Lions edge Cheetahs in 12-try thriller to secure home Final

MATCH REPORT: The Lions will host this year’s Currie Cup Final after they beat the Cheetahs 43-34 in their semifinal clash in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Both teams scored six tries in a thrilling match which saw the lead change multiple times.

The Lions will face the winners of the other Currie Cup semifinal between the Bulls and the Sharks.

Replacement Sanele Nohamba provided the spark the Lions needed in the final quarter to see off their opponents.

He contributed 12 points with a try, two conversions and one penalty.

It was a great start for the Cheetahs with flyhalf Ethan Wentzel showing his skill by chipping the ball and gathering before racing away for the first try of the game in the fifth minute.

Things got even better for the Cheetahs a few minutes later when Wentzel was put into space down the touchline to sprint in for his second try of the game.

He also converted both scores to give his side a 14-point lead.

The Lions finally got onto the scoreboard in the 20th minute when Jarod Cairns pounced on a loose ball to score a try after a Kade Wolhuter charge down.

Wolhuter had a chance to reduce the Cheetahs’ lead again in the 27th minute but he had to rush his penalty kick after the ball fell off the kicking tee and then he found the upright with his attempt.

However, the Lions got something even better in the 31st minute when prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye powered his way through the Cheetahs’ defence before showing his pace to score an excellent try.

Just when you thought the Lions had the upper hand, Cohen Jasper scored the Cheetahs’ third try after some great play by his back three teammate Michael Annies.

There was some more drama after that when Annies ran out of time with his conversion attempt.

The rugby was fast and exciting and it was the Lions’ turn again to show their skills on attack.

After an initial run by Rabz Maxwane from his own half, the ball went through the hands before it found its way to Ruan Venter who had the power and pace to run in for his team’s third try.

It was more of the same from the Lions at the start of the second half after Darrien-Lane Landsberg burst through the midfield with a strong run. The ball was then spread wide to captain Marius Louw who scored a try.

However, the Cheetahs hit back almost immediately with Victor Sekekete’s try after some brilliant passing. Wentzel couldn’t level the scores with the conversion attempt.

The visitors then regained the lead in the 49th minute with Vernon Paulo going over the Lions’ tryline after a powerful driving maul.

Things got a bit shaky for the Lions after that with Louw getting a yellow card for a dangerous tackle in the 50th minute.

That didn’t trouble the home side too much and they eventually levelled the scores in the 60th minute with a Sanele Nohamba penalty.

The replacement then produced some magic when he weaved his way through the Cheetahs’ defence to score his team’s fifth try in the 65th minute.

The Lions took the game by the scruff of the neck in the 74th minute when replacement hooker Morne Brandon showed his speed to sprint to the tryline after being put into space.

It wasn’t an easy finish as the big man tumbled his way over for the score in the final few metres after seeing off an attempted tackle.

The Cheetahs stayed in the fight with a George Lourens try in the 77th minute, but he missed the conversion.

The scorers:

For Lions:
Tries: Cairns, Ntlabakanye, Venter, Louw, Nohamba, Brandon
Cons: Wolhuter 3, Nohamba 2
Pen: Nohamba

For Cheetahs:
Tries: Wentzel 2, Jasper, Sekekete, Paulo, Lourens
Cons: Wentzel 2

Yellow card: Marius Louw (Lions, 50′- foul play, dangerous tackle)

Teams:

Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Rabz Maxwane, 13 Rynhardt Jonker, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Tapiwa Mafura, 10 Kade Wolhuter, 9 Nico Steyn, 8 Jarod Cairns, 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Renzo du Plessis, 5 Darrien-Lane Landsberg, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 Jaco Visagie (captain), 1 Morgan Naude
Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Conrad van Vuuren, 19 Raynard Roets, 20 JC Pretorius, 21 Siba Qoma, 22 Sanele Nohamba, 23 Kelly Mpeku

Cheetahs: 15 Michael Annies, 14 Cohen Jasper, 13 Munier Hartzenberg, 12 Evardi Boshoff, 11 Daniel Kasende, 10 Ethan Wentzel, 9 Jandre Nel, 8 Jeandre Rudolph, 7 Oupa Mohoje, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete (captain), 4 Carl Wegner, 3 Robert Hunt, 2 Corne Fourie, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Replacements: 16 Vernon Paulo, 17 Hencus van Wyk, 18 Laurence Victor, 19 Friedle Olivier, 20 Aidon Davis, 21 Marco Jansen van Vuren, 22 George Lourens, 23 Litha Nkula

Referee: Christopher Allison