Durban — The Lions ended a four-match losing streak when they hung on to beat the Dragons in a Challenge Cup game in the Welsh valleys yesterday, but boy did they make a meal of it.
The win means the Joburgers will host a Round of 16 fixture with Parisian club Racing 92, but they will get a hiding from the club Siya Kolisi is to join if they play with the shocking inconsistency they displayed in yesterday’s match.
Pardon the cliche, but what a game of two halves as the Lions totally dominated to lead 30-5 only to then be absent from the races in the second half to scrape over the line after the Dragons scored 20 unanswered points.
In the first half, the Lions forwards imposed themselves and they forced penalties almost at will for Jordan Hendrikse to convert into points.
He kicked his first as early as the second minute but it was the Dragons that scored the first try of the match, with flyhalf Will Reed wriggling over in the corner for an unconverted try.
Hendrikse reclaimed the lead with his second penalty, in the 15th minute, and then Quan Horn finished neatly in the corner after a barn-storming run by veteran forward Willem Alberts and then a try-making pass by centre Marius Louw.
And barely a minute later, JP Smith burst through the defence to set up the Lions’ other wing Edwill van der Merwe for a sprint to the other corner of the Dragons’ tryline.
Hendrikse missed the conversion, but two minutes later kicked his third penalty for a commanding 21-5 lead and then leading up to the break he banged over two more.
He was at it again just after halftime and at 30-5, the Lions seemed to be over the hills and far away.
The Dragons began their comeback when replacement hooker Aki Seiuli scored, soon followed by a try by fullback Jordan Williams and Reed made it 30-17 with a quarter of the match remaining.
And the door opened even wider for the home team when flank Emile van Heerden was yellow carded for a professional foul near his line.
The Dragons were banging loudly on that door when wing Rio Dyer scored in the corner and it was 30-22 with 13 minutes to go.
JJ Hanrahan kicked a penalty in the 77th minute and the Dragons won a dramatic penalty 10 seconds from time, which took them to inches of the Lions’ tryline only to concede a penalty to the immense relief of the visitors.
Scorers
Lions 30 — Tries: Quan Horn, Edwill van der Merwe. Penalties: Jordan Hendrikse (6). Conversions: Hendrikse.
Dragons 25 — Tries: Will Reed, Jordan Williams, Rio Dyer. Penalties: Reed, JJ Hanrahan. Conversions: Reed (2)
IOL Sport