Sharks edge Lions in pre-season thriller
REPORT: The Sharks edged the Lions 45-43 in a United Rugby Championship pre-season thriller at Ellis Park on Friday.
In a game where defence was not at a premium, the Sharks outscored the Lions by seven tries to six.
The hosts raced into an early 14-0 lead, with the rest of the encounter a tit-for-tat encounter.
At half-time, the Sharks held a 24-19 lead, which became 31-19 early in the second half.
Another two-try blitz saw the Lions reclaim the lead (36-31), the Sharks going ahead (38-36), the Lions reclaiming the lead (43-38), before the visitors scored a late winner.
The scorers
For the Lions
Tries: Horn, Van den Berg, Van der Merwe, Sangweni 2, Maxwane
Cons: Hendrikse 2, Swanepoel 3
Pen: Swanepoel
For the Sharks
Tries: Penxe, Bholi, Fassi 2, Jooste 2, Abraham
Cons: Bosch 2, Crone, Chamberlain 2
Teams
Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Quan Horn, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Morné van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Travis Gordon, 5 Reinhardt Nothnagel (co-captain), 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Ruan Smith, 2 Pieter Botha, 1 Asenathi Ntlabakanye.
Replacements – from: Morgan Naudé, Jaco Visagie, Ruan Dreyer, Pieter Jansen van Vuren, Pieter-John Steenkamp, Jaco Kriel (co-captain), Ruhan Straeuli, Emmanuel Tshituka, Sanele Nohamba, Gianni Lombard, Sibahle Maxwane, Zander du Plessis, Sango Xamlashe, Stean Pienaar, Tiaan Swanepoel, Stephan Smit, Sibusiso Sangweni, Andre Warner.
Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Marnus Potgieter, 12 Ben Tapuai, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Phendulani Buthelezi, 7 Dylan Richardson, 6 James Venter, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Thembelani Bholi, 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Dian Bleuler.
Replacements – from: Dan Jooste, Khwezi Mona, Carlu Sadie, Hanro Jacobs, Jaco Willemse, Hyron Andrews, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Zee Mkhabela, Lionel Cronje, Thaakir Abrahams, Nevaldo Fleurs, Werner Kok, Boeta Chamberlain.
Referee: Jaco Peyper
