Gutsy Emirates Lions Lost To Connacht In An Exciting Match

 

Emirates Lions took on Irish team, Connacht at Emirates Airline Park today. After a tough start, the Emirates Lions clawed their way back into the game but a penalty kick by Connacht with five minutes to go gave the visitors a well deserved 33-30 win.

03:12 Quickplay by the visiting side off the base of the maul off a lineout, and they are over the line for the first points of the match. Great try by Cian Prendergast. (00-07)

09:21 A penalty try was awarded to the visiting side after Ruan Dreyer was penalised for collapsing the scrum (00-14).

19:35 Jordan sends the ball through the uprights and the Emirates Lions are on the board. (03-14)

20:00 Connachht started like a house on fire while the host are slowly but surely fighting their way back onto the field.

37:53 Try time for Rabz Maxwane after some stunning running by Wandisile Simelane, the winger dots down right before half-time. (08-14)

40:00 Connacht seemed to be in control, however the try by the Lions just before the halftime was just what the doctor ordered to give them some attitude in the second half.

42:24 Jack Carty converted a penalty for Connacht. (08-17)

46:58 Jordan Hendrikse converted a penalty for the Lions. (11-17)

50:28 Jack Carty converted a second penalty for Connacht. (11-20)

53:54 Morne vd Berg took a quick tap from a penalty and stormed over for a try for the Lions. (18-20)

59:16 Jack Carty added another three points with a converted penalty. (18-23)

60:00 With 20 minutes left irt is still the visitors that are playing more rugby while the Lions are desperately looking for some possession to run at their opponents.

61:53 Tom Daly takes a brilliant pass from Bundee Akito to score Connacht's third try of the match. (18-30)

66:05 Edwill van der Merwe scored in the corner after some great handling by the Lions' backline. (23-30)

69:35 Lions captain Burger Odendaal cut through the defence of Connacht and ran thirty-odd meters to score the Lions' bonus-point try. (30-30)

75:02 Jack Carty converted the fourth penalty for the visitors. (30-33)

Scorers:
Emirates Lions: Try: Rabz Maxwane, Morne vd Berg, Edwill van der Merwe, Burger Odendaal. Conversions: Jordan Hendrikse (2). Penalties: Jordan Hendrikse (2).
Connacht: Tries: Cian Prendergast, Penalty try, Tom Dale. Conversion: Jack Carty (2). Penalties: Jack Carty (4).

Teams:

Emirates Lions: 15. Quan Horn, 14. Rabz Maxwane, 13. Wandisile Simelane, 12. Burger Odendaal (capt.), 11. Edwill van der Merwe, 10. Jordan Hendrikse, 9. Morne van den Berg, 8. Emmanuel Tshituka, 7. Vincent Tshituka, 6. Francke Horn, 5. Reinhard Nothnagel, 4. Ruben Schoeman, 3. Ruan Dreyer, 2. PJ Botha, 1. Sti Sithole. Replacements: 16. Jaco Visagie, 17. JP Smith, 18. Carlu Sadie, 19. Ruan Venter, 20. Sibusiso Sangweni, 21. Andre Warner, 22. Manuel Rass, 23. Tiaan Swanepoel.

Connacht: 15. Mack Hansen, 14. John Porch, 13. Bundee Aki, 12. Tom Daly, 11. Alex Wootton, 10. Jack Carty, 9. Caolin Blade, 8. Paul Boyle, 7. Jarrad Butler, 6. Cian Prendergast, 5. Niall Murray, 4. Oisín Dowling, 3. Jack Aungier, 2. Dave Heffernan, 1. Denis Buckley. Replacements: 16. Dylan Tierney-Martin, 17. Jordan Duggan, 18. Greg McGrath, 19. Leva Fifita, 20. Conor Oliver, 21. Kieran Marmion, 22. Conor Fitzgerald, 23. Shayne Bolton.