Lions stun Sharks with a tie at Johannesburg – Super Rugby update
Lions continued their impressive last-minute tournament form as they played a fixture with their fellow South African conference team, Sharks, at Ellis Park, Johannesburg on Saturday, June 11. Sharks will probably not be disappointed with the draw after
their impressive second-half comeback that helped them level the scores 30 – 30.
Both teams earned two points from the match and this has edged the Sharks ahead of the Waratahs. Sharks are now at the fifth position in the combined Super Rugby table with 53 points. Out of the 15 matches Sharks have played in the 2011 Super Rugby Championship,
they have won nine matches, lost five and played one draw.
Sharks started the match strongly as their fly half, Patrick Lambie, scored on the penalty in the third minute of the game to put the first points of the match on the score board. Lions slowly developed their play which was characterised with ball and territory
possession and equalised the score in the 19th minute of the game.
Lions fly half, Butch James, kicked successive penalties in the 19th and 21st minute to put the hosts in the lead. From this point onwards, Lions enjoyed the lead until the end of the 76th minute of the game. Lions flanker
Cobus Grobbelaar scored his and the game’s first try of the match during the 27th minute of the game. James followed it up with a conversion with the scorecard reading 13 – 3.
Lambie scored successive penalties in the 30th and 36th minute of the game to reduce the lead to just four points. However, with a couple of minutes remaining in the first half, Lions scrum half Jano Vermaak scored a try followed by
another conversion thanks to James to take the score to 20 – 9 that remained the same at the end of the first half.
Lions carried their first half form into the second half. James 43rd minute penalty extended the Lions lead by 14 points. Grobbelaar scored his second try of the game in the 46th minute of the game followed by James conversion to take
the scorecard reading by 30 – 9.
Sharks trailed by 21 points and had a dim chance of surviving but they came back strongly. Lambie scored a try in the 53rd minute followed by his own conversion to start the Sharks recovery. Sharks winger Pietersen scored a try in the 67th
minute followed by Lambies conversion to reduce the score by just seven points.
Sharks winger Lwazi Mvovo scored the match saving try for the Sharks in the 75th minute of the game followed by Lambie’s conversion.
Sharks will play their last round match of the super xv against the Bulls on June 18, at Pretoria as the results of the match will likely decide the Sharks chances of making it to the play offs.
Tags: