Nine-try Lions outlast Griquas
BLITZ: NEITHER SIDE HAD DEFENCE AS A GAME PLAN
Rudolph Jacobs
In a high-scoring game which produced 14 tries and 103 points the Lions opened their Currie Cup account by outlasting Griquas 62-41 at Ellis Park last night. With Lions left wing Courtnall Skosan getting a hat-trick and No 8 Hacjivah Dayimani scored two tries the Lions ran in nine tries to Griquas five where defence wasn’t always top priority.
After trailing by a point at the break the Lions stepped up a gear to score a blitzkrieg of 17 points in the 10 minutes after the break to surge ahead 36-20 following an intercept try by wing Sylvian Mahuza and a close range effort from flank Len Massyn.
Eight minutes passed before Skosan completed his brace and sent the Lions up 43-20, with Griquas reserve hooker Wilmar Arnoldi barging over for his side’s third try to close the gap slightly to 43-27.
Sensational SA U-20 player and centre Wandisile Simelani underlined his huge talent by scoring his team’s seventh try and that on his Currie Cup debut.
Showing a lack of patience the ambitious Lions trailed 19-20 at the break despite outscoring Griquas by three tries to two in the first half, with the home team not making the most of dominating both possession and territory in the excess of 70%.
For the Lions Dayimani scored their opening try early on for a lead of 7-3, while their other tries in the first half were scored by scrumhalf and captain Ross Cronje and Skosan which created a 19-10 lead 10 minutes before the break.
Griquas scrambled well on defence and their opening two tries by centre Andre Swarts and hooker Kwezi Mkhafu helped them to close the scoreboard pressure, while a late penalty from flyhalf George Whitehead ensured a narrow lead at the break despite a yellow card to flank Wendal Wehr.