Lions rue slow start against log-topping Province

THE Lions left themselves too much to do to come from behind against Western Province, coach Johan Ackermann has admitted.

“It’s been the case this entire season,” Ackermann said after his team lost 36-23 to Province at Newlands on Saturday.

“We have had to come from behind to try to win at the end, something which we have to fix.”

The bonus-point win boosted WP to the top of the Currie Cup log, just a point ahead of the Sharks.

Province outscored the Lions by four tries to two, with a halftime score of 18-9 in their favour.

Ackermann said the game was a lot closer than the scoreline suggested. He praised his charges for confronting what was essentially a Super Rugby team.

Province coach Allister Coetzee was pleased with his side’s four tries – but he called for more consistency from his players.

WP captain Deon Fourie claimed part of the responsibility for their slow start. “I’m not very happy with the first 10 minutes. I think I conceded both early penalties which put us on the back foot. But the guys came back nicely. [When] we play like we’re supposed to ... we’re almost unstoppable.”

Both the captain and coach said there were many elements that Province would be working on in prepartion for the game against the

I’m not very happy with the first 10 minutes . . . then we were unstoppable

Sharks next weekend. Meanwhile, the Free State Cheetahs have almost cemented their place in the knockout stages of the Currie Cup after their convincing 52-21 win over Griquas in an encounter at GWK Park in Kimberley on Saturday.

Achieving the bonus point for four or more tries, the Cheetahs need a single point against the Blue Bulls next weekend to make sure of their playoff spot.

Griquas, on the other hand, will now start preparing for the promotion/relegation matches.

The Cheetahs started at a steady pace and put Griquas under good pressure early on. Griquas struggled in the scrums the whole afternoon with new prop Nico Pretorius conceding many penalties.

Griquas finally got on the scoreboard four minutes from halftime.

The Cheetahs started the second half at a frantic pace, with only good defence from Griquas denying the visitors an early try. The Cheetahs scored a second try in the 58th minute through winger Raymond Rhule, who rounded off a back-hand pass by centre Johann Sadie with Watts converting.

More tries followed as replacement scrumhalf Piet van Zyl and Rhule both dotted down.

Griquas went on to score another try with lock Jaco Nepgen barging his way over, before conceding a third and fourth to Rhule before the final whistle.

Points scorers: Free State Cheetahs 52 (14): Tries: Schalk van der Merwe, Raymond Rhule (4), Piet van Zyl. Conversions: Elgar Watts (2), Willie du Plessis (3). Penalties: Elgar Watts (4)

Griquas 21 (7): Tries: Dalton Davis, Rory Arnold, Jaco Nepgen

Conversions: Gouws Prinsloo (3) – Sapa