Lions beat Sharks to win 2011 Currie Cup

The Lions won their first Currie Cup title since 1999 when they beat the Sharks 42-16 at Coca Cola Park on Saturday.

Almost unbelievably the Lions won their first outright Currie Cup Final victory on home soil since 1950 – a gap of 61 years.

The Lions got off to a strong start and pulled away just before the half an hour mark when Michael Killian scored the first try of the match.

Killian’s try and Jantjies conversion gave the Lions a 19-3 lead but then CJ Van der Linder was sent to the sin-bin and the Sharks started fighting their way back into the match.

The Lions took a 19-6 half time lead into the second half but the Sharks started stronger and started picking away at the Lions lead closing the gap to 22-16 after Willem Alberts scored a controversial try after a possible knock forward.

The Lions however hit back with a couple of penalties a drop goal and a try by Pat Cilliers which put them back in command at 32-16.

Janties extended the lead to 35-16 with 15 minutes remaining on the clock before Jaco Taute scored the Lions second try which put the match beyond the Sharks.

Final Score Lions 42 (19) Sharks 16 (6)

Scorers

Lions
Tries – M. Killian, J Taute
Pen – E. Jantjies (3), J. Taute.
Con – E. Jantjies 2
Drop – E Jantjies

Sharks
Tries – W.Alberts
Pen – F.Michalak (3)
Con – F Michalak
Drop –

Referee: Mark Lawrence.

Teams (15-1)

Lions: Jaco Taute; Deon van Rensburg, Doppies la Grange, Alwyn Hollenbach, Michael Killian; Elton Jantjies, Michael Bondesio; Joshua Strauss (capt), Michael Rhodes, Derick Minnie; Franco van der Merwe, Wikus van Heerden; Pat Cilliers, Bandise Maku, CJ van der Linde

Replacements: Martin Bezuidenhout, Jacobie Adriaanse or JC Janse van Rensburg, Warren Whiteley, Cobus Grobbelaar, Butch James, Dylan Des Fountain, James Kamana

Coach: John Mitchell (NZL)

Sharks: Patrick Lambie; Odwa Ndungane, Stefan Terblanche, Marius Joubert, JP Pietersen; Frederic Michalak, Conrad Hoffmann; Ryan Kankowski, Willem Alberts, Keegan Daniel (capt); Ross Skeate, Jean Deysel; Jannie du Plessis, Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira

Replacements: Craig Burden, Eugene van Staden, Alistair Hargreaves, Marcell Coetzee, Ross Cronje, Adrian Jacobs, Lwazi Mvovo

Coach: John Plumtree (NZL)