The Lions bounced back from their loss to the Bulls last weekend with a 41-31 win over the Southern Kings at Ellis Park on Saturday.

The game got off to a frenetic pace with both teams showing a willingness to spread the ball, however, both sides were guilty of not supporting the ball carrier early on, which led to turnovers at either side of the field.

The Lions, after turning down a kick at goal, mauled their way over from an attacking line-out inside the first ten minutes but they couldn’t dot the ball down and let the visitors off the hook by conceded a penalty at the resulting scrum.  

A change in tactic saw Marnitz Boshoff line up and miss his first penalty but he was successful with his second attempt moments later to give the Lions a 3-0 lead after 16 minutes.

The Kings scored the first try of the match after they caught the Loins napping with a quick throw-in. The ball was quickly recycled and fast hands saw Rynier Bernado go over for a seven-pointer.

Their lead was short-lived, though, as the hosts struck back immediately with a converted try by Hendrik Roodt.     

From there, the Lions scored two more tries through JJ Breet and Ruan Dreyer to go into the break with a 22-7 lead.

It became 27-7 two minutes after half-time with Roodt powering over for his second try. The Kings added to their tally with a seven-pointer by Johan Herbst but they let in another try, Warwick Tecklenberg flopping over at the back of a driving maul, with Lionel Cronje adding the extras.    

Herbst scored his brace on 64 minutes with George Whitehead’s conversion giving the Kings a glimmer of hope at 34-21 down.  

The Kings continued their comeback with a try by Hadleigh Parkes with Whitehead kicking the conversion and a penalty to close the gap to 34-31 but a late Lions try, a second to Tecklenberg, sealed the win for the Lions.  

More to follow…

Roodt 2, Breet, Dreyer, Tecklenberg 2
Cons: Boshoff 3, Cronje
Pen: Boshoff

For the Southern Kings:
Tries: Bernado, Herbst 2, Parkes
Cons: Dunlop 2, Whitehead 2
Pens: Whitehead

Teams:

15, Marnitz Boshoff, 14 Andries Coetzee, 13 Stokkies Hanekom, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Lionel Cronje, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Derick Minnie, 7 JJ Breet, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Hendrik Roodt, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Francois Du Toit, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (captain).
Replacements: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Gavin Annandale, 19 Warwick Tecklenberg, 20 Whestley Moolman, 21 Deon Helberg, 22 Ruhan Nel, 23 Dylan de Fountain

Southern Kings: 15 Elric van Vuuren, 14 Marcello Sampson, 13 Wayne Stevens, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 Siyanda Grey, 10 Wesley Dunlop, 9 Johan Herbst, 8 Jacques Engelbrecht, 7 Mpho Mbiyozo, 6 Rynier Bernado, 5 Darron Nell (captain), 4 Tomas Leonardi, 3 Grant Kemp, 2 Boetie Britz, 1 Lizo Gqoboko.      
Replacements: 16 Dane van der Westhuizen, 17 Khwezi Mkhafu, 18 Ross Gelbenhuys, 19 Daniel Adongo, 20 Thabo Mamojelle, 21 Scott Mathie, 22 George Whitehead, 23Scott van Breda.

Date: Saturday, February 9
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 14.15 (12.15 GMT)
Referee: Marius Jonker