The Fidelity ADT Lions included several URC players in their squad to face the Vodacom Bulls and secured an important 57-33 win over the Vodacom Bulls, who were unbeaten up until today. The Lions moved to the top of the Carling Currie Cop log with this well-deserved win.
The Lions started like a house on fire and Center Erich Cronje scored their first try after just three minutes of play in the first half. The speed of the Lions' attack initially "surprised" the Bulls' defence, however as the match carried on the Bulls clawed their way back into the match, however, the Lions continued their onslaught on the hosts' tryline and scored their second try when Ruan Venter bulldozed his way over for a try. The Lions led 12-00 after twenty minutes of play.
Three minutes later the Lions' onslaught continued and PJ Botha crashed over from the back off a maul for the Lions' third try.
With fourteen minutes to play in the first half, Corné Beets scored the Bulls' first try to reduce the Lions' lead to 19-07. However, Morne van den Berg cut the defence in two down the middle of the pitch to score the Lions' fourth and bonus-point try to extend their lead to 26-07 following thirty-two minutes of play in the first half.
The Bulls continued to attack at every opportunity and were awarded a penalty try when a Lions player knocked the ball from Canan Moodie's hands on the Lions tryline. However, the Lions hit back immediately when hooker PJ Botha scored from the back off a lineout-maul to extend the Lions' lead to 31-14 which was also the halftime score
There was no score in the first ten minutes of the second half. The Bulls continued to claw their way back into contention, and when Joe van Zyl bulldozed his way over the Lions' tryline to reduce the Lions' lead to 33-21 it was match on. However, five minutes later Morgan Naude added his name to the Lions' score sheet, bulldozing his way over to extend the Lions' lead to 40-21.
With twenty minutes to play both sides started to attack from anywhere and everywhere. During this twenty minutes of madness, Katlego Letebele and Juann Else added two tries for the Bulls, while Renzo du Plessis and Rabz Maxwane scored a try each for the Lions, securing a well-deserved 57-33 win for the Lions.
Scorers:
Vodacom Bulls: Tries: Corné Beets, Penalty try, Joe van Zyl, Katlego Letebele, Juann Else. Conversions: Jaco van der Walt (2), Keagan Johannes,
Fidelity ADT Lions: Tries: Erich Cronje, Ruan Venter, PJ Botha (2), Morne van den Berg, Morgan Naude, Renzo du Plessis. Conversion: Nico Steyn (5), Sanele Nohamba (2). Drop Goal: Nico Steyn.
Teams:
Vodacom Bulls: 15 Canan Moodie, 14 Katlego Letebele, 13 Cornel Smit, 12 Chris Barend Smit, 11 Stravino Jacob, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Bernard van der Linde, 8 Celimpilo Gumede, 7 Corné Beets, 6 Cyle Brink, 5 Sintu Manjezi, 4 Merwe Olivier, 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Joe van Zy (2)l, 1 Dylan Smith. Replacements: 16 Juann Else, 17 Tielman Nieuwoudt, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Jannes Kirsten, 20 Ghudian van Reenen, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Lionel Mapoe, 23 Mihlali Mosi.
Fidelity ADT Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Rabz Maxwane, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Marius Louw (c), 11 Tapiwa Mafura, 10 Nico Steyn, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Ruan Venter, 6 JC Pretorius, 5 Reinhard Nothnagel, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 PJ Botha, 1 Morgan Naudé. Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Heiko Pohlman, 18 Conrad van Vuuren, 19 Etienne Oosthuizen, 20 Renzo du Plessis, 21 Jarod Cairns, 22 Sanele Nohamba, 23 Rynhardt Jonker.
