Resurgent Lions bring Sharks back to earth with emphatic URC win at Ellis Park

The Lions’ dominance of the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship continued emphatically at Ellis Park on Saturday when they drilled the Durbanites 34-22 to complete a home-and-away double.

The Lions have won five of the last six games played between the teams to confirm they are the Sharks’ nemesis team. The Sharks’ high of victories over the Stormers in Cape Town and Durban dissipated on the Highveld as they crumbled before a Lions team determined to hit back from their 50-point mauling by the Bulls.

Going into the game, anyone doubting the closeness of the teams just had to look at their record in the URC going into the match. The Lions had four wins, one draw and five defeats, with 24 points. The Sharks? They had an identical W/D/L record to the Lions, and the teams were level in tenth place on the URC log.

The home team started brightly, and the early pressure produced an opportunity for Chris Smith to show his long-range kicking skills and put his team into the lead. It should have been 10-0 shortly after, when brisk phase play provided wing Kelly Mpeku with an open try-line, but he criminally spilt the pass from Morne van den Berg.

It was 15 minutes before the Sharks launched their first attack. They worked their way deep into Lions territory, won a penalty, chose to kick to the corner, and hooker Fez Mbatha was propelled over the line, with most of the backline joining the forwards in the shove. The Lions responded with a second Smith penalty, but at 7-6 down after 30 minutes, they would have been disappointed, and the Sharks chuffed.

The Sharks were the stronger team in the collisions and looked increasingly threatening, only for the tide to turn dramatically — Lions wing Angelo Davids enjoyed a blistering break down the openside touchline, and in the ensuing scramble from the Sharks, Jaden Hendrikse recklessly got himself yellow-carded for an off-the-ball indiscretion.

It was the death knell of his team.

The Lions kicked to the corner, and big Asenathi Ntlabakanye bustled over. Smith had barely added the extras when a Lions breakout from the restart eventually saw Van den Berg finish off, and Smith was once more aiming a conversion at the posts, and again nailing it. Suddenly, the home team was 20-7 in front thanks to their 14-man advantage.

The half ended on a dramatic note when the Sharks' fightback culminated in the Lions centre Bronson Mills committing a head-high tackle while defending the try-line and being sin-binned as a result. Siya Masuku kicked over the penalty for a 20-10 half-time score.

But the Lions were soon back at their try-scoring ways, with Junior Bok flank Siba Mahashe worming over for a close-quarter try. At 27-10, the Sharks needed something special to get back into the game. There was a potential comeback when Zimbabwe flank Tino Mavesere smashed over from a lineout maul to pull it back to 27-15 (the conversion was missed).

But the comeback was quashed when Lions flank Ruan Venter, making his comeback from a suspension, crashed over for his team’s bonus-point try. At 34-15 with 20 minutes to go, the Lions were over the hills and far away.

The Sharks had chances to narrow the score-line — twice Jurenzo Julius made spectacular 60m breaks, and twice he could not get the ball to his support. Julius scored the Sharks’ consolation try in the 80th minute when he finished off a break by centre partner Francois Venter. That earned his side a try-scoring bonus point.

Scorers

Lions — Tries: Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Morne van den Berg, Siba Mahashe, Ruan Venter. Conversions: Chris Smith (4). Penalties: Smith (2).

Sharks — Tries: Fez Mbatha, Tino Mavesere, Jurenzo Julius (2). Conversion: Siya Masuku.