The Fidelity ADT Lions and Vodacom Bulls threw everything at each other to win this vital match, however, it was the number of mistakes that cost the Fidelity ADT Lions at the end as the Vodacom Bulls won 33-32 in an entertaining match.
The Vodacom Bulls started like a house on fire and scored two tries within the first ten minutes of the match to take an early 12-00 lead.
The Fidelity ADT Lions started to claw their way back into the game, however, several handling errors cost them point-scoring opportunities. Individual brilliance by Francke Horn saw him collect his grubber to score the Fidelity ADT Lions' first points of the match. The home team trailed 07-12 after thirteen minutes of play.
Both sides showed their willingness to let the ball do the talking and the hosts converted a penalty following an Embrose Papier "try" that was turned into a penalty for the Fidelity ADT Lions.
Enmrose Papier scored the Vodacom Bulls' third try following a sniping run past the fringes of a ruck. Two minutes later Morne Smith scored the Vodacom Bulls' fourth and bonus point try with the Fidelity ADT Lions' poor defence costing them.
Both teams are at this stage guilty of making unforced errors with the sides traded penalties. The Fidelity ADT Lions pack of forwards were on their way to score a try from a 5m lineout-maul when Johan Grobbelaar collapsed the maul earning the Fidelity ADT Lions a penalty try and the Vodacom Bulls a yellow card.
The Fidelity ADT Lions converted a late penalty to go into the second half trailing 20-26
The Fidelity ADT Lions stole the ball from a Vodacom Bulls lineout and spread the ball wide with Edwill van der Merwe showing some great pace and strength in the tackle to score the Fidelity ADT Lions' third try. The Fidelity ADT Lions trailed by just one point with thirty minutes left to play in the second half.
The Vodacom Bulls started to put several phases together which lead to several Fidelity ADT Lions' mistakes. A penalty awarded to the Vodacom Bulls from a dominant scrum was quickly taken with captain Marcell Coetzee barging over their hosts' tryline.
Both teams were attacking at every opportunity during the final minutes of the match. Edwill van der Merwe once again showed his brilliance on the attack beating the defenders of the Vodacom Bulls to score the Fidelity ADT Lions' fourth and bonus point try to trail 32-33 and eight minutes to play.
A brilliant game ended when Fidelity ADT Lions' Gianni Lombard missed an attempted drop-goal with the time already up on the clock. The Vodacom Bulls won 33-32 in an all-action game.
Scorers:
Fidelity ADT Lions: Tries: Francke Horn, Penalty try, Edwill van der Merwe (2). Conversions: Sanele Nohamba (2). Penalties: Sanele Nohamba (2).
Vodacom Bulls: Tries: Elrigh Louw, Harold Vorster, Embrose Papier, Chris Smith, Marcell Coetzee. Conversions: Johan Goosen (4).
Teams:
Fidelity ADT Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Boldwin Hansen, 13 Manuel Rass, 12 Tyler Bocks, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Gianni Lombard, 9 Sanele Nohamba, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Emmanuel Tshituka, 6 Johannes Pretorius, 5 Ruben Schoeman, 4 Ruan Venter, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 Jaco Visagie (c), 1 Rhynardt Rijnsburger. Replacements: 16 Pieter Botha , 17 Ruan Dreyer, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Darrien-Lane Landsberg, 20 Ruhan Straeuli, 21 Nico Steyn, 22 Stean Pienaar, 23 Andries Coetzee.
Vodacom Bulls: 15 David Kriel, 14 Sibongile Novuka, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Elrigh Louw, 7 Nizaam Carr, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Ruan Nortje (c), 4 Ruan Vermaak, 3 Mornay Smith, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Gerhard Steenekamp. Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Francois Klopper, 19 Charlie Ewels, 20 Cyle Brink, 21 Keagan Johannes, 22 Chris Barend Smit, 23 Cornal Hendricks.
