to get going in the second half, but Ludik scored his second two minutes before full-time to seal the win.
This was never going to be a classic. Both teams looked to keep it tight in the early part of the first half, building a foundation for the backs to run the ball or more often than not, punt it for territory gains.
Valke coach John Williams hinted pre-match that he would look to play the game in the Lions half and flyhalf Louis Strydom’s boot ensured they did just that. Strydom and fullback Riaan Viljoen turned the Lions forwards on numerous occasions throughout the game with monsterous kicks.
Eloff will be pleased with the win but he will admit his team were far from spectacular. The Johannesburg based side were generally poor and relied heavily on individuals to secure the win.
A Man-of-the-Match performance by Ludik and an outstanding showing from stand-in captain Ernst Joubert ensured the pressure on the team was relieved. At least temporarily.
The Lions tested the Valke pack in the opening exchanges by mauling strongly from a line-out on the visitors’ 10m line, and this set the tone for the rest of the game.
The Valke showed good intensity at the rucks, cleaning efficiently and not giving the Lions loose trio a chance to get near the ball. Both sets of forwards set out to slow down the ball at the breakdown. This stifled both teams backlines and they never got going.
Twenty-year-old Lions flyhalf Jody Rose will be disappointed with his overall contribution. Far too often he stood too flat, allowing the Valke defence to close his space quickly. Perhaps this was part of Eloff’s gameplan, knowing that the Valke employed the ‘rush’ defensive system. But the young flyhalf, in the side for his older brother Earl, never read the script and struggled.
Rose though did have a hand in creating their first try. With the Valke dominating possession the Lions forced a turnover in the opposition 22m area, from which impressive scrumhalf Jano Vermaak cleared quickly, exposing the scattered defence. Rose collected and put outside centre Jaco Pretorius clean through to score under the posts. Winger Mark Harris converted to give his side a 7-3 lead.
The Lions struck again swiftly, Wylie Human charging down a clearance attempt by Strydom on the 5m line and scoring his 31st Currie Cup try to make it 12-3. Harris’s conversion attempt struck the post.
The Valke came storming back, scoring a push over try from a line-out. The Lions’ defence disintergrated under the pressure and lock Nico Luus brought his side back into a game they had largely dominated.
However the Lions struck late in the first half through a Ludik try – a sublime Rose pass sending the hard running 19-year-old through to score after a scrappy bit of play in the tight saw the Valke turn over possession. Two more points followed for Harris, sending his side down the tunnel with a flattering 22-13 lead.
The second half was forgettable as poor handling and unadventurous play by the visitors ensured the handful of supporters who had braved the icy temperature remained frozen to their seats.
Two Strydom penalties revived hope of a comeback, with the Valke drawing within six points. They continued to pressurise a fragile looking Lions backline but ultimately it was their lack of adventure that cost them when Eloff’s men were on the ropes.
The Lions’ bonus point try came in the 78th minute when Ludik grabbed his second.
Lions - Tries: Jaco Pretorius, Wylie Human, Louis Ludik (2). Conversions: Mark Harris (3). Penalties: Harris (2).
Valke - Try: Ryan Strudwick. Conversion: Louis Strydom. Penalties: Strydom (4).
By Ryan Vrede
71 Comments
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14 Jul 2006, 20:47 pm
Kners
Been thinking of switching to Media Zone: $129 per year. Slightly more expensive than Kudu but then you get ALL the 3N, not only the SA games, CC, NPC, all the end of year games, etc etc.
I always prefer the pub to watch a game, but in denmark a visit to the pub to watch a bokke game has never set me back less than 700 rand, so I gotta limit my visits there, plus you often get voted out of watchingh rugger by the Soccer yobbos anyway…..
Hollands a jol in summer. Went to a wedding on a boat cruising the canals last year. Farkin ell what a blast!
14 Jul 2006, 20:51 pm
Kudus up again!!!! Just as the game ends….
It says CC will commence shortly, is there another game now?
14 Jul 2006, 20:51 pm
blokkies, i have one cunning trick for you. you can use mediazone for the games that are on kudu. u can log on to mediazone using your kudu id.
it helped me once when i was having licencing delivery issues with kudu. BUT, if it is sticky on kudu it is sticky on mediazone.
14 Jul 2006, 20:54 pm
Duke
Would love to visit Canada. All the Canadians I met while travelling were much more chilled as their southern neighbours, and had the same attitude/humour/party behaviour as SA/Kiwi/Ossies. Made some good mates from Canada.
Whats Stampede?
14 Jul 2006, 20:56 pm
Serihaaas, Kners, can you use your Kudu id to log onto Media zone even to see eg. Kiwi v Oz games?
14 Jul 2006, 20:59 pm
no, only for the games that are broadcasted on kudu. you go to the game on mediazone, choose pay per view and then u can choose to log on as a kudu member.
kudu gets the stream from mediazone so if it is sticking and stuff on kudu it will be on mediazone too.
14 Jul 2006, 21:01 pm
Grrr I take my hat off to you china. If ever there was a fan who supported his team to the bitter end its you. GLRU should give you your own private suite. Supporters like you aren’t found that often. Once.
14 Jul 2006, 21:05 pm
yeah grrr, with dedication like that u woulda made a kick *** nun.
14 Jul 2006, 21:05 pm
Ok. Reckon I’m going to make the switch to MZ anyway. The only thing I watch on Kudu is ruggs and Carte Blanche occasionally. Tried to watch that Laugh out Loud show once and almost threw a brick at my computer with embarrasment on Jeremy Mansfields behalf!
14 Jul 2006, 21:07 pm
lol @ Kners (while my goose just looks at me, shakes her head and leaves the building….
14 Jul 2006, 21:09 pm
Last comment: Kners what you reckon about tomorrow?
I’m letting my heart do the talking and leaving my head at the bottom of a bottle of Brannas: Boks 29 Oz 20
14 Jul 2006, 21:09 pm
yeah blokkies, i did kinda curse myself cos i got a year subscription to kudu and then remembered mediazone. u get a lot for that extra 30 dollars.
14 Jul 2006, 21:12 pm
Blokkies, it’s called the Calgary Stampede and it is the biggest carnavel in Canada. If fact, it is the highlight of the Canadian summer.
Candians are here are much like the ones you meet traveling, chilled and laid back. Even working here is gr8! I hated the rat race in Joe’berg (the dog eat dog syndrome) and this is much more comfortable.
Got a SA butcher here so got my biltong and wors for tomorrow. Also leanrt a few new tricks from the locals on how to survive the winters.
Back to rugby; Grrr your team was lucky my boy! They now stand a chance of not coming last in this competition! LMAO
14 Jul 2006, 21:13 pm
P.S. Blokkies enjoying Stella over here, what other Belgium beers are good? And have you tried any Czech beer, damn there stuff is good!
14 Jul 2006, 21:14 pm
well, i think we gotta chance man, my score today was 25 17 (bokke) i think, cant remember. we can win if we dont play like chops.
it is simple really:
1) kick the ball out, not to the fullback
2) no forwards on the wings
3) no john smit propping
then we can take em.
14 Jul 2006, 21:24 pm
No Stella, mate. Here you get Carlsberg and Tuborg. But that is the danish equivalent of Castle: mass produced Horse piss.
They got lots of micro breweries that make beer that brings tears to your eyes for 2 reasons: it tastes like mothers milk, and you gotta have one of those ‘serious’ discussions with your bank manager after a night on the town
Best beer summer IMHO in Hoegaarden from Belgium, very light and cloudy with a strong taste of coriander.
14 Jul 2006, 21:29 pm
Can I add to your list Knersboy?
4) Maul the **** out of them from lineouts and commit their loosies to the ruck ( only way to neutralise Smith I reckon
5) Forwards to put their pack under pressure so Ricky can irritate the **** out of Georgie Boy
6) Spies to operate as a torpedo with a homing device all day long. The target: Larkham….
And yes, we can win.
Problem is, we could also get 40 points put past us if we try and play the kind of game we played in Sydney last year…….
14 Jul 2006, 21:36 pm
When I am back in SA, I try get my hands on Gilroys beer. Don’t know if you tried it but its really good.
Canadian beer is much like USA beer, good for headaches!
When my Canadian buddies feel they are up to it, I give them some witblits while I sip away on contreau (looks the same so they don’t know), man they think I am a legend!
14 Jul 2006, 21:37 pm
Blokkies, we had no game plan last year, we did the whole give up and die trick!
15 Jul 2006, 09:59 am
well done lions!!
15 Jul 2006, 11:11 am
Hang on the boks also rely on individuals to get them through or am I missing some thing?
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