JOHANNESBURG – The Lions played to the last moment, to the last minute and to the last man to secure an important victory against the Western Province at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday.
Forget an under-par first half, a thrilling end made it all worth it for coach Ivan van Rooyen, captain Elton Jantjies and his charges, and the four points snatched by a Tiaan Swanepoel penalty in the 80th minute will foster much belief in the side.
Despite heavy rain the morning before the encounter, bad conditions could not account for the poorness of the first half, with both the Lions and WP flailing with the ball in hand.
The only thing that was remarkable in the first 20 minutes was a 60m-plus penalty kick by Swanepoel, who had an excellent match overall, which leveled the scores 3-3.
The Lions were having a torrid time at scrum-time, Springbok prop Steven Kitchoff overpowering them at every opportunity, but equally the WP were no great shakes with their throw-ins at the lineout, Marvin Orie rising above them to affect a couple of steals.
Final.#LIOvWP pic.twitter.com/ftfIOiTWRb
— Xerox Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) December 5, 2020
And yet, as the half progressed, it was the Lions who started to increase the tempo of the game, the WP forwards sucking in the big ones as the first 40 minutes came to a close. In that period, the Joburgers began asking questions in the midfield with sustained phases, looking for a gap out wide, while crashing with little effect into the gainline.
It nevertheless resulted in the Lions threatening the line in earnest for the first time out of the two teams, but a try-saving turnover on the whitewash in the last five minutes of the half by Juarno Augustus denied them an opening try. That was the eightman's biggest contribution to the game as he failed to return to the field in the second half, replaced by Johan du Toit.
Tim Swiel opened the scoring in the second half, striking sweaty his fourth penalty to increase the WP lead 12-6, but a few minutes later Swanepoel also slotted over his third penalty to make it a three point game with 30 minutes remaining in the game. A moment of individual brilliance by Seabelo Senetla then resulted in the first try of the game, the wing finding space on the touchline, interchanging with Ruhan Nel to dot down his first try of the season.
With the final 20 minutes bearing down on the Lions, the Joburgers threatened the line but poor finishing and excellent defending by WP halted any scoring opportunity. The Lions needed a moment of magic and they got just that when wing Stean Pienaar caught the WP napping with a quick tap and go, stretching over the line to score an all important try as the final 10 minutes started, with Swanepoel converting to level the score 19-19.
And with the momentum now swung in their direction, they kept probing, kept asking questions of the Cape Town side. That sustained pressure resulted in the Lions camping in the WP 22, forcing a penalty from the WP. With the clock counting down the final seconds of the match, the Lions overturned what had looked like an impossible situation some 20 minutes earlier, Swanepoel stepping up and slotting over that all important, match-winning penalty.
Point scorers
Lions (6) 22: Try: Pienaar; Conversions: Swanepoel; Penalties: Swanepoel (5)
Western Province (9) 19: Try: Senatla; Conversions: Swiel; Penalties: Swiel (4)
IOL Sport