The Vodacom Bulls all but threw away their chances of reaching the Vodacom Super Rugby playoffs when they were beaten for the first time ever by a spirited Lions side, by 32-21, at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday afternoon.
The home team, back from a tough tour Down Under, didn’t look like they had just returned from a month on the road. On the contrary, the visitors from Pretoria looked flat for most of the match and if it wasn’t for two late tries by William Small-Smith and Jacques du Plessis, the scoreline would’ve been much worse.
Sharp-shooter Marnitz Boshoff contributed 22 of the Lions’ points, while their tries were scored by Alwyn Hollenbach and Warwick Tecklenburg.
The game was played at pace and it was a typically hard local derby, with not a lot of flashy stuff around at Ellis Park. Not that it mattered for the Lions, as they added the Vodacom Bulls’ scalp to their selection, like they did with the DHL Stormers earlier this season.
The Vodacom Bulls’ handling was nothing but shocking, especially when they got close or were strong on the attack. Their discipline also let them down big time.
And where the visitors’ pack was not at their best, the Lions forwards didn’t shy away, despite struggling at line-out time. They worked harder and kept Vodacom Bulls under pressure from the word go.
Scorers:
Lions – Tries: Alwyn Hollenbach, Warwick Tecklenburg. Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (2). Penalty goals: Boshoff (4). Drop-goals: Boshoff (2).
Vodacom Bulls – Tries: William Small-Smith, Jacques du Plessis. Conversion: Jacques-Louis Potgieter. Penalty goals: Potgieter (3).
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