Lions beat Pumas to continue Currie Cup run

The Golden Lions continued their run in the Currie Cup when they beat the Pumas 20-34 with a bonus point on Saturday.

Holding off a fighting Pumas side in the second half, the Lions further asserted themselves at the top of the Currie Cup standings by moving ten points clear of Western Province.

The visitors left it late to secure the extra point, but secured their fourth try in the dying minutes to bag a 34-20 win as they grabbed their seventh victory in eight games.

Lions wing Michael Killian dotted down directly under the posts after fullback Jaco Taute had set up the opening try with an up-and-under chip in the 11th minute, and flyhalf Elton Jantjies converted an easy attempt.

The hosts responded with a penalty kick by flyhalf Coenie van Wyk, but Jantjies countered with three more points, and the Lions stretched the gap when Michael Rhodes avoided three tackles to go over and Jantjies converted.

Van Wyk and Jantjies traded penalties again in the closing stages of the first half, but the Lions stamped their authority when Taute drove over, with three Pumas players holding on, for the visiting side’s third try.

Jantjies added the conversion and the Lions took a 27-6 lead into the break.

The hosts were far more threatening in the second stanza, and looked to be more settled on attack.

They would have been rewarded early in the second half but flanker Jaco Bouwer lost the ball forward going over the line.

Pumas skipper Corne Steenkamp made sure, however, seven minutes later when he dived over on the left — dislocating his finger in the process — with Van Wyk converting a tough kick to close the gap to 27-13.

With five minutes remaining on the clock, Pumas fullback MJ Mentz finished off a marvellous piece of team work to storm over, and Van Wyk converted, narrowing the gap to within seven points.

The Lions, however, picked up the bonus point when replacement Johan Snyman went over, and Jantjies added another conversion to seal the victory.

The Pumas, who had a bonus point snatched away in front of a lively home crowd of nearly 6 000, remained the only team in the competition without a win.

Final Score Pumas 20 Golden Lions 34

Scorers

Pumas
Tries: Corne Steenkamp, MJ Mentz
Conversions: Coenie van Wyk (2)
Penalties: Van Wyk (2)

Lions
Tries: Michael Killian, Michael Rhodes, Jaco Taute, Johan Snyman
Conversion: Elton Jantjies (4)
Penalties: Jantjies (2)

Teams

Pumas– 15 MJ Mentz, 14 Deon Scholtz, 13 JW Jonker, 12 Tian Meyer, 11 Wilhelm Looch, 10 Coenie van Wyk, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Christo Le Roux, 7 Jaco Bouwer, 6 Corne Steenkamp (c), 5 Marius Coetzer, 4 Rudi Matthee, 3 Ashley Buys, 2 Marthinus van der Westhuizen, 1 Dawie Steyn.

Replacements: 16 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 17 De-Jay Terblanche, 18 Willem Serfontein, 19 Reginald Kember, 20 Martin Sithole, 21 Tiaan Marx, 22 Johan Jackson.

Golden Lions- 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Michael Killian, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Warren Whiteley/Joshua Strauss, 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Wikus van Heerden, 3 Patric Cilliers, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.

Replacements: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Jacobie Adriaanse, 18 Johan Snyman, 19 Joshua Strauss, 20 Jaco Kriel, 21 Doppies La Grange, 22 Burton Francis.