Lions show muscle as they dismantle toothless Bulls

MATCH REPORT: The Lions scored an emphatic 44-5 win over the Bulls in Round Six of the Currie Cup at Ellis Park on Saturday.

This moved the Lions into second sport on the Currie Cup standings, but this could change after the rest of the fixtures this weekend.

The game was fraught with yellow cards – four in total – while the Bulls hardly managed to string together a few phases with poor handling and missed tackles their nemesis.

The Lions won an early penalty, just barely after the kick-off and new recruit Chirs Smith immediately pointed to the poles, and sent it through with ease, claiming the first points of the game.

They followed this up with their first try after 16 minutes as Smith also grabbed his first try in a Lions jersey since joining the Jozie boys, converting it as well.

The Bulls followed with their first five pointer, also scored by their flyhalf, Jaco van der Walt after a strong carry up by Chris Barend Smith.

The ball was sent cleverly out the back of a ruck and Van der Walt finished, who couldn’t convert his try.

After 20 minutes Smith split the uprights once more to stretch the Lions’ lead to 13-5.

A well-weighted and well-executed kick into the corner by Smit set up the Lions for a nice attacking position. It worked well and the big SJ Kotze was the man to bulldoze over for the home side’s second try.

The second half started with the Bulls on the front foot, but poor handling saw them handing over possession.

The Lions advanced far up field into the Bulls’ 22 and their defence struggled, resulting in Bulls prop Simphiwe Matanzima being issued a yellow card.

From a scrum penalty the Bulls pack started a driving maul and captain PJ Botha dotted down.

A high tackle by the Lions’ Ruan Venter saw the home team reduced to 14, and the Bulls had their last opportunity to put points on the board with 12 minutes to go.

But Nico Steyn took a quick tap, and they scored their bonus point try by Richard Kriel, catching the Bulls napping.

Junior Springbok scrumhalf Hashim Pead barely made his entry onto the field, and Quan Horn broke through and Sam Francis got over the whitewash extending their lead to 37-5.

The Bulls’ woes continued as yet another high tackle ensued, this time the culprit Marco Ferreira, who got his marching orders.

Pead also grabbed a try in his first outing in a Lions jersey, after the hooter has gone and Francis added the extras to take the Lions’ tally to 44-5.

The Bulls had a torrid time, even with ball in hand and every effort they had to advance up field, was bungled through bad handling efforts and indecision.

The Lions were defensively sound and with some of their prominent names back in the side, they are set to challenge for another shot at the Final.

They host the Griquas next week.

Man of the Match: PJ Botha, scoring one of the six tries, and leading his side by example.

Scorers:

For Lions:
Tries: Smith, Kotze, Botha, Kriel, Francis, Pead
Cons: Smith 3
Pens: Smith 2

For Bulls:
Tries: Jaco van der Walt

Yellow cards: Simphiwe Matanzima (Bulls, 44’ – no-arms tackle); Cornel Smit (Bulls, 64’ – high tackle); Ruan Venter (Lions, 66’ – foul play); Marco Ferreira (Bulls, 73’ – high tackle)

Teams

Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Kelly Mpeku, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Richard Kriel, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Chris Smit, 9 Nico Steyn, 8 WJ Steenkamp, 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Jarod Cairns, 5 Ruan Delport, 4 Dylan Sjoblom, 3 RF Schoeman, 2 PJ Botha (captain), 1 SJ Kotze.
Replacements: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Sebastian Lombard, 19 Darrien Landsberg, 20 Tian Wessels, 21 Haashim Pead, 22 Sam Francis, 23 Eduan Keyter.

Bulls: 15 Boeta Chamberlain, 14 Cheswill Jooste, 13 Cornel Smit, 12 Chris Barend Smit, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Jaco van der Walt, 9 Zak Burger, 8 JJ Theron, 7 Junior Pokomela, 6 Nama Xaba (captain), 5 Dylan de Leeuw, 4 Sintu Manjezi, 3 Bryan le Roux, 2 Esethu Mnebelele, 1 Simphiwe Matanzima.
Replacements: 16. Shaun Schurmann, 17. Ruan Swart, 18. Cohen Kievit, 19. Abri van der Westhuizen, 20 Marco Ferreira, 21 Brooklyn Newman, 22 PA van Niekerk, 23 Katlego Letebele.

Referee: Sean Muller
Assistant referees: Phumzile Mbewu, Caleb Hibbert
TMO: Egon Seconds