Benetton blitz leaves Lions winless and reeling in the URC

The Lions will return to South Africa with zero victories from their first three United Rugby Championship (URC) matches.

They dished up another dreadful performance against Benetton in Treviso, allowing their hosts to score four tries in the first 30 minutes of the match to secure a 41-15 bonus-point victory. They eventually conceded six tries and could only muster up two.

In their three clashes on tour, they collected only one point on the road and will now look to kickstart their campaign at home in Johannesburg.

However, a lot of work will have to go into their game to secure their first victory.

They were poor with their basic skills, struggled to hold onto passes, threw wayward ones, and their tackling was below average. The Lions also spurned possession time and again, especially when they were in strong attacking positions.

Flyhalf Chris Smith opened the scoring by putting a penalty through the uprights, while burly prop Asenathi Ntlabkanye scored a beauty of a team try after some good work by the backs and forwards. Prior to that try, winger Angelo Davids knocked a ball over the Benetton tryline as he dove over for his team’s opening score.

Before that five-pointer — and after it, for most of the clash — it was all Benetton, and they had their way with the Lions. While the scrums were even at first, the Italians found the upper hand in the second half in this facet of the game.

South African Rhyno Smith scored the opening try, while he assisted the second score by winger Louis Lynagh. The Aussie scored four of his team’s six tries and put in a great all-round performance in the backline alongside Smith and midfielders Malakai Fekitoa and Tommaso Menoncello. Tighthead prop Simone Ferrari scored try number three for the hosts.

Even when Benetton conceded a yellow card, the Lions couldn’t get anything going against 14 players. That was indicative of their struggles. While prop Conraad van Vuuren crossed over for a late try when they were down to 14 players with Rynhardt Jonker in the sin bin for ill-discipline.

That consolation try was cancelled out when fullback Quan Horn received his marching orders right at the end of the game. It allowed Benetton to score again through Lynagh, putting the final nail in the coffin of the Johannesburg side.

The Lions face the Scarlets on Saturday at Ellis Park, and if things are not turned around in that game, their season could be over before it even starts.

Points scorers

Benetton 41 (27): Tries: Rhyno Smith, Louis Lynagh (4), Simon Ferrari. Conversions: Jacob Umaga (3), Smith. Penalty: Umaga. Lions 15 (10): Tries: Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Conraad van Vuuren. Conversion: Chris Smith. Penalty: Smith.