Next big thing
IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET CONTINUITY Lions unearth a future star in wing Madosh Tambwe.
Despite charging to a runaway 42-19 Super Rugby win over the Kings in Port Elizabeth at the weekend, Lions coach Johan Ackermann bemoaned an error-ridden second half from his side.
While they had perhaps taken their foot off the pedal in the last 40 minutes, Ackermann said the intensity levels dropped significantly after their 35-12 lead at the break.
“The Kings played well in that second half and at the breakdown it was difficult to get continuity,” Ackermann said.
“But I think the groundwork was done in that first half, though we couldn’t capitalise in the second.”
The game nonetheless proved that young Lions rightwing Madosh Tambwe was a future star, which could provide a selection poser with Ruan Combrinck preparing to return in the middle of next month.
Tambwe’s brace of tries in only his second match, along with tries by Elton Jantjies, hooker Malcolm Marx and flank Jaco Kriel, underlined the Lions’ class in the opening half.
The visitors had to wait until the 75th minute, however, to score their only points of the second
If I look back the guys recovered well after that first stormed-down try. Johan Ackermann Lions coach
half through their sixth try by centre Harold Vorster.
“Fortunately that last try provided us with the bonus point which we are thankful about,” Ackermann said.
“It is an away win, so one must always be positive about that, but we definitely have work ahead of us (before hosting the Sharks) if we think about what we witnessed in that second half.”
The home side rocked the Lions by scoring the opening try via flank Andisa Ntsila after just two minutes, with a kick from fullback Andries Coetzee being run down, and the Kings scored tries through wing Yaw Penxe and fullback Malcolm Jaer in the second half.
“If I look back to the game the guys recovered well after that first stormed-down try,” Ackermann said.
“I felt we really played good rugby and I almost want to stay we controlled the game well.”