Sanele Nohamba scored 18 points as the Lions beat the Free State Cheetahs in their Currie Cup clash in Bloemfontein on Saturday. File Picture: Sydney Mahlangu, BackpagePix
Durban — The Lions had too much firepower for the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday in arguably the most entertaining Currie Cup game we have had this season.
The Lions stocked their team with URC players for their visit to the log leaders and this impressive 33-26 win shows they are serious about reviving their Currie Cup hopes.
An enterprising selection was playing Sanele Nohamba at flyhalf, a position he sometimes played for the Sharks Under-19 team a few years ago under Sean Everitt. This meant the Lions did not have to choose between him and the always impressive Morne van den Berg at scrumhalf.
It was an ingenious selection because bother Nohamba and Van den Berg were excellent.
ROARING🦁@LionsRugbyCo topple the log leaders in Bloemfontein 👏#CurrieCup #WhereLegendsRise pic.twitter.com/ilzvPldkOc
— The Currie Cup (@TheCurrieCup) May 13, 2023
The Lions burst out of the blocks and scored on five minutes, a well-taken try by centre Rynhardt Jonker, who ran a good line off Van den Berg. Nohamba converted and soon followed up with a penalty for a handy 10-0 lead after as many minutes.
The Lions were just as good on defence. The Cheetahs threw everything at the visitors in a ten-minute spell in the Lions’ 22 but were repeatedly repelled.
The Lions broke out and promptly added three more points when Nohamba kicked his second penalty.
The visitors were on fire and Van den Berg was brilliant in setting up another try — this time he chipped over the defence for wing Edwill van der Merwe to chase, gather and score.
One minute before the break the Cheetahs at last had something to cheer about when No.8 George Cronje crashed over from a ruck.
The teams had scarcely begun the second half when lightning struck twice, with the very impressive Cronje bustling over for his second try and Ruan Pienaar converting. From 20-0 down it was 20-14 in just a few minutes.
Nohamba stemmed the tide with his third penalty and then flanker JC Pretorius showed his Blitzboks skills to dummy through the defence to score a fine try. Suddenly it was 30-14 and a fourth penalty by the meticulous Nohamba put the game beyond the reach of the Cheetahs.
But only just… Because there was a strong finish by the home team, with powerful surges over the line by first Siba Qoma and then Marnus van der Merwe to secure a losing bonus point.
Point-scorers
Cheetahs 26 — Tries: George Cronje (2), Siba Qoma, Marnus van der Merwe. Conversions: Ruan Pienaar (2).
Lions 33 — Tries: Rynhard Jonker, Edwill van der Merwe, JC Pretorius. Conversions: Sanele Nohamba (3). Penalties: Nohamba (4).
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