VIDEO: 'These guys go all-in'
SPOTLIGHT: Scrumhalves Sanele Nohamba and Morne van den Berg once again proved how valuable they can be on attack.
The two players, who will join the Springbok alignment camp in Cape Town on Monday, played integral roles in their side’s 40-10 win over the Sharks in a United Rugby Championship clash at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Nohamba scored the opening try of the game before assisting in the next two scores in the first half.
The star was eventually replaced early in the second half as a precautionary measure due to a “muscle scare”. However, Van den Berg continued where he left off with some exciting runs.
The Lions scored another three tries in the final quarter to secure a vital bonus-point win.
“It’s nice to have guys like that in the team,” Van Rooyen told reporters after the match.
“They are guys that are not just there for the team.
“They are tough players that make good decisions.
“These are guys who are always all-in and guys that can play different positions and guys that can unlock certain situations.”
Hey @TheRugbyGuy10, what would you rate Sanele Nohamba’s outrageous step? 😍@DurbanHighDHS & @LionsRugbyCo, huge thanks for naturing a wonder of a talent 🎓👏#BKTURC #URC | #OriginRound #GrassrootsToGreatness | #LIOvSHA pic.twitter.com/kFQNTL4QBE
— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) March 2, 2024
The Lions’ dominance in the set-pieces also played a huge role in Saturday’s victory.
“With momentum, decision-making increases and pressure increases. With the set-piece momentum, you can stay on top of the opposition,” said van Rooyen.
“I think that was good from our side today [Saturday].
“We felt we generated momentum, whether it was beating the man or just through a carry with quick ball.
“I think we managed to get that aspect a lot better than two weeks ago [against the Bulls].
After a 45-minute delay at half-time due to inclement weather, the Lions struggled to get going in the first 20 minutes of the second half before they found their rhythm again to outplay the Sharks in the final quarter.
“I don’t think there will ever be a perfect game in that sense. I think what we handled a lot better today was when the momentum swung and we managed to get it back on our side,” the coach explained.
“I think that first period after the long break was a bit of an arm-wrestle to see where the space was and how you can get momentum back.
“I think the bench made a big difference.
“Historically after the first 30 [minutes], we could have got frustrated a little bit because we felt we had the upper hand but the score didn’t really show.
“We felt the team stuck through the 80 minutes and kept composure and that is obviously a positive for us.”
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