Ferocious Lions snatch late winner
28 May 2011
JON CARDINELLI reports on the Lions’ combative 26-22 victory over the Highlanders in Dunedin on Saturday.
It was a dramatic finish at Carisbrook, as with three minutes remaining, the Highlanders looked to be comfortable victors. They had successfully negotiated a late Lions surge, and all they needed to do was kick the penalty to touch and then kill the clock.
But Highlanders flyhalf Lima Sopoaga failed to find the touchline which allowed the Lions to rally for one final attack. They showed terrific patience and control, and when the moment presented itself, lock Wikus van Heerden powered over for the winning score.
It was a fantastic response from a team under pressure. Coach John Mitchell took aim at his forwards after last week’s weak showing in Sydney, and the public castigation seemed to do the trick. The Lions’ heavies weren’t always accurate, but they provided the necessary mongrel in what was an old-fashioned, and often ugly, barney.
There were times when the Highlanders would employ their trademark counter-ruck, only to lose the ball at the very same breakdown. The competition for possession was fierce, and the Lions’ forwards gave absolutely everything.
Elton Jantjies was in superb goal-kicking form and produced some galvanising touches with ball in hand. Inside centre Butch James dovetailed well with Jantjies, although the Springbok could have done more to commit opposition defenders by carrying the ball to the line. As it was, James relied on his sublime handling skills to send the ball wide, and often created space for outside runners.
The Highlanders stuck to their game plan of targeting the Lions up front, and enjoyed some early success. Captain Jamie Mackintosh turned down a simple shot at goal, a decision that was vindicated when Shaun Treeby scored from a subsequent scrum. It was a well finished move that simultaneously highlighted the Lions’ defensive weakness.
Sopoaga kicked well to take the Highlanders to a comfortable half-time lead. He then proceeded to miss a sitter at the start of the second stanza, and the handling of the hosts continued to cull promising attacking movements.
The Highlanders dropped their intensity on defence, and a James-inspired counter-attack earned the Lions a penalty deep in opposition’ territory. A quick tap by Josh Strauss caught them napping again, and Jantjies’s conversion saw the brave Lions draw level on the scoreboard.
Indiscipline handed the Highlanders a reprieve in final 20 minutes. Just seconds after Jantjies booted the Lions into the lead, Bandise Maku conceded a penalty at the other end. Another penalty off the subsequent kickoff allowed the Highlanders to return to Lions territory, and the visitors resorted to questionable tactics in an effort to stop the Highlanders’ barrage.
Lions flank Michael Rhodes grabbed Highlanders wing Siale Piutau by the neck in an attempt to clear him from a ruck, and Piutau responded with a punch. The referee didn’t see either infringement, but both players are sure to be cited and spend a week or two on the sidelines. You almost feel that Piutau was justified in retaliating, as Rhodes did his best to pull the winger’s head off.
But neither player was penalised and the Lions managed to hold out. Handling errors provided the Highlanders with further opportunities, but incredibly the Lions’ defence stood firm.
The Highlanders enjoyed a three-point lead as the clock wound down, but it was the visitors that showed the necessary composure to win the game. Sopoaga missed his penalty kick for touch, and the disorganised Highlanders’ defence allowed the Lions to build one last attack.
The result is an important one from a South African perspective, as the loss for the Highlanders gives the Bulls and Sharks an opportunity to make up some lost ground as they push for a play-off place.
373 Comments
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28 May 2011, 13:50 pm
@>^..^< katman(katmandu)-349:
Easy, katman easy ( big manly hug, in a strictly hetero fashion),
Let the tears flow brother.
Tears of joy.
(just get rid of Mitch and Carlos, they are parasites……………………………………………………………………….bring back Loffe, I say.)
28 May 2011, 13:55 pm
geezus, dont touch mitchell and carlos (the latter is teaching jantjies more than anyone could ever hope to do) – bring back loffie for morale or even better some tightforwards – but these okes are doing damn well. i mean the only recognised player theyve got is wickus van heerden whose playing at 4 – its utterly crazy that they should be winning two games on tour.
28 May 2011, 13:55 pm
@cane(cane)-351: Mitch and Carlos are all that stand between us and another 20 losses on the trot. And Loffie is like MC Hammer pants – highly unlikely to see a revival.
28 May 2011, 13:55 pm
Cane
the stadium was
the history and record was
not.
Now we have the best stadium for rugby in the country with
*ahem*
seats ON the sidelines of a purpose-built rectangular field.
O
Taaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Go’oooooooooooooooo !
28 May 2011, 13:59 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-353:
LOL – one cant put it better then that, i liked the loffster and so did the players, but maybe its no bad thing they got a bit of a bastarrdo in charge, its bladdy nice to win a few for a change.
28 May 2011, 14:05 pm
@cab(cab)-355: I like him too. Many years ago, when my boet played for our school’s under 15 team, I think they got him in to help coach them. I’m pretty sure it was Loffie. He was a young coach with no credentials back then (around ’89 or ’90), but as far as I can remember he was also the first non-teacher to coach there. Don’t quote me on this though as I may have the whole thing wrong.
28 May 2011, 14:10 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-356:
i think he was a very popular coach, but he was given 3 seasons. Maybe they can use him. Can you imagine the Lions had Heinke, Mujati, Van Zyl, Alberts and JF under the current coaching setup?
28 May 2011, 14:13 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-354: Did you get my invite for some drinks at some stage?
28 May 2011, 14:17 pm
@JL1(JL1)-358:
You and Fernly offering The Panther drinks.
You Okes after a threesome?
Fernly doesn’t surprise me………………………………………………..but you JL, I thought you were straight.
28 May 2011, 14:21 pm
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah fhuckkkk,
Not much happening here.
I suppose I’ll have to go over to the Stormers Thread and pretend to be happy for that sad sack lot who Binge Drink down at the Fire Station.
8)
28 May 2011, 14:22 pm
Tells ya what, my little cockroach
you offer the same unconditional apology that you demanded (and stalked) from me
and the beers are on me.
28 May 2011, 14:38 pm
@cane(cane)-360: As much as you can binge on white wine spritzers and fruit alcopops.
28 May 2011, 14:40 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-354:
True Panther. True.
Never been to The Brook.
But I have been to Forbury Park.
28 May 2011, 14:45 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-362:
The way they talk here, it’s all “Famous Grouse”.
28 May 2011, 14:50 pm
These Lions are really spoiling us this year! Another win, good grief… We fans might start expecting more.
28 May 2011, 14:52 pm
@cane(cane)-364: Some of the Firemans clan drink real liquor. I’m just generalising about the genteel imbibing habits of the average resident of the Fairest Cape.
28 May 2011, 14:56 pm
@Grrrr….I’m still a Lion!(grrrr)-365: My unofficial target for the competition was 5 wins. So we’re not there yet.
28 May 2011, 15:03 pm
@Grrrr….I’m still a Lion!(grrrr)-365:
Expect more by all means Grrrrrrrrrr……………………..
Just not next week.
(And great to see you Roar again).
28 May 2011, 15:10 pm
Lions still bottem of the log … bring on the Kings!!!! you had your chance lions and still you can’t lose that nr 14/15 spot!
28 May 2011, 23:03 pm
@Earl_Rose_k@kkest_rugby_player_in_history(WO_to_kill_Sir_Elton)-369: No, you stupidcunt. The Rebels are bottom. Do you know how to read the damn thing? Do you know how to tie your own laces?
28 May 2011, 23:20 pm
@Earl_Rose_k@kkest_rugby_player_in_history(WO_to_kill_Sir_Elton)-369:
any idea how the “kings” will shape in superrugby?
the palookas can’t even fight their way out of the paperbag affectionally known as vodacom cup.
t w a t !
29 May 2011, 10:14 am
@Earl_Rose_k@kkest_rugby_player_in_history(WO_to_kill_Sir_Elton)-369: People ask me why I don’t comment on Keo any more. It is because of Mike Hunt’s like you….
30 May 2011, 00:49 am
Well done Lions fanatastic result against the Eyelandergougers.
Dirty Eyelandergougers tried rip Wickus eye out, then hit little Elton late in the head and no arms tackle and then dirty player punching two other players after he was head tackled and two stompings one on Maku and then the other right off the ball in front of the ref who penalised the lions yet failed to card the player for stomping????
He really should be looking a 6 week ban for punching two players…
Justice for the dirty Eyelandergougers….
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