Super Rugby action
A LATE long-distance penalty from wing Ruan Combrinck helped the Lions edge the Sharks 23-21 in the quarter-final to book their place in the last four against the heavyweights from New Zealand.
The win pits the Lions against the Hurricanes at Ellis Park in next weekend’s semi-final, after the men from Wellington cruised past the Brumbies 35-16 in Canberra.
The Lions had to fight back from being 14-3 down after an abject first half against a fired-up Sharks outfit.
They were also down 2120 going into the final three minutes before Combrinck converted a penalty from inside his own half to get his side home.
The Lions made life hard for themselves, with Elton Jantjies having a shocker from the tee. The Springboks fly-half was successful with just two of his six attempts.
Last year's runners-up dominated the opening 10 minutes but only had a Jantjies penalty to show for their efforts after Kobus van Wyk’s try in the corner.
Curwin Bosch extended the lead with a drop-goal and added two late penalties before the break.
The game changed when Sharks lock Stephan Lewies paid the price for his side’s mounting penalty count and was sent to the bin.
The Lions scored two tries in his absence, opposite number Franco Mostert barging over from close range before Jantjies put his kicking woes behind him to set up Jaco Kriel.
Lionel Mapoe grabbed their third try in 13 minutes before Sharks bit back.
With Mostert yellowcarded for cynically dragging down a maul, Daniel du Preez scored and Bosch converted for a 21-20 lead before Combrinck nailed the long-range winner.
Despite a spirited first half from the Brumbies, Jordie Barrett led the way for Hurricanes with a 20point haul courtesy of a try, three penalties and three conversions.
Brumbies held a 16-15 lead at half-time thanks to tries from James Dargaville and Josh Mann-Rea but five-pointers from Wes Goosen and Jordie Barrett during that period kept the Hurricanes in the match.
Just before half-time, the Hurricanes were reduced to 14 men when Jeffery Toomaga-Allen was yellow carded for a shoulder charge to the head of Hawera but it did not affect their dominance with TJ Perenara and Barrett scoring second half tries.
The Crusaders shone in
Highlanders.
atrocious conditions in Christchurch with an emphatic 17-0 win over the
Chasing their eighth title and first since 2008, the Crusaders will remain in Christchurch next week to meet the Chiefs.
Front rowers Joe Moody and Codie Taylor rumbled over for tries to drive the Crusaders to a 17-0 lead at half-time that the Highlanders were unable to budge in the second half.
Replacement winger Shaun Stevenson scored a late try as the Chiefs claimed a hard-fought 17-11 victory over the Stormers.
The Chiefs led 9-3 at halftime thanks to three penalties from Damien McKenzie with the Stormers points coming via the boot of SP Marais.
Captain Siya Kolisi crossed for a try in the corner to narrow the lead to a single point but Stevenson struck late to send Chiefs through.