Boland fight back to sink Lions in Johannesburg

MATCH REPORT: Boland moved closer to securing a spot in the Currie Cup semifinals after they beat the Lions 38-29 in their Round Five encounter at the Wits Rugby Stadium in Johannesburg on Friday.

The visitors were 0-17 down in the opening quarter before they proceeded to outplay the Lions with their attacking game.

Hawies Fourie’s side eventually ended the game with five tries on the board, one more than the home side.

It was not the greatest of starts for the visitors with centre Lunathi Nxele getting a yellow card for cynical play at a ruck in the sixth minute.

After multiple infringements, the Lions opted for three points via Sam Francis’ boots in the eighth minute.

A brilliant run by Exauce Kevani was the catalyst for the opening try of the game, which was scored by Keagan Smith.

It got even better for the home side a few minutes later with captain Jarod Cairns powering over for five points.

After being on the back foot for most of the first quarter, Boland finally got on the scoreboard when Mthokozisi Gumede crashed over for five points.

Not long after that, the prop let his teammates down with a yellow card for a high tackle in the 24th minute.

However, the tide was turning, and after sustained pressure, Lions hooker Mahle Sithole was given a yellow card for repeated infringements before Gift Dlamini scored Boland’s second try.

At half-time, it was 17-14 to the Lions.

It was more of the same consistent pressure by the visitors at the beginning of the second half, and they went in front with a try by Sibusiso Sangweni.

Boland had a try disallowed for obstruction in the 51st minute. However, they eventually got that bonus-point score with Jeandré Leonard stretching over in the 65th minute.

The Lions stayed in touch with a second try by Smith, which Francis could not convert.

The game turned into a see-saw tussle with Gumede getting his second try for Boland before Rynhardt Jonker scored the Lions’ bonus-point try.

Replacement James Tedder eventually took the game away from the Lions with a late penalty goal.

Man of the match: Boland prop Mthokozisi Gumede was a powerhouse with the ball, and he scored two of his team’s five tries.

The scorers:

For Lions:
Tries: Smith 2, Cairns, Jonker
Cons: Francis 3
Pen: Francis

For Boland:
Tries: Gumede 2, Dlamini, Sangweni, Leonard
Cons: Davids 3, Tedder 2
Pen: Tedder

Yellow cards: Lunathi Nxele (Boland, 6′ – cynical play at a ruck); Mthokozisi Gumede (Boland, 24′ – foul play, high tackle); Mahle Sithole (Lions, 36′ – repeated infringements)

Teams:

Lions: 15 Gilermo Mentoe, 14 Keagan Smith, 13 Exauce Kevani, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Rabz Maxwane, 10 Sam Francis, 9 Layton Horn, 8 Jarod Cairns (captain), 7 Siba Qoma, 6 Thando Biyela, 5 JD Hattingh, 4 Dylan Sjoblom, 3 Ruan Swart, 2 Mahle Sithole, 1 Cecil Parson.
Replacements: 16 Armand Combrinck, 17 Siya Dube, 18 Conrad van Vuuren, 19 Marco Ferreira, 20 Renzo du Plessis, 21 Asad Moos, 22 Likhona Finca, 23 Luke Cannon.

Boland Kavaliers: 15 Jayden Bantom, 14 Cornell Engelbrecht, 13 Lunathi Nxele, 12 Jurick Lewis, 11 Xavier Mitchell, 10 Ashlon Davids, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Kwanda Dimaza, 7 Khwezi Mafu, 6 Gift Dlamini, 5 Marlyn Williams (c), 4 Johnré Stopforth, 3 Dayan van der Westhuizen, 2 Joshua Eras, 1 Mthokozisi Gumede.
Replacements: 16 Darnell Osuagwu, 17 Dewald Maritz, 18 Heiko Pohlmann, 19 Jeandré Leonard, 20 Sibusiso Sangweni, 21 Thurlow Marsh, 22 Godlen Masimla, 23 James Tedder.

Referee: Hanru van Rooyen
Assistant referees: Dylen November, Juan de Bod
TMO: Egon Seconds