Lombard steps up for Lions at key moment
SWYS DE BRUIN admitted after his team’s narrow 36-33 win against the Rebels in their round-five Super Rugby match at Ellis Park on Saturday that he gambled by replacing the experienced flyhalf Elton Jantjies with 21-year-old rookie Gianni Lombard.
But Lombard, in his first season of Super Rugby, stepped up and slotted the penalty that mattered in the dying seconds to help his team secure a remarkable victory after the Lions had trailed 5-33 shortly after half-time.
“Sometimes you take a hammering for making changes, and sometimes it works,” said a relieved De Bruin about all the changes he made in the second half, including sending Lombard into action in the 70th minute.
“I knew when I pulled Elton it might come down to a penalty kick (to decide the game). Neil (de Bruin, the assistant coach) who was sitting next to me said he backed Gianni to slot a kick, if it came down to it. Stars are made for big moments, and to make that kick, under that pressure… maybe he is a future star,” said De Bruin.
Lions skipper Malcolm Marx said Lombard was confident he’d land the kick. “I pointed to the poles when we won that final penalty and Gianni said, ‘Don’t worry, I got you’. I said, ‘Cool, just kick it over.’” It was a sensational ending to a quite astonishing game. The Lions, despite scoring the opening try inside five minutes, were cut to pieces by the well-organised and powerful Rebels side who, it must be said, also fed off numerous mistakes by the Lions. By half-time the visitors were in total command of proceedings, and soon after the restart scored their fifth try to go 33-5 up. But the introduction of a few men from the bench, among them senior stars Andries Coetzee and Lionel Mapoe, which coincided with the Rebels being reduced to playing with 14 men when Billy Meakes was sin-binned, saw the game take a dramatic turn. The Lions scored four converted tries to nothing in the 14 minutes that followed, leaving the teams on level terms with 15 minutes to play. A draw looked to be on the cards, especially with the Lions turning down a few shots at goal and opting to kick to touch, before they won a late scrum penalty and Lombard sent the ball flying through the uprights.
“There were big eyes in that changeroom, something I haven’t seen in a while,” said De Bruin.
“I, too, was in a flat spin and I admit I lost it. There were some words spoken, but maybe it was time to lay down a marker.” The Lions have registered three wins and two defeats and next play the Sunwolves in Singapore this weekend. They could be without key forwards Kwagga Smith (groin) and Vincent Tshituka (head and ankle), who will possibly join Warren Whiteley and Cyle Brink on the sidelines. The team leave for Singapore on Wednesday.