Lions continue their winning run to beat Sharks
UP AND UNDER: Veteran centre Waylon Murray of the Sharks tackles Lions loose forward Warwick Tecklenberg during their entertaining Super Rugby match at Ellis Park, Johannesburg, yesterday. The Lions beat the Sharks 23-21 PROOF that winning is the most powerful drug was seen here when the Lions beat the Sharks last night.
Winning brought 37 000 spectators and a carnival of entertainment to this deserted relic. Winning gave scrumhalf Faf de Klerk the cheek to leap over a breakdown à la Jamie Foxx in the movie Any Given Sunday to score a touchdown. Winning told winger Ruan Combrinck to take Lwazi Mvovo on for pace in the lead up to De Klerk’s try.
The Lions are high on that winning feeling after getting their fifth win in six matches.
Early signs were that the Sharks wanted to take the Lions on in their open running game, which is almost like challenging Manny Pacquiao to a speed-bag punching contest.
For weeks, the Lions had been eager for a more open contest, after winning purely on defence three times in Australasia and against the Bulls.
The Sharks put their stall out when Odwa Ndungane — playing at fullback — put Mvovo through a good gap from deep. But by the time the first quarter was through, De Klerk had two breaks, Andries Coetzee and Lionel Mapoe had one each.
After two Elton Jantjies penalties, the Sharks got their attack into gear from midfield. Fred Zeilinga was almost decapitated by Jaco Kriel but the wee fella managed to pass to André Esterhuizen before losing his limbs. Inevitably, Renaldo Bothma powered over the line. Then, with probably their best set move of the season, Ndungane joined the backline brilliantly to lay off to Mvovo, this time for a try in the corner.
In Durban, they used to call André Joubert the Rolls-Royce of fullbacks. Ndungane might assume that moniker after such a performance.
A minute from half time, the Lions awoke from their den and hit back with a well-worked, multiple-phase try by Howard Mnisi, with Jantjies popping a lovely no-look pass to assist.
It was an exasperating first half, for all the good reasons, in which the Sharks led 14-11. The second went a few notches hotter when De Klerk dived over early.
When Harold Vorster scored in the corner, Sharks coach Gary Gold looked like he wanted to poke his own eyeballs out.
The Lions are high on the winning feeling after a fifth win in six matches