Golden Lions defeat Pumas 31 – 27 in their 2011 Currie Cup opener – Rugby news
The South African Rugby Union provincial side, Golden Lions, has defeated the Pumas in their first match of the 2011 Currie Cup. Lions beat the Pumas 31 – 27 at Ellis Park, Johannesburg on Friday, July 15.
The hosts started the match strongly as they enjoyed early ball and territory possession. Golden Lions fly half Burton Francis’ third minute penalty put the hosts in the lead. However, Pumas fly half Ricardo Croy’s ninth minute drop goal leveled the scores quickly.
Lions retained ball possession and started to gain territory to control the match. Lions prop, Jacobie Adriaanse, scored the first try of the game in the 14th minute. Francis followed with a successful conversion to take the scorecard reading to 10 – 3.
Pumas replied strongly as they sent their winger Ashwin Scott to score their first try of the match in the 19th minute of the game. Croy nailed the conversion to draw the scores again at 10–all.
In next quarter of the game, both teams tried hard to gain advantage over the other. They both enjoyed temporary success but both sides were one point apart at the end of the first-half.
Lions’ fly half Francis scored a penalty in the 26th minute of the game to put his side into the lead. However, the Pumas centre Pieter Engelbrecht’s 34th minute try followed by Croy’s conversion gave them a four-point lead over the Lions.
Francis 37th minute penalty took the scorecard reading 16 – 17 and left the Lions trailing by a point at the end of the first-half.
Pumas started the second-half strongly as they dominated ball and territory possession in the first ten minutes. Pumas sent their lock Marius Coetzer to score the Pumas third try of the match in the 41st minute of the game. Croy followed with a conversion to leave the Lions trailing by 8 points.
Lions retained the ball and started to retake control of the proceedings. Lions fly half Francis’ impressive ten points in a span of five minutes put the Lions back into the match.
Francis scored a try in the 53rd minute of the game, followed by his own conversion reduced the lead to just a point. Couple of minutes later, Francis scored on his second and last penalty of the game to make it 26 – 24.
In the 61st minute, Pumas fly half Croy’s first and last penalty of the game put the Pumas in the lead again. In the 69th minute of the game, Lions centre Alwyn Hollenbeck scored Lions third and last try of the game to leave it at 31- 27 as the Lions failed to score on the conversion.
In the remaining passage of the game, both teams tried hard to score and most importantly score their bonus point try, but both failed to do so. However, the Pumas were delighted by their performance in the match, particularly as they had proved a point to the Lions for not playing any of their players in the recently concluded 2011 Super Rugby Championship.
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