Lions quick out the blocks

Lions quick out the blocks

11 Aug 2012

SIMON BORCHARDT saw the Golden Lions begin their Currie Cup title defence with a 43-20 win against the Free State Cheetahs at Ellis Park.

It was a satisfying start from a team that came into this competition low on confidence having claimed the Super Rugby wooden spoon. The Lions went into the break with a 23-6 lead and while the Cheetahs fought back well in the second half, they didn’t do enough with all the possession they had.

Butch James and Riaan Smit exchanged penalties early in the match, before Smit’s failure to find touch resulted in the Lions’ first try. Fullback Andries Coetzee fielded the ball near the left touchline and launched an up and under, which Derick Minnie collected with ease as none of the Cheetahs players bothered to contest in the air. The No 8 sprinted away to score and James added the extras.

The Lions had had just 30% of the ball on the half-hour mark, but extended their lead to 20-6 when Coetzee dived over after a sustained attack. James slotted a penalty and almost sparked another try just before half-time when his kick ahead had the Cheetahs defence scrambling, but Lionel Mapoe was unable to pick up the loose ball.

The visitors began the second half well and thought they’d scored when replacement scrumhalf Sarel Pretorius burst away. But the TMO – who has extended powers in this year’s Currie Cup – correctly ruled that a pass earlier in the move had gone forward. Minutes later, the referee went upstairs again after Cheetahs wing Raymond Rhule had scored his first Currie Cup try and this time the TMO said the last pass was good.

Andries Strauss was then sin-binned for a tip tackle and James’s penalty made it 26-13 at the end of the third quarter, but when when Rhule stepped past Coetzee to score his second try it was game on.

The Lions, though, responded almost immediately when James put second rower Hendrik Roodt away for a try, and added the conversion and a fifth penalty.

Substitute Ruan Combrinck then grabbed the bonus point with two minutes to go after taking advantage of some woeful Cheetahs defence.


46 Comments

  • 1.Big Jack: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 16:34 pm

    Cheetah Dragons!

  • 2.Big Jack: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 16:35 pm

    But Lions by 10+.
    :-(

  • 3.RL: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 16:36 pm

    Battle of the minnows.

    Who cares I am watching rythmic gymnastics.

    :eek:

  • 4.BrumbiesBoy: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 16:39 pm

    Go Lions! My No 1 SA team against my No 2.

    WP a distant third.

    Very distant!

  • 5.stormerforlife1: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 16:59 pm

    Go Cheetahs!

  • 6.bos_otter: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 17:14 pm

    Goo….Cheetahs!!….should be an easy one :)

  • 7.Dusky: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 17:20 pm

    @RL-3: You’re wrong dude. Lions will do well again this year. GO LIONS !

  • 8.Dusky: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 17:24 pm

    Nice Derek Minnie….try time…

  • 9.Dusky: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 17:28 pm

    Its a real shame to see what Andries Strauss has become since his return to the Cheetahs. Maybe a good indicator why so many FS players choose the Sharks ?

    In 2010, Andries Strauss looked like a bonafide Springbok. Now he has slidden backward to below average.

    By contrast – look how much better Meyer Bosman’s game has become ?

  • 10.bos_otter: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 17:31 pm

    @Dusky-9: Think Strauss and Coenie compliment each other….Strauss is lost without Coenie

  • 11.bos_otter: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 17:33 pm

    @bos_otter-10: Dusky….my bad….I thought you meant Adrian Strauss

  • 12.bos_otter: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 17:34 pm

    :)

  • 13.Dusky: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 17:42 pm

    Cheetahs are going to get a hiding here….How come the Lions dont produce this kind of display in the Super 15 ? Is the Currie Cup quality that much below Super rugby ?

  • 14.Dusky: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 17:42 pm

    Try time….come Keo – update….

  • 15.Dusky: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 17:42 pm

    Lions 20 – Cheetahs 6….eish….

  • 16.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 17:45 pm

    The Currie Cup champs march on…

  • 17.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 17:47 pm

    katman
    you are being premature

  • 18.wait for it, wait for it...: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 17:50 pm

    rhule out of position twice
    where was daniller?
    waks up call for the cheetahs

  • 19.Dusky: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:00 pm

    @>^..^< katman-16: Looking good for the Lions so far !

  • 20.stormerforlife1: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:00 pm

    So,the Lions have found their niche in life-Currie Cup level rugby?

  • 21.Dusky: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:03 pm

    Wat is fout Tjietas ? Teveel van Tannie Sarie se koeksusters and melktert ge-eet ?

  • 22.stormerforlife1: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:03 pm

    A grubber kick?That’s what you get for more than two million a year!

  • 23.stormerforlife1: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:14 pm

    Just silly for letting the game continue for so long.

  • 24.wait for it, wait for it...: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:16 pm

    very good use of the new tmo ammendments.
    this will surely go a long way to fixing kiwi rugby.

  • 25.wait for it, wait for it...: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:20 pm

    another good usage of the tmo trial laws.
    i like this system and hope it is implemented.

  • 26.stormerforlife1: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:21 pm

    @wait for it, wait for it…-24: this will just slow down the game even more.if three people can’t see a forward pass they don’t deserve their wages.

  • 27.Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:23 pm

    @26
    so what does your good life in europe entail?

  • 28.stormerforlife1: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:23 pm

    Another one for Strauss.

  • 29.stormerforlife1: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:27 pm

    I remember a Sharks blogger once said during the junior champs that Rhule can’t catch a ball. :D

  • 30.stormerforlife1: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:30 pm

    Well i could swear i saw a forward pass during that move.This will be one experiment that will come to an end very soon.

  • 31.wait for it, wait for it...: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:30 pm

    t@stormerforlife1-26:
    if the game needs to be slowed down blame the people responsible for the actions which require it to be slowed down i.e. dont pass the ball forward nor take a forward passed ball and run with it as though it was legal. that is cheating.

    the game is faster and the refs are human therefore it is sensible to make use of the technolgies available to us, the viewers, to help them get the right outcomes.

    the tmo also gets a ‘wage’ so lets put him to proper work. no complaints from me.

  • 32.stormerforlife1: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:37 pm

    Hopefully the Kiwis and Aussies will nip this folly in the bud.

  • 33.stormerforlife1: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:38 pm

    Another forward pass missed in favour of the Lions.

  • 34.theOracle: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:41 pm

    @stormerforlife1-29: did he also say that the boy knows how to score tries? :lol:

  • 35.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:46 pm

    Bonus point win. Check.

    Next?

  • 36.wait for it, wait for it...: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:47 pm

    stupid kicking by the cheetahs cost them.

  • 37.Tuna: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:49 pm

    Great win for the Lions.

  • 38.stormerforlife1: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:55 pm

    After seeing this forward pass debacle today where one team got penalised and the other got away with it, i hope saffa supporters see the difficulties of policing it and stop their b.itching when australasian teams are involved in it.

  • 39.wait for it, wait for it...: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 18:58 pm

    yes
    good win lions

  • 40.stormerforlife1: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 19:02 pm

    Good win for the Lions.Katman and his kid will be happy for a day…..again. :D

  • 41.Lions_Soutie: Reply to this comment
    11 Aug 2012, 19:04 pm

    Didn’t watch the game but disappointing to see another tip-tackle by Andries Strauss. Cost Wikus a whole season. He should receive a harsh ban.

  • 42.lepel: Reply to this comment
    12 Aug 2012, 18:32 pm

    Rhule looks like a great prospect, but his positional play was absolutely shocking all game long. He can score, he can tackle, but he was NEVER there to catch the ball!

    Butch had a blinder. He’s still our best flyhalf when he’s in the mood and his form seems to be very good now. He controlled the game brilliantly on defence and attack.

  • 43.mshiniwami: Reply to this comment
    12 Aug 2012, 23:35 pm

    @lepel-42:

    You guys are not f*ckin serious, the back 3 works in unison Rhule is part of it and even experienced campaigner like Daniller looked average with his positionning

    But thats all people seem to harp on instead of the FACT that Rhule is probably rhe finest wing prospect to come of this country in a very long time. The running,speed,stepping,balance and finishing ability is nothing short of sublime.In back 3 skillset especially on attack he is freakish.

    If you want Pat Lambie’s & Gerhart van den Heever’s & Bjorn Basson’s you can keep them thank you very much.Bok and SA rugby will go nowhere with that type of skillset being paraded around as pre-requisite for national selection.Thats why wings like Deon van Rensburg are stalwarts in SA teams,painfully AVERAGE.Catching high balls and taking up ball into contact.

    No shimmy,no fend,no step,no pace,no swerve…nah all that for backlin players is secondary postional play and catching high balls

    SMH

  • 44.Markel77: Reply to this comment
    13 Aug 2012, 00:27 am

    Very well Mr predictable, so one good game at Currie Cup and he suddenly is the new Habana.
    I will tell you one name for the future, Duhan Van Der Merwe, even through he has the wrong skin colour for you, of course

  • 45.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    13 Aug 2012, 08:58 am

    @mshiniwami-43: You are way too quick to lable youngsters as “the best ever”. I remember you doing this with Mapoe too. It’s like you want it so badly for them.

  • 46.mshiniwami: Reply to this comment
    14 Aug 2012, 16:40 pm

    @>^..^< katman-45:

    Mapoe’s 2009 CC season was superb was best winger tournament.Should have been a Bok.Played well in SR before getting injured vs Bulls in 2010

    From then on he has been a sicknote,injured several times.Had contract dispute with Cheetahs,Sharks etc Then has gone to worst SR team after Lions backtracked on Gumede deal.

    There are extenuating circumstances

    Rhule with a bit of luck will be a superb Springbok

    @Markel77-44:
    Dry your eyes with that colour assertion.

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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