Lions roar to glory
29 Oct 2011
GARETH DUNCAN, reporting from Ellis Park, watched the Lions break their 12-year Currie Cup title drought with a 42-16 hammering of the Sharks.
After 12 years of silverware starvation, the Lions have finally fed.
The 26-point victory completed a dream campaign – which included a table-topping run throughout the league phase and an impressive 29-20 semi-final win over a WP side that had six World Cup Springboks in their match day squad. This result was also the Lions’ first Currie Cup final triumph at Ellis Park in 61 years.
The Lions wanted it more than their opposition. The Sharks, who struggled for momentum and lacked a clinical edge, looked second best for most parts of the match. The hosts ran faster, tackled harder and toiled tirelessly around the park. That determination – no – that hunger for victory influenced John Mitchell’s ‘no-name brands’ to thump a strong, Springbok-laden Sharks side.
Those who backed a win for the visitors pointed to the quality of their squad, which included seven World Cup Boks. But this match proved to be one game too much for the likes of Bismarck du Plessis and Beast Mtawarira, who struggled to make any trademark impact after long and tiring year. There was also a lack of cohesion, despite this group spending the past three weeks together.
The Lions, who’ve played generally the same side since day one of Super Rugby in February, worked like a well-oiled machine. But during this impressive team performance, the player who made the ultimate difference was flyhalf Elton Jantjies. The youngster showed Mitchell was correct in selecting him ahead of veteran Butch James during the play-off stages. After starring in the Lions’ semi-final win last Saturday, the 20-year-old displayed a Man of the Match performance as he kicked 24 points without missing one attempt.
The platform was set with a good showing in the first half. The Lions mixed moments of impressive attacking play with a resilient defence to hold a 19-6 half-time lead.
Jantjies and fullback Jaco Taute, who nailed a 57m penalty, traded penalties with flyhalf Frederic Michalak early on before wing Michael Killian scored the first try of the match. From a scrum in centre field, centre Doppies la Grange broke the Sharks defence through a set-piece move. His offload put Killian clear.
But it looked like the half would end badly for the Lions. Prop CJ van der Linde had a moment of madness in the 32-minute when he threw Sharks skipper Keegan Daniel over his shoulder whilst clearing a ruck. It earned him a yellow card. The Sharks built momentum with their one-player advantage and paid four visits to the Lions’ red zone. However, they couldn’t find a much-needed finish and the Lions escaped without conceding any points.
Then there was a controversial moment early in the second half when Willem Alberts scored a try that should not have been allowed. The Sharks flanker broke the Lions’ defensive line, but lost the ball forward in the process. However, the knock-on wasn’t sighted by the officials and referee Mark Lawrence, who seeked advice from his assistant, awarded the try. The Sharks were back in it as Michalak’s conversion made it 22-16. Game on.
The Lions, however, had other plans as that was the Sharks’ last score of the match. The following 31 minutes was arguably the best passage of play the Lions have showcased this year.
It was a strong performance that secured 20 points to seal the famous win. First, Pat Cilliers powered over from close range after the Lions attacked from deep. Jantjies added two penalties before Taute had the pace to finish another attacking move in the corner. The following conversion was the final nail in the Sharks’ coffin.
Follow SA Rugby mag on Twitter
827 Comments
Pages: « 1 [2] 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 … 17 » Show All
29 Oct 2011, 18:06 pm
19-6 Michalak
29 Oct 2011, 18:08 pm
25 minutes and the games over as a spectacle or contest worthy of watching, thanks to another Lawrence who wants to be centre of attraction
29 Oct 2011, 18:09 pm
Cj what a screw up.
29 Oct 2011, 18:09 pm
@posts(posts)-52: this one’s not over yet, not by a long way.
29 Oct 2011, 18:09 pm
CJ costing the lions big time here
29 Oct 2011, 18:09 pm
yellow CJ gonna turn this game around now Sharks gonna get back in this… Pity
29 Oct 2011, 18:10 pm
CJ yellowed
29 Oct 2011, 18:10 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-54:
For sure not, Lions making stupid mistakes all of a sudden.
29 Oct 2011, 18:10 pm
CJ is a frustrated WWE wrestler
29 Oct 2011, 18:11 pm
Lions been Marked and Bryced
29 Oct 2011, 18:11 pm
@posts(posts)-52:
Can I assume you’re a Sharks supporter?
29 Oct 2011, 18:13 pm
Lions defence has been very good, Sharks need to keep wearing them down up front, I can see the Lions pack gassing.
29 Oct 2011, 18:13 pm
Keo score stuck again
29 Oct 2011, 18:15 pm
Lions defense is very interesting.
29 Oct 2011, 18:16 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-58:
Hi, Looks like my superBru is good so far!
29 Oct 2011, 18:16 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-63:
Jet lag.
29 Oct 2011, 18:17 pm
First time I see defense described as interesting
29 Oct 2011, 18:18 pm
Sharks pack with Bismarck and Alberts would’ve beaten the Boks, just look at the go-forward, fk-it i could shitout a brick best i think of something else.
29 Oct 2011, 18:19 pm
I am trying to watch this on vipstand but it appears i need a ‘plugin’, what on earth does that mean?
29 Oct 2011, 18:19 pm
Ok for the last time this year
DOOPPPPIIIIEEESSSS!
29 Oct 2011, 18:19 pm
Miracle survival by Lions
29 Oct 2011, 18:21 pm
19-6 HT
Sharks need to just keep pounding up front, the dam should crack around the 60min mark.
29 Oct 2011, 18:21 pm
@carol(carol)-65:
I was too late but am just about last anyway so it does not matter.
29 Oct 2011, 18:23 pm
Lions defending well.
Same problems the Sharks have had ALL year (including S15):
1. Can’t play for a full 80mins
2. Midfield is the worst in the country
3. Lack of any real penetration or creativity beyond Deysel, Alberts etc crashing it up route 1.
The Lions just look more up for this one. It looks to be their day.
29 Oct 2011, 18:24 pm
Oh and no 4. the Sharks never win the breakdown. Isolated ball runners get turned over too frequently.
29 Oct 2011, 18:24 pm
@David: Nope, for 10 years I was a regular at Ellis when naartjies were the order of the day and even sat on the tin roof for a rare international, in those days. I just like refs who are anonymous and don’t blow every 20 seconds
29 Oct 2011, 18:25 pm
Hey fantastic, a link has been put on rugby talk and I have a great picture now!!
Feel I am right there on a sofa down there in SA !!
29 Oct 2011, 18:26 pm
@carol(carol)-69:
Try this…
http://www.kostatz.webs.com/
29 Oct 2011, 18:26 pm
@posts(posts)-76:
LOL
29 Oct 2011, 18:27 pm
Poor option taking by sharks. Ref has handed the lions a few points though!
29 Oct 2011, 18:28 pm
Even though the Lions scrum is under pressure, their decision makers is doing well. They play a brand of rugby that SA hasn’t seen since Mallet. Taute is as solid as a rock, and Jantjies can finally deserve the award he got last year. Great rugby.
Sharks shows signs of overdoing the phase play. Can it be that their Springboks will derail their campaign?
29 Oct 2011, 18:28 pm
lions need to start playing percentages…they can’t defend the full 80m even these putrid sharks will get it eventually…
setting up phases in ur 22 is playing with fire.
29 Oct 2011, 18:28 pm
Lions need to protect the ball at the breakdown, and get their offensive rhythm going and build pressure. There’s an obvious weakness in the 12/13 channel of the sharks. Plumtree makes weird buys sometimes.
29 Oct 2011, 18:29 pm
Yip f’ng stupid Boks Fckng up the WC playing Smit, Spies and FdP compared to what we seeing here from both sides like chalk and cheese,
Boks pathetic sentimentalist garbage cost the WC… This rugby under Mitchell is 100 times more progressive and proactive than the poor compromise trash we saw carrying a f’ng garbage koptoe cancerous clown all for the sake of his garbage egoist self seeking ambitions
Pity Mitchell wasn’t called in as technical adviser instead of Rassie he would have put the boot into the sentimental garbage compromising and we might have won the g’dam thing again.. Bryce or no Bryce.
29 Oct 2011, 18:29 pm
@julz(julz)-80: Sharks threw away a 3 pointer and Taute’s kick was unnatural. The try is the real difference.
29 Oct 2011, 18:32 pm
this mark lawrence is about 100 times better than his kiwi counterpart.
29 Oct 2011, 18:32 pm
Not entering thu gate lawqrence!
29 Oct 2011, 18:33 pm
@Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-78:
Cheers…right there…Excellent.
29 Oct 2011, 18:34 pm
lawrence cooking…
29 Oct 2011, 18:34 pm
@cab(cab)-86:
About 100 times better looking!
29 Oct 2011, 18:36 pm
What’s this cooking business?
29 Oct 2011, 18:36 pm
I hope Puma is sitting down with a strong drink in his hand!
29 Oct 2011, 18:37 pm
22-9 Jantjies drop
29 Oct 2011, 18:37 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-91:
Forget that, restaurant tonight….!!
How did you get on with that music btw?
29 Oct 2011, 18:37 pm
@carol(carol)-90:
if you say so, will take your word for it, all i know is old brycie better not set foot in SA, cretin.
know someone who sat next to him on a longhaul flight, meant to be quite a nice oke.
29 Oct 2011, 18:39 pm
Jantjies showing the absolute young general he is stepping up BIG time
29 Oct 2011, 18:39 pm
lol Freddie too much magic for Odwa, super from Lambie too
29 Oct 2011, 18:39 pm
Naah carol trans keeps saying lawrence is cooking
29 Oct 2011, 18:40 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-73:
No, I am way behind you!!
Fark me, the Lion with the beard No 8 looks like a cave man!
29 Oct 2011, 18:41 pm
Drama!
Pages: « 1 [2] 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 … 17 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.