Lions shock Sharks
2 Jun 2012
SIMON BORCHARDT watched the Lions withstand a second-half Sharks fightback to win 38-28 at Ellis Park.
In his pre-match TV interview Sharks coach John Plumtree admitted his team had bad memories of Ellis Park having lost last year’s Currie Cup final. No one, though, expected another Lions win in this Super Rugby match. The Sharks came into it on the back of four successive victories that had propelled them into the top six on the combined log, while the Lions had lost 11 in a row since winning their season opener on 25 February.
Perhaps the Sharks’ Springboks had one eye on next Saturday’s first Test against England or perhaps the whole team simply didn’t rate the Lions. Whatever the case, the visitors were woeful in the first half, while the Lions, in stark contrast to how they have played throughout 2012, were clinical and went through the first 40 minutes without making a single handling error.
Pat Lambie got the Sharks on the board with an early penalty, but the Lions hit back when an excellent chip kick off the inside of Elton Jantjies’ boot sat up for Grant Hattingh, who dived over next to the posts. The Lions struck again soon after when the TMO ruled that Derick Minnie had grounded the ball on the tryline and the hosts led 14-3 after eight minutes.
Jantjies and Lambie then exchanged penalties, before the Sharks’ defence was breached for the third time when Butch James put Lionel Mapoe into space. The outside centre evaded the tackle of Meyer Bosman and cut back inside past the cover defence to score.
Things went from bad to worse for the Sharks when Steven Sykes was yellow carded for dangerous play at the ruck, and Jantjies’ penalty made it 27-7 after half an hour. The Lions were then also reduced to 14 men shortly after when Mapoe was sent to the sin bin for a professional foul in the red zone, and Lwazi Mvovo scored in the left-hand corner for the Sharks.
However, the hosts’ responded with a bonus-point try from Deon van Rensburg to make it 32-11.
Whatever Plumtree said at half-time had the desired effect as the Sharks scored two tries in the first five minutes of the second half, through JP Pietersen and Odwa Ndungane, to slash the deficit to seven.
With five minutes to go, and the Lions leading 38-28, Louis Ludik went over in the right-hand corner. The assistant referee told the referee that he had seen the grounding, so the TMO was asked if there was any reason not to award the try. The TMO, though, went outside protocol by saying that he couldn’t see the grounding, and the result was a five-metre scrum.
The Sharks never got close to the tryline again, and the Lions, finally, had something to celebrate.
285 Comments
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3 Jun 2012, 01:14 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-248:
Jenny and Johnny getting smart (it seems)
Made more money on a movie screen.
Every little nest needs a bird.
Pop Goes HGs World.
3 Jun 2012, 01:14 am
Ha! well done Lions, ……..and Stormers…………..and to all those guppy and Bulls anti Stormers w ankers, go suck some lemons you tossers. You know who u are don,t you?
3 Jun 2012, 01:16 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-249: Now you change your story… What you gonna have a laugh about next, hey? Bit of HIV, Crime or Rape?
Get your rocks on hey sheepshagger?
3 Jun 2012, 01:17 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-249: Now you change your story… What you gonna have a laugh about next, hey? Bit of HIV, Crime or Rape?
Get your rocks on hey sheepshagger? farken laugh a minute you numbskull shakeys
3 Jun 2012, 01:18 am
One two three and four is five,
Everybody here is a friend of mine.
Whatever happened to the Duke of Earl?
Pop Goes HGs World.
3 Jun 2012, 01:19 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-231:
Ain’t it just a ****** being a ****** year in and year out, and you thought there you were all nice and neatly tucked up ready to roll away into the playoffs without a care or worry in the world – 5 points here – 4 for nothing next and a gimme against Cheetahs – simple as considering scoffed up cream on strawberry pie – ain’t it just a beautiful ****** being stuffed by your own lack of humility just when you least expecting it?
3 Jun 2012, 01:25 am
@louis schropnel(louis shrapnel)-256: Bad luck fckface… I am still here.. Sharks will also still be there come playoffs…
Was here to accept my loss until I read your balless “bets are off comment”…
Farken real ballas you got, hey?
Farken gerbil breeding incubator
3 Jun 2012, 01:28 am
Six seven eight and nine is ten,
Send Al Gunn to see the doctor (Ben)
Say what planet are we on? The third!
Pop Goes HGs World.
3 Jun 2012, 01:29 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-257:
oh dear all that pre match analysis for nothing, Sharks choked 17 seasons on the trot , looks like the Bokke are going to do the same with that squad as well you should start supporting Zim at rugby
3 Jun 2012, 01:30 am
but then again well done Lions
and Breezers…
No excuses… Refs were good…
Just why thefuck cant the rooibonte play like that against Aussie teams or the Bulls and Stormers…
For varksteaks Man
3 Jun 2012, 01:31 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-260: Or the sheepshaggers…
3 Jun 2012, 01:32 am
Proof I am here…
Only go to Cape Vidal, new hangout instead of France, tomorrow…
3 Jun 2012, 01:33 am
Ok, one last one for now, promise…
POP!
3 Jun 2012, 01:48 am
HG the self-proclaimed Aryan, go to bed loser sleep it off before you embarass yourself some more.
3 Jun 2012, 01:48 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-257:
Yeah that’s how you roll shoulda known you just another two faced skunk eyed snake like the rest of your guppyuppie skunk eyed brethren
You called the bet now you baling typical lowlife guppyuppie trash that’s precisely what it seems you are .., no integrity beyond your fakface lack of any humility whatsoever.
3 Jun 2012, 03:04 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-254:
What are you on about?
Post 249 that you were replying to, where did i offend you?
If fact from that post,how did you think i was going to have a laugh at HIV,Rape etc?
Really you are the most sour loser ever?
**** man, stop being a dooche bag.
You lost, it was a good game from the Lions and bad game from the Sharks.
Waste of time having a go at everyone else on here.
Not all of us think there team is in the finals when there are 3 more games to go…….like yourself. Now you are embarrased, your Shaks team made you look a fool. Its ok dude, move on. There is always next week…..you know the win, like this weeks win
3 Jun 2012, 03:44 am
looks like the sharks are the lions bunnies. well done lions. and now the blues are last on the log. ha ha ha ha ha. i live in auckland and no one here follows the rugby any more
3 Jun 2012, 06:18 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-261: Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha chuckle chuckle chuckle ,you arrogant little dweeb,your Sharks were of the Nurse variety tonight
3 Jun 2012, 07:22 am
Hard luck to all Sharks supporters. Poor tactics employed tonight.
To HolGat…………………STOOOOOOOOORMEEEEEEEEEEERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
3 Jun 2012, 07:52 am
bad luck sharks
well deserved win by the lions,they were the better side on the day
the lions seem to be our bogey side
not the end of the world though.
3 Jun 2012, 08:22 am
I am a Stormer supporter but a Shark win wld hv been for the good of SA rugby. I used to like the Sharks but their arrogant supporters on this site make me sic !! They beat the injury ravaged stormers in Dbn and all of a sudden the Sharks are the best SA team ???? Bah
3 Jun 2012, 08:52 am
Check this out! http://www.rapport.co.za/Suid-Afrika/Nuus/Keohane-van-sy-kop-af-weens-kokaien-20120602
3 Jun 2012, 08:57 am
# 271…nah boet, the injury excuse is moot. It was almost the exact team that beat the Bulls. The Sharks played to a terrible game plan last night. No tacticle kicking which means they did not expect the Lions would be a threat. Very naïve of Dumtree.
3 Jun 2012, 09:46 am
That was pathetic. End of.
3 Jun 2012, 11:08 am
How many cricketers involved in this match?
3 Jun 2012, 12:04 pm
Ah well,the arrogance of the sharkie supporters on this site knows no bounds,well done to Lions for bringing them back to earth with a giant POP!
Priceless!
3 Jun 2012, 12:35 pm
Aaah the joys of being a Sharks fan.
Just when you start to believe…… whoops and you’re wondering what the hell happened.
Maybe it’s past experience, but i had a funny feeling about this game before it started.
3 Jun 2012, 12:40 pm
Sharks deserved to lose.Not good enough.
Plumtree limited coach
Mapoe skinned Bosman all day everyday
Glad for Mapoe & Jantjies-massive games.Special players in a BAD union
3 Jun 2012, 12:57 pm
Just one of those days.
I thought we might pull it out of the fire after the 2 quick trys at the start of the 2nd half and if Ludik’s try had stood, then i believe we could have done it.
The rub of the green was with the Lions, what can i say, It happens.
3 Jun 2012, 13:02 pm
My hearty congratulations to the Lions faithfull.
You have suffered a lot.
And will suffer some more.
But this was your day.
3 Jun 2012, 13:05 pm
Ya, well done Lions, I doubt we’ll be so complacent the next time we visit Ellis Park.
3 Jun 2012, 23:16 pm
What a shocking and disappointing weekend…
Well, let me first congratulate the LIONS with a ROAR. Damn, you guys killed us… You deserve that …. But now you have made it so difficult for us. Congratulations are also in order for the Stormers. I was hoping that the Bulls beat you, but that was before my team’s embarrassment. After that lost, there is no more hope for us of the first spot on the SA conference, therefore the Bulls had to lose. Only 2 of the SA teams will now make the Top 6 according to my predictions and I hope my team is the 2nd one.
According to my predictions the quarter finals will be Crusaders vs. Reds & Brumbies vs. Sharks. The Semi-finals will be Stormers vs. Crusaders & Chiefs vs. Sharks.
My team lost, but I am still a proud SHARKS supporter!
3 Jun 2012, 23:20 pm
@Superbru(Superbru)-276:
And well, I will admit that I displayed some arrogance (like a typical Bull) thinking we had this game in the pocket even before the kick-off. Lions brought us back to earth. I don’t think anything can bring the Bulls back – some of them are just by nature arrogant. Lmao
4 Jun 2012, 13:16 pm
Sjoe why so many douchebags on this site? The Lions we brilliant against us and deserved their win, I could not be happier for them but why all the silly anti sharks posts?
6 Jun 2012, 15:26 pm
@Skeppie(Skeppie)-284: I’m afraid that a few breezer hating sharks fans on this site are the cause of anti-sharks posts.They know who they are,
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