Lions shock Sharks

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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  • 151.Hondo: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:45 pm

    min 75
    JP vs Mapoe

  • 152.SpiesIsWorthless: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:45 pm

    The Sharks have been terrible for 90 % of the season. No way do they deserve being in contention until they get a bit of consistency. They might have the stocks to do well in Super Rugby but they’re a mentally weak, impatient and inaccurate team.

  • 153.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:47 pm

    I think thats a try maybe

  • 154.theOracle: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:48 pm

    Game Over Sharkies!!

  • 155.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:48 pm

    held up?

  • 156.BreakdownBoy: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:48 pm

    Where is Fern tonight?

  • 157.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:48 pm

    squeaky bum time!!!! :-)

  • 158.louis schropnel: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:49 pm

    2 minutes HOLD Lions HOLD

  • 159.Nils: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:49 pm

    Surely Lions ain’t that bad to blow 10 point lead in 2 minutes?

    Current score (or more for the Lions) will be perfect.

  • 160.Kleuter: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:49 pm

    So much for a largely Sharks Bok team.

  • 161.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:50 pm

    Ref asked the wrong question

  • 162.Nils: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:50 pm

    @louis schropnel(louis shrapnel)-158: Shame you did not bet on changing HG’s name should Sharkies lose. ;)

  • 163.Michael: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:50 pm

    And the Sharkies bubble pops. Well, dynamited really.

  • 164.theOracle: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:50 pm

    Sharks bullied by the Lions…

  • 165.Hondo: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:50 pm

    I thought the referee was bending it for the Sharks 2nd half
    He must have been promised a tractor or something (Andy Dalton got two in 1986)

  • 166.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:50 pm

    Well done TMO

  • 167.BreakdownBoy: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:51 pm

    In words of Fern “**** got real for the Sharks tonight”

  • 168.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:52 pm

    @BreakdownBoy(goodstuff)-156: The bruvvas are sorely missed……..Apart from their version of the Fish Finger Haka they did in the opening posts, they have been s-i-l-e-n-t? Will there be peace on earth and goodwill to all men this week? POP!

  • 169.Nils: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:52 pm

    Congratulations, Lions! Yesss, no bonus points for Sharkies!

  • 170.chch: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:52 pm

    congrats to the Lions. Great performance

  • 171.Hondo: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:52 pm

    Margin of 10 to the Lions
    Got it!!!!

  • 172.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:52 pm

    That was dumb Kick it into touch??

  • 173.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:53 pm

    where are the guppys? bwahahahahahaha!

  • 174.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:54 pm

    Well played Cj hope injury not bad
    On bok bench maybe can play both sides?

  • 175.Pee Wee: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:54 pm

    Soooooooooooooooooo there’ll be some hectic re calculations today. Oooooooooooh all those mathematicians have some work to do now hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

  • 176.AssassinWP: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:54 pm

    Great Stuff LiONS!!!Sharks don’t take 4 easy kickable penalties an no Bonus Points,Woteva Stormers get out of the Bulls game will Be BONUS

  • 177.louis schropnel: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:54 pm

    YES how’s that for a sharkshit fairy tale gone WRONG

    HG bets are off for Bulls because you lost thwarted great showdown you were supposed to cream the lowly Lions and take 5 points here

    You came away with a well earned resounding ZERO

    MITCH’S MUCHACHAS ARE BLOODY LIONHEARTED HERO’S

  • 178.Willy: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:55 pm

    Well played Lions, Sharks didn’t turn up for this one.

  • 179.RL: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:55 pm

    Guppies are losers :grin:

  • 180.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:56 pm

    Another BOOM

  • 181.Jeraldjay: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:57 pm

    Well done Lions.

    So this is what it feels like to take pleasure in others misfortune.

    :mrgreen:

  • 182.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:57 pm

    WELL DONE LIONS maybe this shows why they still deserve to be in super15
    Sorry Sharks You dropped your guard

  • 183.HHS: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:58 pm

    Goeies!

  • 184.Charging Rhino: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:58 pm

    Oh my that Kiwi ref was a shocker! Oh well…
    Good luck next year Lions, Oh no wait… Will you be there next year?

  • 185.Pee Wee: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:58 pm

    Guppies season in tatters

  • 186.greybeard: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:58 pm

    Wonder how the Kings would have done tonight? Kinda puts that ridiculous political decision into perspective doesnt it?

  • 187.FckU2: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:59 pm

    To the revoltingly offensive, nauseatingly arrogant Fern, Predawn and HeavensGame. What is that sound we hear? Could it be music? Music to the ears of all neutral rugby lovers.

    Pop, pop, pop muzik
    Pop, pop, pop muzik
    Talk about pop muzik
    Talk about pop muzik

    (Shoobie doobie doo wop)
    It’s all around you
    (Bop bop shoo wop)
    They wanna surround you
    (Shoobie doobie doo wop)
    It’s all around you
    (Bop bop shoo wop)

    Talk about pop muzik
    Talk about pop muzik
    Pop, pop, pop muzik
    Pop, pop, pop muzik

    Get up Get down
    Try some, buy some
    Fee fi fo fum

    Talk about pop muzik
    Talk about pop muzik
    Pop, pop, pop muzik
    Pop, pop, pop muzik

  • 188.crowbar: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:59 pm

    Well done Lions, you showed a lot of guts tonight, well deserved!

  • 189.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 18:59 pm

    Bok sharks looking to the bok selection maybe ?

  • 190.Narutokun: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:00 pm

    Pop pop pop …. Boom !!!! Shame puppies death by drowning ….lol

  • 191.Hondo: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:00 pm

    The Lions will beat the Kings any time, any place, I’ll give it to them :) :)
    But that’s as far as it goes
    No team with a trace of dignity would allow a slow as a snail wing like Ndungane to score running 65 metres unchecked,

  • 192.FckU2: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:00 pm

    Good night nurse!

  • 193.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:01 pm

    @greybeard(greybeard)-186:
    i agree 100%

  • 194.crowbar: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:01 pm

    @Charging Rhino(Charging Rhino)-184: For being on the endangered specie list you are quite verbal…watch your horn dude :-)

  • 195.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:02 pm

    POP goes the guppy bubble ;)

  • 196.ufo: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:02 pm

    Congratulations Lions…!!

    Awesome stuff for Lions’ supporters…!!

    Commiserations to Sharks supporters…

  • 197.Michael: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:02 pm

    @Hondo(Hondo)-191: No site worth its salt would allow you to post racist comments.

  • 198.CoachPete: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:02 pm

    @Hondo(Hondo)-191:
    Hondo he was given and open run Untouched
    The ball boy could have scored that

  • 199.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:02 pm

    How can a team play well one week and the next week don’t show up.

  • 200.louis schropnel: Reply to this comment
    2 Jun 2012, 19:02 pm

    @Nils(Nils)-162:
    Yeah I screwed up bad there wasn’t thinking should have been part of the bet if Sharks lost to Lions HG deserves the ultimate reawakening name change yet

    I’m gonna think one up that fits him best

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