JOHANNESBURG - Lions coach Johan Ackermann admits the Lions were "lucky to get away with victory" in Saturday's Super Rugby quarterfinal against the Sharks.
Despite all expectations, the Sharks looked set to secure a shock victory at Ellis Park, with the Durban-based side having led by 11 points at the break, while hanging onto a one-point advantage heading into the latter stages of the clash.
However, a late 55 metre penalty from Ruan Combrinck enabled the Lions to snatch a 23-21 win and secure a semi-final berth against the Hurricanes.
Wow,Ruan Combrinck what a boytjie,but Kudos to a Brave Sharks team who could've easily won it,Lions just seems to always find a way 👏🏻
— Breyton Paulse (@BreytonPaulse) July 22, 2017
The home team also benefited from a couple of questionable refereeing decisions that went their way late in the game, with the Lions' Gloucester-bound coach admitting afterwards that there had been some seriously nervy moments throughout the brutal encounter.
"There were a lot of grey-hair moments and I was thinking, 'this can't be the way I am going to end my time with the Lions', we'll take it, but credit to the Sharks. They put us under a lot of pressure. But we also put ourselves on the back foot. At half-time I told the players to lift the intensity and play wider."
Ackermann said the Lions would need to look closely at some of their decision-making that let them down on such an important occasion.
"Hopefully we can improve that for next weekend. There were opportunities to run and we still kicked sometimes. We must finish those opportunities. The whole 80 minutes wasn't good enough. We were lucky to get away with the victory. We have to be better."
The Sharks were believed to be livid with some of the officiating, and initially coach Rob du Preez refused to appear for the usual post-match press conference.
Although he eventually fronted up to the media, the press conference lasted just 90 seconds.
"You know I can't comment about bad officiating," he commented. "You have to make up your mind if it was right or wrong."