Keo.co.za cleans up at awards
30 Nov 2011
Keo.co.za was named the Sports Blog of the Year and won the overall prize for new media at the 2011 SAB Sports Media Awards at Melrose Arch on Tuesday night.
Mark Keohane, the founder of keo.co.za, also won the Sports Columnist of the Year award for his contributions to Business Day Sport Monthly. He was the second runner-up in the overall print category with Business Day Sport Monthly‘s Gary Lemke the first runner-up.
675 Comments
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30 Nov 2011, 14:53 pm
in his hatred for the americans and brits ,bakkies botha,after denying that the holocaust took place,now wants to convince the world that the russians won the war.laughable to say the least.history will show that the normandy invasion broke the backbone of his beloved nazi forces.when germany was carved up the allied forces rewarded the russians by giving them the rubbish part of germany…enough said.
30 Nov 2011, 14:55 pm
@grant10(grant10)-295: You’re easy to tease with Smittie
30 Nov 2011, 14:57 pm
@mvk(mvk)-301: The back of the Nazis was broken in Russia, which doesn’t diminish what everyone else did or Europe would have been living under Soviet occupation as a whole since.
The Nazis were in full retreat in Russia when Normandy occurred.
30 Nov 2011, 14:58 pm
@grant10(grant10)-298: you had me worried there for a minute.one day we should drink a toast to our great ancestors for preserving our freedom.just a pity gunther and bakkies nats fekked it up so soon afterwards.
30 Nov 2011, 15:00 pm
@mvk(mvk)-304: My wife’s grandfather fought the Nazis. He was Maltese. Malta was the most heavily bombed place on earth per square km. He went out and rescued those fighters shot down.
30 Nov 2011, 15:00 pm
@au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-299: stormers and trecruitment in same line is a crime…..
however…i am really happy Joe Pietersen back.
I would of been happy with a WP Nel type to add some 3 depth…..
and a lot is going to depend on Rohan Kitshoff making the step up.
I have very little regard for Rassie and AC…..sorry to say but I believe we should be winning a lot more than we are….
everytime we meet the real big guns…like reds and saders…we blow it….even at home…..
no man….I expect more
30 Nov 2011, 15:01 pm
@mvk(mvk)-304: Anyways, chat later. Lunch time and I am exhaisted from being up from the early hours.
30 Nov 2011, 15:02 pm
@grant10(grant10)-306: I hope Joe still has his elusiveness.
30 Nov 2011, 15:03 pm
@mvk(mvk)-304: you wont ever see me applauding the yanks mate….farkem ….warmongers of note…biggest cancer on the planet….
my sister is a yank….
we tend to fight a bit
30 Nov 2011, 15:05 pm
@Michael(mikeybrass)-308: joe is a brilliant player……I hear he is looking very sharp at training as well..
30 Nov 2011, 15:09 pm
@Hooker22(Hooker22)-289: I think they lost more lives than all the other Allied countries put together… They also took more German lives than the other countries put together too… It was their Great Patriotic War.
30 Nov 2011, 15:11 pm
farkit….I see poms postponing announcement of new coach till after 6 nations…..
I re ckon Mallet is a goner for boks
30 Nov 2011, 15:12 pm
But while things got heated in Wednesday’s training session in the Emirate, with players getting a bit hot under the collar in a very physical clash, Afrika is unlikely to play any part in the Dubai Sevens this year.
What is going on with the Blitzbokke?
30 Nov 2011, 15:13 pm
@Michael(mikeybrass)-303: The fact that Russia was unconquerable left the Germans vulnerable on the Western front… If the Germans did’t try and take on the Russian Bear then it is pretty doubtful that there would have been a Western front at all and UK would be speaking German now…
30 Nov 2011, 15:13 pm
Well done on the blog award, it is a very diverse site, and loads of fun at times, plus the added bonus of a bit of rugby occasionally.
Was going to say all the credit actually should go to the bloggers, but then thought you allow us the freedom to express ourselves. So lots of smarties to you.
30 Nov 2011, 15:15 pm
@mvk(mvk)-301: Wrong. But since its obvious you learned your history from War comics, its not surprising…
30 Nov 2011, 15:17 pm
@Michael(mikeybrass)-305: Come now… And Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Stalingrad…?
30 Nov 2011, 15:22 pm
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-292: Yeah man. Russians and Georgians… I tell you, those farkers will turn Rugby upside down when they start taking it seriously.
7s in the Olympics will be a catalyst for Russia I reckon. And Georgia we saw in the WC – their scrum a match for any team.
30 Nov 2011, 15:24 pm
@mvk(mvk)-301:
thats just ridiculous.
why would i hate americans and brits?
who says i’m denying anything?
you dont honestly believe the whole normandy invasion thingy… do you?
anyway, how bout this for an interesting spin on the history of the anglo saxon world as we know it, namely the british/american and modern western societies up to the present:
the battle of the teutoborg wald in 9CE is argued by some as a/the seminal battle fought by germanic peoples against the roman empire and brought about the furthest ever, lasting, northern and westward expansion reached by the roman empire of the time, which was somewheres along the western banks of the rhine.
it was by most accounts a well fought and exceptional victory for the germanic tribes allied together at the time against three legions under varus. it marks a high point in time of the expansion and thereafter the retreat and decline of the roman empires geographic boundary and in a way laid the foundation and made possible the eventual spread and growth of germanic speaking peoples all across europe.
this event of course, more plainly, meant that the subsequent tribes of angles and saxons, among others could eventually find their way to the british landmass and thereby aid the eventual founding of the british empire who’s most dominant peoples are of course the anglo-saxons as we know them today.
the same serving anglo-saxons who then went on to colonise most of the world in addition to giving birth to the now dominant american empire.
yegads! the the cycle of life, the circle of history…
so comedically ironic…
30 Nov 2011, 15:33 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-314: Spot on.
The Krauts needed the Oil desperately. Same as the Nips. Hitler was being squeezed on the production front, not just on Fuel but on other strategic supplies like rubber etc.
Incidentally the Japanese were also squeezed into a corner by the yanks, cutting them off from their strategic supply requirements, leaving them (in their minds) with no alternative but to strike at the US fleet at Pearl.
30 Nov 2011, 15:36 pm
And that concludes today’s 20th century history lecture.
Next up is a 6-part lecture on the glory of the Golden Lions Rugby Union. Please take your seats.
30 Nov 2011, 15:37 pm
@grant10(grant10)-306:
hehe
i think joe’s going to let you down more than you’d like next season.
a little unfair to put so much pressure on kitshoff, though having said that, he’s about the same age as the younger franks brother i think.
interesting fact: he’s namibian born so should work for you on many levels
sorry to say this but, i honestly hope to gawd, for the nations sake… that ac and rassie stay at the wpru and keep doing what they’re doing.. hehe
i think captaincy is the missing two inches wrt losing at home the way the stormer do.
expect your expectations not be met
@Michael(mikeybrass)-308:
as elusive as a stormers super title?
30 Nov 2011, 15:37 pm
@Treehugger(Treehugger)-315: It is one of the more liberal sites on the web when it comes to freedom of expression.
Which is occasionally abused, but for the most part those guys end up getting banned, albeit temporarily.
Still good fun. Keeps my multi-tasking skills sharp.
How you doing?
30 Nov 2011, 15:39 pm
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-278: where’s ruggaworld that you’re always punting?
30 Nov 2011, 15:39 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-321: It will be a short lecture I assume…..
30 Nov 2011, 15:40 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-321:
hehe
dont you need to first get the ‘glory’ before you can show it off?
30 Nov 2011, 15:42 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-321:
will that be 1 lecture for every currie cup?
30 Nov 2011, 15:44 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-325:
30 Nov 2011, 15:50 pm
Lecture 1: History
The Transvaal Rugby Union, with its headquarters in Johannesburg, was formed in 1889 after delegates from different clubs in the region decided to form a united rugby union to look after the well-being of the clubs. Prominent clubs involved in the process were Pirates, Wanderers, Pretoria, Potchefstroom and Kaffrarians. The first elected president was Bill Taylor (Born 1858). Transvaal’s first match was against Griquas in Kimberley on 31 August 1889.
Interestingly enough, the original colours used by Transvaal was dark blue and white jerseys, blue shorts and blue-and-white socks. It is unsure when the union decided to switch over to a white jersey with a red hoop with black shorts and socks.There is also a school of thought that South African team Transvaal, now the Golden Lions Super 14 team, adopted the famous Kilmarnock strip of white top with red hoop as a Kilmarnock member, Alex Frew, captained them when they beat The British Isles touring team in 1903. These colours are still in use today. It is also from these colours that the teams’ nickname, “Rooibontes” came from. The Transvaal Rugby Union used to encompass a much bigger catchment area than it does currently. Provincial rugby unions that gained independence from Transvaal are Western Transvaal (currently the Leopards) in 1920, Northern Transvaal (currently the Blue Bulls) in 1938) and Eastern Transvaal (currently the Pumas) in 1948. Interestingly enough Robert Owen Loftus Versfeld, after which the stadium in Pretoria is named, was a lifetime member of the Transvaal Rugby Football Union. According to A Lions Tale – 120 years of the red and white, Versfeld died of a heart attack at Ellis Park in 1932 when he attended a match between Transvaal and the Free State.
The union has undergone several name changes in recent years – first changing its name to the Lions in 1993, the Gauteng Lions in 1997, before again changing to The Golden Lions Rugby Union (GLRU) in 1998. The GLRU competes in the yearly Currie Cup Competition under the name of The MTN Lions, the provincial tournament in South Africa. It also competes in the Vodacom Cup, a competition for provincial teams which takes place during the annual Super Rugby (previously Super 10, Super 12 and Super 14) competition in which franchise sides from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand compete. The GLRU serves as the main feeder union for the MTN Lions franchise in Super Rugby, which also encompass the Leopards and the Pumas, although very few of their players are selected. The MTN Golden Lions and Super Rugby franchise team, the MTN Lions, share the same home stadium, Ellis Park, located in the suburb of Doornfontein in Johannesburg.
30 Nov 2011, 15:51 pm
Pay attention. There will be questions at the end.
30 Nov 2011, 15:53 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-329: The reason that Loftus Versveld was a lifetime Lions Rugby Union member was that there wasn’t a NT rugby club at the time. That split later.
30 Nov 2011, 15:55 pm
@grant10(grant10)-306:
oh, question:
what position would/will kitshoff play?
30 Nov 2011, 15:56 pm
@grant10(grant10)-306:
i ask this because he’s an open-sider right?
so what position will he play in the stormers setup?
30 Nov 2011, 15:57 pm
Lecture 2: Financial Turmoil
In the 1980s the union ran into serious financial trouble, mostly as a result of redeveloping Ellis Park. Transvaal supporters nearly didn’t have a union to support anymore as at one stage the most likely outcome was that the union would disband. In 1984 the union had R37 million of debts to repay, which forced Volkskas Bank to carry the union for a period. This debt mainly came from the union redeveloping the old Ellis Park into a modern 80 000 seat stadium in 1980. The union started out with R1 million of its own money, and intended to raise another R12 million through the sales of suites and life memberships. However, due to the underperforming team, the union had a hard time to sell these ideas to businessmen and the intended revenue to fund the stadium never materialised.
In March 1984 Volkskas took over the management of Ellis Park. By August the union was told to repay debts of more than R40 million by 4 September. According to Louis Luyt in his autobiography, Walking Proud, the union was left with interest amounting to R20 000 per day. It was at this time that the then president Jannie le Roux was ousted by the clubs on 3 September 1984, and in his place came self-made millionaire Dr. Louis Luyt, a former provincial lock forward for the Orange Free State. Through the business acumen of Dr Luyt, the union was able to become financially stable once again. Dr Luyt saw an opportunity to use Ellis Park as a way for the union to cover its debt, and according to him in his autobiography, Walking Proud, used this asset as a means of renegotiating the unions’ debt with Volkskas Bank and the Johannesburg City Council. In order to refinance the debt the union would relinquish control of Ellis Park, and control of the stadium would be taken by a new company called Ellis Park Stadium Incorporated (EPSI) on which Volkskas would have 6 board members, the City Council 3 members and the Louis Luyt group 3 members. Thus the rugby union had no representation on the board. The rugby union would however be contractually obliged to play all future matches at the venue, and would have first right over the use of Ellis Park. However, 20% of all gate receipts generated would be paid over to EPSI. However, Volkskas was not fond of this idea, and eventually took complete control over the stadium as a new company called Ellis Park Stadium Pty Ltd. According to Luyt the union would now be allowed to keep 25% of its gate revenue plus R100 000 of the advertising revenue. Luyt also managed to negotiate a clause stipulating that the rugby union had first right of refusal should Volkskas decide to sell the stadium in the future.
In 1987 the bank decided to sell the stadium to a Mr Johan Claassen for R26.5 million, but with the union having first right of refusal, Luyt started working along with First National Bank (FNB) to buy the stadium back for the union. At the time FNB wanted to rename the stadium First National Stadium, although the City Council was against this as they wanted the stadium to retain the name of their former city councilman who provided the area for the stadium. This is in stark contrast when the stadium name was sold to Coca-Cola in 2008. Eventually FNB provided the union with the finance needed to take control of the stadium. Luyt reduced the capacity of the stadium from 80 000 to 60 000 by adding 88 suites behind the two goal posts. His rationale for this was that the general public preferred to sit on the sides of the field, thus these seats were deemed economically unviable. However, companies were satisfied to have any suite in the stadium. Thus even when losing 20 000 seats, the union was able to generate a bigger income from this “dead space” of the stadium. Even before construction on the suites started, they were fully subscribed. The cost of building the suites were R4 million, and the revenue of selling these were R25 million. Even though seating was reduced the union was able to show a constant revenue stream because of the suites. Eventually Luyt listed the stadium on the stock exchange, although this venture was unsuccessful. In spite of the unsuccessful stock exchange listing the union was able to repay all of its debt by 1993. Currently Ellis Park is known as Coca Cola Park, although as one of the FIFA World Cup 2010 venues, for the period of the world cup, it was known as Ellis Park again. The stadium, and surrounding swimming arena and indoor sports arena, is run by Ellis Park World of Sport Pty Ltd, in which the GLRU has a stake.
30 Nov 2011, 15:58 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-325: No, as I said it’s a 6-part course. 6 full lectures. Try to keep up.
30 Nov 2011, 15:59 pm
@au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-326: There’s your glory: http://www.supersport.com/rugby/currie-cup/news/111029/Lions_are_the_2011_Currie_Cup_champions
Next question?
30 Nov 2011, 16:00 pm
@Gunther(gunther)-327: That kind of sarky comment will see you thrown out of my lecture room.
30 Nov 2011, 16:02 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-331: NT also didn’t have electricity, metal cutlery or the full alphabet until after the second world war.
30 Nov 2011, 16:02 pm
Lecture 3: The Golden Years
Even though the Lions are regarded as one of the most successful teams in South African rugby history, the union was for a long time regarded as the perennial underachievers. After winning the Currie Cup in 1972 for the sixth time, supporters had to wait a further 21 years for the trophy to return to Johannesburg. Even though the pain of not securing the Currie Cup was somewhat soothed by winning the Lion Cup (a now extinct knock out competition, similar to English Football’s F.A. Cup in 1986, 1987 and 1992, it was Currie Cup glory supporters were really craving.
The union did come close on a few occasions, but always seemed to fail at the final hurdle losing the Currie Cup Final in 1974, 1986, 1987, 1991 and 1992. Finally however, under the guidance of Kitch Christie as head coach and Francois Pienaar as captain, Transvaal was able to win the Currie Cup in 1993 with a 21-15 victory over Natal in Durban. Memorably, Uli Schmidt (hooker) scored the winning try after chasing down a kick. The union repeated their success in 1994 by beating the Orange Free State by 56-35 in Bloemfontein. This was however not the end of the unions success.
They also managed to win the 1993 Super 10 with a 20-17 win over Auckland from New Zealand in Johannesburg – thus making the union the first South African team to win a Super Rugby title. In 1995 Transvaal reached the final of the Super 10 again but lost to the Australian side Queensland. The union also managed to scalp the 1993 and 1994 M-Net night series, a pre-season warm up competition. It was also during the 1993 season that the team managed to go on an unbeaten run of 19 games (18 wins, 1 draw). The Lions won the Currie Cup again in 1999 when they beat the Sharks 32-9 in Durban, and were on the losing side in the 2002 and 2007 finals. They ended their 12 year trophy drought in 2011, beating The Sharks 42-16 in Johannesburg.
30 Nov 2011, 16:05 pm
Lecture 4: The Union Today (part 1)
As a result of South African sides being uncompetitive in the expanded Super 12 competition, South African Rugby decided to manage their 14 provincial unions as franchises, combining the unions for the Super 12 competition, before splitting up again to compete as 14 separate sides in the Currie Cup. The old way of using the Currie Cup as a qualifying competition for the Super 12 was thus scrapped. The GLRU was combined with the Free State Cheetahs and Griquas to form the Cats Super 12 franchise. Although home games were mostly played at Ellis Park, some games were also played in Bloemfontein at the Free State Stadium (formerly Springbok Park). This caused the franchise considerable administrative problems in forming a united identity between the three provincial teams and their supporters. Players were also reportedly unhappy about the travel arrangements with the members of the Cheetahs and Griquas often being away from their families for extended periods of time. As the Cats the franchise never really achieved the great heights it was expected to, considering that two of South Africa’s biggest teams were part of the franchise. The Cats did however have a good spell in 2000 and 2001 when under the guidance of former New Zealand coach Laurie Mains the union managed to reach the semi-finals of the Super 12, where they lost to the Brumbies and the Sharks respectively. Incidentally, as core of the franchise, the Lions won the 1999 Currie Cup, also under the guidance of Mains.
After the Super 12 was expanded in 2006 to become the Super 14, South African Rugby was awarded an additional franchise. Even though there was pressure from government to award the franchise to the Eastern Cape based Southern Spears (now the Southern Kings), the franchise was awarded to the Free State Cheetahs and Griquas thus ending their involvement with the Cats. The Cats were now made up of the Lions, the Leopards and the Pumas. The Johannesburg Super 14 franchise was still known as the Cats in 2006, but finally rebranded themselves as the Super 14 Lions in 2007. For sponsorship reasons the team is now known as the MTN Super 14 Lions.
Currently the union is in a rebuilding phase. In middle 2008 Prof. Jannie Fereirra was replaced by former Lions and Springbok lock Kevin de Klerk as president of the GLRU. Throughout the 2000s attendances at Ellis Park has been on the downslide, with the team’s performances following a similar course. With the rise of the Sharks, Blue Bulls and to a lesser extent Western Province, and the tendency of South Africans to play in Europe, the GLRU had difficulty in keeping their star players contracted. Some of the players who left the GLRU during the 2000s were: Andre Vos, Rassie Erasmus, Joe Gillingham, Andre Pretorius, Willie Wepener, Ethienne Reyneke, Thinus Delport, Schalk Brits, Wikus van Heerden, Gcobani Bobo, Conrad Jantjies, Gerhard Mostert, Anton van Zyl, Jaco Pretorius, Gerhard Vosloo, Joe van Niekerk, Wayne Julies, Ernst Joubert, Enrico Januarie, with players such as Rory Kockot being lost through the unions youth system. The union also lost the services of long serving Springbok Jaque Fourie in 2009 even though the player was still under contract. Fourie came through the Lions youth system, representing the union at school, u/19 and u/21 level. Fourie took his contract to arbitration after which was found that his contract was not legally binding on a technical point. This opened the door for Willem Alberts and Louis Ludik to join the Sharks for the 2010 season, even though they were also under contract with the GLRU.
30 Nov 2011, 16:06 pm
Lecture 5: The Union Today (part 2)
With the new President, Kevin de Klerk, came a new approach to the union, and by all accounts the union is being run as a more professional outfit. In 2009 Jake White’s Winning Ways was appointed to conduct an audit of the union, after which it was recommended that then coach Eugene Eloff be dismissed. This was duly done and Hans Coetzee took over control of the Xerox Lions. They subsequently lost their next match to the touring British and Irish Lions 74-10 in what was seen by many supporters to be a new low point in the history of the union. White’s audit was particularly severe on the physical conditioning of the players and the poor defence displayed by the union. The Xerox Lions finished sixth on the 2009 Currie Cup, losing 6 games by less than 7 points with physical conditioning and defence being a particular focus for their campaign. In November 2009 **** Muir, former Sharks head coach and current Springboks backline coach, was appointed Director of Rugby – a task encompassing looking after the unions rugby structures as well as taking control of the Auto and General Super 14 Lions as head coach. Coetzee and former Springbok lock, Johan Ackerman were appointed as his assistants.
Although the Lions have lost quite a few players throughout 2009, new players signed for 2010 include Tonderai Chavangha (Springbok wing), Carlos Spencer (All Black Flyhalf), Wikus van Heerden (Springbok flanker), Deon van Rensburg (centre), Marius Delport (utility back), JP Joubert (scrumhalf), Jonathan Mokuena and Burton Francis (Flyhalf).
The Lions currently average crowds of 23,000 in Super rugby games and 15,000 in the Currie Cup Competition. Underperformance and poor results has accounted for smaller attendances at Lions games in recent years. Most of the Lions supporter base is concentrated within Johannesburg in the province of Gauteng. They also have considerable support in the northern Free State and Highveld region of the Mpumulanga Province.
30 Nov 2011, 16:07 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-336:
i see the glory… the glory is good…
30 Nov 2011, 16:08 pm
@grant10(grant10)-310: I was a BIG fan of him in 2010. I felt we lost some of our sharpness when he got injured. We need his attacking powess.
30 Nov 2011, 16:10 pm
Lecture 6: 2011
The MTN Golden Lions recalled the glory days of the 1990s as they peaked in the Absa Currie Cup final and hammered the Sharks 42-16 (halftime 19-6) at Coca-Cola Park in Johannesburg on Saturday.
It was a dream match for the Lions as they were clinical, enormously passionate and almost everything they tried came off. The result was the most one-sided final since 1980 when Northern Transvaal beat Western Province 39-9 in Pretoria.
The Sharks were put to the sword and could score just one try, by flank Willem Alberts, and even then it should never have been allowed, with assistant referee Christie du Preez missing a blatant knock-on by the Springbok.
The Lions scored three tries and were ruthless in taking points when they were on offer, flyhalf Elton Jantjies proving once again that he is one of the brightest talents in South African rugby as he succeeded with all eight of his kicks at goal – five penalties, three conversions and a drop goal for good measure.
Fullback Jaco Taute also slotted one of the biggest kicks ever seen at Coca-Cola/Ellis Park with a monstrous 57-metre effort.
It was the team ethos of the Lions that brought them to a home final and it was the same quality that saw them to a resounding victory.
It was obvious which team had the greater hunger right from the outset as the Sharks tried to run the kick-off out of their own 22 and loosehead prop CJ van der Linde raced across to scrag wing Odwa Ndungane into touch.
The first of a string of penalties the Sharks conceded then came when captain Keegan Daniel set the tone for a performance of little discipline when he pulled former team-mate Michael Rhodes down at the lineout. Jantjies stepped up and calmly kicked the angled penalty, the Lions leading 3-0 from the second minute, and for the rest of the match.
The most extraordinary kick of the game came three minutes later as the stealing skills of flank Derick Minnie and the big boot of Taute combined to put the Lions 6-0 ahead.
The Lions were as efficient and cohesive as usual at the breakdowns, where the Sharks struggled under the keen eye of referee Mark Lawrence, but the visitors were on the board in the 11th minute as the Lions did infringe and flyhalf Freddie Michalak kicked the penalty (6-3).
The Sharks were virtual tourists however for the next 15 minutes as the Lions stretched their lead to 19-3.
The Sharks, faced with the determined running of the Lions forwards, clung on in the tackle and Jantjies kicked a 13th-minute penalty.
There was a chance for the Sharks to score, but the Lions defence was outstanding and lock Franco van der Merwe stole a crucial lineout five metres from the tryline.
A Michalak drop goal was also deflected away by the post and the frustrated Sharks were then penalised twice for having their hands in the ruck. Jantjies was flattened by eighthman Ryan Kankowski in the build-up, but the 21-year-old stepped up and curled the tricky penalty over.
The Lions’ opening try was thanks to a top-class break from outside centre Doppies la Grange, who had a brilliant game.
A dummy caused opposite number Stefan Terblanche to drift across and La Grange then cut back inside through a widening gap before sending wing Michael Killian off on a glorious run to the tryline.
There were two dents to the Lions’ cause just before halftime, with Michalak kicking another penalty and Van der Linde being yellow-carded as the officials homed in rather harshly on an over-exuberant clean-out of Daniel at the ruck.
But the Lions are a well-trained side whose commitment and organisation in defence is outstanding and the Sharks could not score any points while the Lions’ only starting current Springbok was off the field.
Michalak did kick a penalty, after the Sharks had disrupted a lineout, early in the second half to close the gap to 10 points, but the visitors then dropped the restart to put the Lions straight back on attack, allowing Jantjies to slot a drop goal between the uprights.
In the 51st minute, Saru’s decision not to appoint top referees to run touch came back to haunt them as the Sharks scored a try thanks to an appalling blunder by Du Preez.
Hooker Bismarck du Plessis made headway down the left touchline, Daniel was up to support at pace, and he then passed the ball to Alberts, who clearly dropped the ball, but regathered and stormed over the line as the Lions stopped playing.
Referee Lawrence sensed something was wrong and asked Du Preez whether there had been a knock-on, but the assistant referee was oblivious to the mistake.
Michalak’s conversion closed the gap to 22-16 and the Lions could have allowed what seemed a potential turning point to rattle them.
Instead it inspired them and they responded in ferocious fashion.
Hard, straight running by La Grange took the Lions into the Sharks’ 22, Jantjies then stepped inside the defence and prop Pat Cilliers, who played all his early rugby in KZN, powered through Jean Deysel and Jannie du Plessis to score in the shadow of the poles.
Two more Jantjies penalties put the Lions 35-16 ahead after 65 minutes, and the Sharks then saw their dominant scrum begin to unravel.
Their race was run and the Lions put the victory to bed with a move coach John Mitchell would have been dreaming about.
Scrumhalf Michael Bondesio, who has proven such an effective link between forwards and backs for the Lions, exchanged pop passes with Van der Merwe close to a ruck.
He then found wing Michael Killian, who has a splendid habit of cutting the line at pace, the Eastern Province product bursting straight through the middle and then finding Taute, who showed he has the pace to go with his big boot as he scored in the corner.
It has taken intensive labour by the Lions management, coaching staff and players to turn things around after a miserable last few years, but now they have landed the biggest prize in South African rugby.
And it is well-deserved too. While a player like Van der Linde had an enormous game in the tight-loose, it is the development of new stars like Van der Merwe, Minnie, captain Joshua Strauss, Jantjies and Taute that is most pleasing.
La Grange, too, has been at the Lions through the tough years and is clearly revelling in the new-found confidence all around him.
There has been a tremendous air of expectation around Coca-Cola Park in recent weeks, and in Mitchell the Lions have found the inspirational mentor they have been searching for for so long.
SCORERS
Lions – Tries: Michael Killian, Patric Cilliers, Jaco Taute. Conversions: Elton Jantjies(3). Penalties: Jantjies (5), Jaco Taute. Drop goal: Jantjies.
Sharks – Try: Willem Alberts. Conversion:Frederic Michalak. Penalties: Michalak (3).
30 Nov 2011, 16:11 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-317: Stalingrad was street fighting.
Malta was the most bombed place on earth: more bombs fell on Malta per sq km than any other place on earth during WW2. Fact.
30 Nov 2011, 16:11 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-336:
80 000 seater katters? ffukken hell.. thats a lot of people!
how many people is 80 000 people? sjoe!
must be a lot of people…
@>^..^< katman(katman)-338:
30 Nov 2011, 16:12 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-314: Yes.
30 Nov 2011, 16:14 pm
I see extraball is back.
30 Nov 2011, 16:15 pm
katman asseblief man ons is al klaar moeg gewerk
Nou moet ons nog al jou strond lees.
30 Nov 2011, 16:16 pm
Where is the German flag on this site!
Vok moet ek nog vra!
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