Photo Credit: Gallo Images
The Lions won their first game in the SARU u/21 Championship with 32-16 after they narrowly lost 31-30 against the Cheetahs on Sunday.
The Lions started where they left on Sunday displaying no respect and a converted penalty by Boeta Chamberlain gave the Sharks an early lead of 3-0. The first twenty minutes was a stop-start affair with both teams making a lot of mistakes with the penalty count becoming ridiculous.
The halftime score was 08-06 in favour of the Lions with both sides making a lot of errors. The only positive of the errors was that both sides tried to play a fast and open game giving the ball a lot of air.
Penalties and mistakes continued to dominate in the second half with only 3 points added in the first 20 minutes of the second half to the score-board which saw the Sharks regain the lead with 9-8 after a converted penalty.
With 20 minutes to go both sides decided to stop kicking to the corners. They started to aim all penalties at the poles to score a possible 3 points. A second try and three penalties by the Lions gave them a 10 point lead of 22-9 and 18 minutes to go. The Sharks came back in the last 10 minutes but a try by Runaldo Pedro sealed a win for the Lions with 32-16.
A deserved win for the Lions in an unfortunately poor game. The Lions looked a lot better in the second half but still have a lot work to do while the Sharks can claim some rustiness in the first game.
Scorers:
Sharks u/21: Try: Caleb Dingaan. Conversion: Caleb Dingaan. Penalties: Boeta Chamberlain (3)
Lions u/21: Tries: Cal Smid, Prince Nkabinde, Runaldo Pedro. Conversion: Jordan Hendrikse. Penalties: Luke Rossouw (5)
Xerox Lions U21: 1. Banele Mthenjane, 2. Darnell Osowagu, 3. Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 4. Emmanuel Tshituka, 5. Cal Smid, 6. Mark Snyman, 7. Sibusiso Sangweni, 8. Travis Gordon (c), 9. Runaldo Pedro, 10. Marc Morisson, 11. Ngia Selengbe, 12. Luke Rossouw, 13. James Mollentze, 14. Prince Nkabinde, 15. Shaun Baxter. Replacements: 16. Morne Brandon, 17. Nkosikhona Masuku, 18. Ebot Buma, 19. Mandisi Mthiyane, 20. Franke Horn, 21. Hlumelo Ndudula, 22. Jordan Hendrikse, 23. Boitumelo Tsatsane, 24. Quan Horn, 25. Lindo Ncusane, 26. Junior White, 27. Keagan Glade.
Cell C Sharks U21: 1. Ntuthuko Mchunu, 2. Fez Mbatha (C), 3. Francois Klopper, 4. Ockie Barnard, 5. Jeandre Labuschagne, 6. Adam Mountford, 7. Lunga Ncube, 8. Evan Roos, 9. Lucky Dlepu, 10. Boeta Chamberlain, 11. Asanda Kunene, 12. Le Roux Malan, 13. D.J Falconer, 14. Caleb Dingaan, 15. Jean Roux. Replacements: 16. Cullen van der Merwe, 17. Thabiso Mdletshe, 18. Hanru Jacobs, 19. Deon Slabbert, 20. Vian Fourie, 21. Daimon O’Connell, 22. Rynhardt Jonker, 23. Quan Eymann.