The Emirates Lions secured a 43-35 win over Section Paloise at the Emirates Airline Park and were made to work hard for their first win in the 2024/25 EPCR Challenge Cup.
After a delayed kick-off due to lightning in Johannesburg, it was Section Paloise who were the first to strike thanks to Dan Jooste.
The hosts were not to be disheartened though, and they hit back just three minutes later via Edwin van der Merwe.
A following Section Paloise penalty did little to put off a Lions purple patch, as the South Africans’ Morne van den Berg pushed the hosts into the lead for the first time.
Axel Desperes, faultless with his feet, made sure to continue his points tally when Section Paloise got a penalty, bringing the score to 14-13.
Another Desperes penalty saw the visitors into the lead but a PJ Botha try just before time made sure it was the Lions who headed into the break in front.
The start of the second half was all action as both teams attacked from everywhere on the pitch, however, after four minutes of play it was Section Paloise's flyhalf who scored and converted the first try of the second half to retake the lead 23-19.
Minutes later Section Paloise illegally collapsed a maul from the Lions, which resulted in the hosts being awarded a penalty try while the visitors were reduced to thirteen men.
The Lions launched an all-out attack from the kick-off and eventually Juan Schoeman bulldozed his way over the try-line with two defenders in tow With the Lions leading 33-23 the match was again interrupted by lightning with twenty-five minutes still to play.
The match started at a considerably slower pace after the stoppage, however, the Lions started their big boys up front to edge closer to the visitors' tryline. After twenty-one minutes of play in the second half, Ruben Schoeman bulldozed his way over the tryline for the Lions' bonus-point try. Kade Wolhuter added the extras.
Section Paloise's reply was immediate with a try by replacement hooker Romain Ruffenach to cut the Lions' lead to 40-28.
Kade Wolhuter's converted penalty extended the Lions' lead to fifteen points which required Section Paloise to score three times in ten minutes to secure a win.
Section Paloise's Josselin Bouhier scored their bonus point try with four minutes to go. However, the Lions secured a 43-35 win, their first of the 2024/25 EPCR Challenge Cup.
Scorers:
Emirates Lions: Tries: Edwill van der Merwe, Morne van den Berg, PJ Botha, Juan Schoeman, Ruben Schoeman. Conversions: Kade Wolhuter (4). Penalty: Kade Wolhuter.
Section Paloise: Tries: Dan Jooste, Axel Desperes, Romain Ruffenach, Josselin Bouhier. Conversions: Axel Desperes (3). Penalties: Axel Desperes (3).
Teams:
Emirates Lions: 15 Tapiwa Mafura, 14 Rabz Maxwane, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Marius Louw (c), 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Sam Francis, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn, 7 WJ Steenkamp, 6 Jarod Cairns, 5. Reinhard Nothnagel, 4. Ruben Schoeman, 3. Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2. PJ Botha, 1. Juan Schoeman. Replacements: 16. Jaco Visagie, 17. SJ Kotze, 18. RF Schoeman, 19. Ruan Delport, 20. JC Pretorius, 21. Nico Steyn, 22. Kade Wolhuter, 23. Manuel Rass.
Section Paloise: 15. Clément Mondinat, 14. Aaron Grandidier Nkanang, 13. Olivier Klemenczak, 12. Eliott Roudil (c), 11. Gregoire Arfeuil, 10. Axel Desperes, 9. Thomas Souverbie, 8. Thibaut Hamonou, 7. Mehdi Tlili, 6. Lekima Tagitagivalu, 5. Jimi Maximin, 4. Remi Picquette, 3. Guram Papidze, 2. Dan Jooste, 1. Remi Seneca. Replacements:16. Romain Ruffenach, 17. Daniel Bibi Biziwu, 18. Alexandre Etchebehere, 19. Joel Kpoku, 20. Victor Templier, 21. Josselin Bouhier, 22. Quentin Valentino, 23. Aymeric Luc.