Johannesburg - The Lions out-scored the Crusaders five tries to three to win 42-25 on Saturday and qualify for the Super Rugby semi-finals.
Here rugby writer Jacques van der Westhuyzen highlights the key reasons for the victory.
Good start
The Lions scored their first try inside two minutes, wing Courtnall Skosan showing great pace down the flank. They were 12-0 up after seven minutes following a further try by Rohan Janse van Rensburg.
In between the scores, the Crusaders had lost Luke Romano to the sin-bin while on the 15-minute mark Elton Jantjies slotted a penalty to give his side a 15-0 lead.
Both coaches, Johan Ackermann and Todd Blackadder, admitted afterwards that the Lions’ fast, assured start put them in control, while the Crusaders were under pressure, and playing catch-up, from the off.
Defence
The Crusadersfound their groove after 20 minutes and for the next 40 minutes would dominate proceedings. Poor kicking by the Lions gifted the visitors plenty of possession and they set up camp inside Lions territory for long periods of the game.
The Lions were asked to make a ton of tackles in this period, many of them inside their 22m area and for the most part the home team succeeded in keeping the Crusaders out.
It was wave after wave of attack, but they only got two penalties and a sole try by Ryan Crotty to show for their efforts.
Taking opportunities
Besides Skosan and Janse van Rensburg grabbing their early chances, Malcolm Marx crossed on the stroke of half-time - a score that put the Lions 22-10 up at the break.
It was a crucial score, coming after the team’s leadership decided to set up a 5m lineout rather than go for the penalty, something coach Johan Ackermann said he would have been happy with.
Also, from nowhere, Elton Jantjies put over a drop-goal in the 54th minute to further pile the pressure on the Crusaders. A rare line break by Lionel Mapoe in the 69th minute and his offload allowed Ruan Combrinck to score a deal-sealer. Ross Cronjé put the cherry on top for his team with a fifth try for the Lions.
Impact of the bench
Howard Mnisi, who’d replaced the hugely impressive and influential Janse van Rensburg with 11 minutes to go, sent Mapoe on his way with his first touch of the game, his contribution leading to Combrinck’s try.
Also, Akker van Merwe came on for Malcolm Marx and again showed why he was once called “The Angry Warthog” so aggressive was his impact.
One cannot ignore the fact that Ross Cronjé ended the Lions’ scoring with a well-taken try five minutes from the end. There were also quality contributions from Ruan Ackermann and Cyle Brink.
Ackermann’s call
The coach wanted a fit and fresh team for the play-offs and he wanted them to play on home soil. By winning their conference he ensured the Lions a spot at Ellis Park for the quarter-finals and semi-finals and by resting his first choice players for the trip to Buenos Aires last week he got his wish for a healthy team.
The Lions started strongly, exactly what he wanted, and they finished even better; the long flight to South Africa and altitude no doubt getting the better of the Crusaders as the game went on.
It was a perfectly worked out plan and executed excellently by a Lions team that was not going to be denied a place in a semi-final.
The Star