Mighty Lions shake off Crusaders

Lions hooker Malcolm Marx carries strongly against the Crusaders at Ellis Park on Saturday. Photo: Ryan Wilkisky, EPA

Lions hooker Malcolm Marx carries strongly against the Crusaders at Ellis Park on Saturday. Photo: Ryan Wilkisky, EPA

Published Jul 23, 2016

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Johannesburg - It took them a full 70 minutes to finally shake off the Crusaders, but when they did, they did it in style.

And got the result - a 42-25 quarter-final victory and a step closer to Super Rugby glory for the Lions.

This was edge-of-the-seat stuff, the match in the balance until the final 10 minutes when tries by Ruan Combrinck and Ross Cronje ensured the Lions will host a semi-final this coming weekend.

The decision by coach Johan Ackermann to rest his first-choice players last week for the team’s final regular season fixture against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires looks to have been the right one, but then we’ll actually only know that if the Lions have to travel to New Zealand for a final or not.

For now though, Ackermann’s call appears to be the right one. His players produced the goods at Ellis Park on Saturday night and outlasted the Crusaders who, like a heavyweight boxer, kept punching and punching.

On another day the visitors would probably have come out on top, but this Lions team were not to be denied, not after the season they’ve enjoyed.

It was a far from perfect showing by the South African pace-setters; their tactical kicking being absolutely woeful, which nearly cost them dearly.

But they hung on in the face of some ferocious attacking play by the Crusaders, tackled like their lives depended on it and they took their chances when they came.

This was a victory built on guts and sheer bloody mindedness rather than out-smarting or out-playing the Crusaders.

Combrinck’s 70th-minute try, immediately after Howard Mnisi had replaced the impressive Rohan Janse van Rensburg and put Lionel Mapoe through the tiniest of gaps, broke the Crusaders’ resolve, the Lions edging clear 35-20 after Elton Jantjies’ conversion.

Five minutes later Cronje, on for Faf de Klerk, crossed the tryline, Mapoe again featuring prominently, and that was that.

A late consolation try by Ben Volavola did nothing to ease the pain inflicted on the Crusaders by this Lions team, who started outstandingly, by scoring inside two minutes.

Courtnall Skosan blitzed his way down the touchline, stepping past Luke Romano, to give his side the perfect start and it got better 10 minutes later when Janse van Rensburg barged over from close range. The Lions were on song, playing with confidence and flair and showing all the deft touches that got them to their first playoff game in the history of the competition.

They looked in complete control, the fluency and understanding in their game giving them dominance in most areas, and when Jantjies slotted a 15th-minute penalty, it looked like this may be an easy win for the Lions. It was anything but.

For the next 40 minutes the Crusaders dominated proceedings, piling plenty of pressure on the Lions. The home team failed to get out of their half because of poor kicking by De Klerk and Jantjies, they lost lineouts and fell off tackles and were, really their own worst enemy.

The Crusaders, with Israel Dagg, Johnny McNicholl, Jone Macalai, Matt Todd and Jordan Taufua leading the charge, ran hard at the Lions, but hardly got rewarded for their efforts.

Richard Mo’unga slotted a penalty on 20 minutes before Ryan Crotty finally crossed to get his side to within five points of the Lions.

But just before the break the Lions scored through Malcolm Marx, who did brilliantly to control the ball at the back of a driving maul and the Lions led by 12 at the interval.

Mo’unga pulled three points back for his team soon after the restart, but a Jantjies drop goal restored the 12-point lead and that was soon 15 after a further penalty.

But then Mitchell Drummond scored for the visitors and it was an eight-point game with 10 to go.

Queue Combrinck and Cronje... game over for the Crusaders. Now for the semi-finals, and another step closer to glory for Ackermann and his Lions.

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Lions - Tries: Courtnall Skosan, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Malcolm Marx, Ruan Combrinck, Ross Cronje. Conversions: Elton Jantjies (4). Penalties: Jantjies (2). Drop goal: Jantjies.

Crusaders - Tries: Ryan Crotty, Mitchell Drummond, Ben Volavola. Conversions: Richard Mo’unga (2). Penalties: Mo’unga (2).

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