Durban — The Lions will forever wonder how they butchered this one but in the end, Griquas scored late to ensure the Johannesburgers had lost their eighth Currie Cup match in a row, winning 23-17.
The Lions had almost countless opportunities to win the game and seven minutes from time they took the lead for the first time but the charity they had given the visitors came back to haunt them when Ashlon Davids scored a minute from time to keep his team alive in their quests for the playoffs.
Griquas started like a team on a mission and five minutes of opening domination culminated in George Whitehead taking three points, with the Lions probably satisfied at not having conceded a seven-pointer.
The Lions had a powerhouse front row starting the game and Carlu Sadie won two penalties in a row early in the game, but they could not make the territorial advantage count, such was the tenacious Griquas defence, and it was a real sucker punch when they turned over the ball in their 22 and wing Munier Hartzenberg scorched 80 metres for an against-the-run-of-play score, and a 10-0 lead after 20 minutes.
Ten minutes before halftime, Griquas again took three points after a long period of domination, such was their desire to make sure of the win.
Surprisingly, at 13-0 down the Lions opted for a shot at goal shortly before half time and fullback Tiaan Swanepoel kicked his team’s first points.
Griquas’s focus on simply winning the game was evident when five minutes into the second half they went for a shot at goal instead of the corner, and Whitehead restored their 13-point lead.
There was a possible game-changing moment when Jaco Visagie intercepted when Griquas were on the attack and when he was caught 40m later just short of the try line, Griquas centre Zander du Plessis was yellow-carded for slowing the ball down.
The Lions camped from the ensuing pressure and it took well over five minutes of pressure before Swanepoel was worked over out wide and his conversion narrowed the score to 10-16.
The pivotal moment came ten minutes from time when a penalty to the Lions on the Griquas’ line was overturned because of substitute prop Jannie du Plessis’ lashing out with the boot at an opposition player.
\Whithead was yellow carded at the same time for a professional foul but it was undone by Du Plessis’ indiscretion although the veteran will have felt much better when wing Boldwin Hansen scored from a grubber through the defence by replacement flyhalf Fred Zeilinga.
Swanepoel landed the conversion to nudge his team ahead 16-15, the first time they had led in the match and with seven minutes to go.
Four minutes from time Du Plessis missed a shot at goal, with Whitehead off the field, but then came Davids’ match-clinching try.
Scorers
Lions: Tries: Tiaan Swanepoel, Boldwin Hansen. Penalty: Swanepoel. Conversions: Swanepoel (2).
Griquas: Tries: Munier Hartzenberg, Ashlon Davids. Penalties: George Whitehead (3). Conversions: Whitehead (2).
IOL Sport