Slick Lions maul Province
22 Oct 2011
SIMON BORCHARDT watched the Golden Lions beat Western Province 29-20 at Ellis Park to secure a home final against the Sharks next Saturday.
WP came into this game as favourites. They had five World Cup Springboks in their starting XV compared to the Lions’ one. This was their third consecutive appearance in the Currie Cup play-offs, while the Lions had not reached this stage since 2008.
Yet it was the young Lions side that played like experienced veterans, scoring two unanswered tries to reach their first final since 2007. WP looked disinterested for the first hour and by the time they woke up, the game was long gone.
Elton Jantjies was successful with all seven of his kicks at goal, which forced Province to play catch-up throughout. The Lions were the more threatening side on attack and were solid on defence, especially in the second half when they had just 40% of the ball (compared to 60% in the first half). Derick Minnie produced a big performance at the breakdown, while Franco van der Merwe impressed with ball in hand.
The Lions deservedly led 19-12 at the break, after Jantjies and Demetri Catrakilis each kicked four penalties, and Jaco Taute scored a try on the 35-minute mark after an inside pass from Deon van Rensburg.
WP weren’t helped by injuries to Siya Kolisi, whose head collided with Jantjies’ elbow during an attempted tackle, and Bryan Habana, who was replaced on the half-hour mark by Juan de Jongh (he went to centre with Jean de Villiers moving to the wing). However, the Province scrum did improve when Frans Malherbe came on at tighthead prop with Brok Harris moving to loosehead.
The Lions extended their lead to 14 early in the second half when a poor pass from Nicholas Groom was intercepted by Michael Killian, and the left wing went over in the corner. That prompted the surprise return of Habana, who until then had been sitting on the bench as if his match was over.
Catrakilis and Jantjies exchanged penalties to make it 29-15 going into the final quarter, as WP began to dominate possession and territory. They came close to scoring when Schalk Burger offloaded in the tackle to Harris, who was stopped inches short of the tryline. The Lions tackled courageously during this period but a double-skip pass from Burger eventually put De Jongh over with 10 minutes remaining.
Catrakilis, though, missed the crucial conversion that would have brought his side back to within striking range, and the Lions finished the match inside the WP half.
507 Comments
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22 Oct 2011, 19:58 pm
Province tight 5 could not man up, well done Lions, Good luck in the final,
Katman maybe, just maybe the movie this year will end differently !!
22 Oct 2011, 19:59 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-221: Dawn he is not freaking me out, i find it amusing, specially him thinking my ok was submissive when it was actually just dismissive. I feel quite sorry for him being the way he is, like an animal that has always been abused and does not recognize kindness.
22 Oct 2011, 20:06 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-247: Congrats to your Lions Katman.
See your boys next week at Ellis Park. Should be a cracker.
22 Oct 2011, 20:08 pm
Dominee katman????
22 Oct 2011, 20:09 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-245: Spot on. It defies all logic!
22 Oct 2011, 20:15 pm
I’ll be honest. To me the most important players in the Lions backline are Elton Jantjes, Doppies le Grange and Michael Killian.
Taute is good, but I don’t quite get the immense hype around him from Lions fans.
Doesn’t look like his pace is blistering – although it certainly would be if measured against our incumbant fullbacks, Lambie and Frans Steyn – and he is not exactly as elusive as say Israel Dagg or Gio Aplon.
He is a good prospect, but I don’t quite get the “international star in the making” feeling when I look at his play.
22 Oct 2011, 20:16 pm
@Treehugger(Treehugger)-252:
And the pats on the head? How affectionate and endearing was that besides placing you exactly where you belon, Danish girl?
Think seriously about your clearly misguided morals of humans after animals.
22 Oct 2011, 20:16 pm
@ET.(ET.)-257:
should read “belong”
22 Oct 2011, 20:20 pm
STFU
22 Oct 2011, 20:22 pm
Love halloween month. Lotsa cheap horror flicks.
22 Oct 2011, 20:25 pm
According to racist Fern there is a HORROR in your mirror!
22 Oct 2011, 20:25 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-260: so you enjoyed the diving our the window with the guys intestine last night in Machete lol.
22 Oct 2011, 20:27 pm
Really extraball? Where?
Haven’t seen that HORROR yet!
22 Oct 2011, 20:28 pm
Naah tree that movie was just schlock!
22 Oct 2011, 20:29 pm
Something astonishing has happened in our part of the Cotswolds..
We can get curry delivered to our door!!
How incredibly surburban!! I am quite excited!
22 Oct 2011, 20:32 pm
@ET.(ET.)-261:
So, now say something nice?
About anyone or anything……Give it a go!
22 Oct 2011, 20:33 pm
Fern is typical of extraball’s type.
Self esteem the size of a gnat, resorts to insults when females don’t fall for his “I’m not a stud” line.
In mean who wants to join his thousands of fecked women club.
22 Oct 2011, 20:34 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-267:
I think a little exaggeration may creep in occasionally!!
22 Oct 2011, 20:37 pm
@XV(XV)-48: Allister is still an apprentice coach. Mitchell is a master. Looks at the scoreboard.
22 Oct 2011, 20:39 pm
Ja tackler and he’s here in SA!
Just don’t break into French whatever you do.
22 Oct 2011, 20:40 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-264: that was the best part of the whole movie
I persevered until about 5 minutes from the end and then turned to cartoons 
22 Oct 2011, 20:42 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-249: @Sheriff(Sheriff)-250: @Puma(Puma)-253: Thanks gents. But unless we clobber the pilchards next week, we have achieved nothing.
But we should. Similar score to today’s game, I reckon. We’ll keep them just more than a converted try away for the final stretch.
22 Oct 2011, 20:43 pm
@carol(carol)-265: I can just imagine some one trying to get down your long driveway when you all snowed in.
22 Oct 2011, 20:45 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-272:
Today is a great day to be a Lions supporter, it may get even better!!
22 Oct 2011, 20:46 pm
@carol(carol)-268: occasionally !!
22 Oct 2011, 20:46 pm
@carol(carol)-274: That pales in comparison to door-to-door curry.
22 Oct 2011, 20:48 pm
@carol(carol)-266:
How has your day been thus far?
Is that “nice” enough?
Oh! To be in England now that Leeds United are on their way up their to where they belong.
Now that sounds smartly more enticing than just ” nice “.
22 Oct 2011, 20:50 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-272: Brave words after sharks left the lions running around on bl**dy stumps by games end
22 Oct 2011, 20:52 pm
@Treehugger(Treehugger)-273:
I would not be so cruel…The Indian guys seem to like to drive very low slung, souped up, spoiler type cars, not reknown for 4WD performance!
22 Oct 2011, 20:57 pm
@ET.(ET.)-277:
You know, you could get the hang of being pleasant…you were once!
Leeds … I have never been to Leeds, West Yorkshire is not top of my list of ‘Staycation’ destinations and as for football!! Humm…..
22 Oct 2011, 21:00 pm
and these dumb fck klutzes wanna make Coetsee Bok coach with Burger Bok captain.. go figure.. more demented dumb fck hero worship sentiment gonna fck up our rugby till dooms day as long as these stupendously stupid saffa delinquents continue not understanding how and why and where games are lost or won…
exactly how Boks lost the 1/4 final at the WC is how WP lost the semi today.. relying on dumb fck ignoramus mindless hero worship and lack of cohesion where it counts and matters on the field of play…
Minnie schooled Burger, Mitchell schooled Coetsee.. yet Burger will be Bok captain before long and the JW lackey Coetsee will be Bok coach .. just wait and see…
22 Oct 2011, 21:03 pm
Gotta say Hollow Man 2 not half as good as the first one.
22 Oct 2011, 21:11 pm
@ET.(ET.)-277: little fckup of a runtcunt Anglican choir boy.. shows his ‘human’ side once in a while….
keep at it punk.. one day they may bury you alongside your Holy Anglican reminiscences .. maybe even in the holy Leeds united burial grounds… alongside Billy Bremner and Jack Charlton
22 Oct 2011, 21:12 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-272: Actually the Lions achieved a lot if you compared them to last year. It will only get better and with the revenue that’s being generated over this weekend and next weekend it will certainly help. Also from my sources I hear some good talent coming to the Lions and the new partner is on board etc etc. They are on the up, now it’s time to keep the poachers away because they are lurking. Or they will just go overseas and buy some frogs or glove wearing poms.
22 Oct 2011, 21:12 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-282< What channel, I am jumping between a science fiction on sabc3 and Beverly hills cop 3 waiting for the 9.30 movie "Push".
22 Oct 2011, 21:18 pm
The sun shines bright on my old Philadephia home
‘Tis fall and the people are G A Y
The young folks roll on the old cabin floor
While the birds make music all the day
Weep no more my lady
Oh! Weep no more today
We will sing one song for the old Capey home
For the old Cape Town home far away – highly modified.
Now how “nice” is that Carol?
I will sing this now when I mow the lawn for the last time this year, I hope.
22 Oct 2011, 21:19 pm
Jonker blew Free State out of the one semi game and Pyper blew WP out the other.. but it still comes down to tactical nous and rugby smarts on the field of play where Burger totally lost the plot as he frequently does from captaincy position.. and so did Strauss for Cheetahs… as did John Smit for Boks in the WC 1/4 final… and every game he’s captained Boks since 2009…
Frantic stupid rush and desperation type play does NOT win game.. clear calculated composure and knowing how to win DOES.. Burger got fokol idea.. as he always has just a muther of a demolition operative but not a captains A.Hole is Schalk Burger
and watch them make him Bok captain with Coetsee Bok coach.. just watch and witness more fckup hero impregnated delusions ruling the game in this country another 4 years…
22 Oct 2011, 21:19 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-283: Hahaha Skop vs E.T.! This is awesome…
Well done Lions, well deserved victory, will be supporting you next week but I suspect the Sharks forwards will crunch it out for them.
Ai but our forwards were pap… Really need Duane and Bekker back. Still livid about selling all our development to the Bulls. Absolutely shocking stuff from the WP team once again…
To be a Province fan…
22 Oct 2011, 21:20 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-256: and yet he is 100% better than the Niknaks mascot you guys have there at the back.
22 Oct 2011, 21:21 pm
@carol(carol)-280:
It is simply called giving the bitter medicine back to those who enjoyed giving it for hundreds of years.
I have lawn to mow.
22 Oct 2011, 21:21 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-281:
Somewhere in that rambling rant is a core message I actually agree with.
Namely that they would be friggin loony to make Coetzee coach and Burger captain.
But sounds like it’s just about a done deal.
22 Oct 2011, 21:22 pm
Ch 106 but it’s almost finished!
Am waiting for primeval on ch 107
22 Oct 2011, 21:22 pm
@Tuna(Tuna)-289:
No worries, I don’t rate Sideshow Bob, so I’m not gonna argue with you on that point.
22 Oct 2011, 21:23 pm
283:
All you need, A Sham poopal, is simply STFU Joel. you rotten Pole.
22 Oct 2011, 21:23 pm
@Bagel(Bagel)-288: You havent lived until you have seen skop and et going at it, gripping stuff.
22 Oct 2011, 21:24 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-293: I hear guthro is going over the sea and Watermeyer. This true?
22 Oct 2011, 21:26 pm
@Bagel(Bagel)-288:
No match, Bagel. he will just say ” no mas, no mas ” like the little Burger chicken he is.
How are the studies progressing?
22 Oct 2011, 21:27 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-292: Damn, I havent seen it, have seen Primeval, not scarey just bad and not entertaining, used to be a brit serious called Primeval, loved it.
22 Oct 2011, 21:28 pm
@Treehugger(Treehugger)-298: series
22 Oct 2011, 21:29 pm
@Tuna(Tuna)-296:
Yes and no. They are both going, but not together, and not to the same place.
OK, gonna watch this sci fi movie on Mnet HD now.
Later.
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