Super Rugby - Lions vs Reds on 8 February 2020
February 8, 2020 - The match was played at Ellis Park on Saturday 8 February 2020, and kicked off at 15:05 SA Time.
The Reds applied the early pressure in the match, and were awarded an early penalty at a scrum, which Bryce Hegarty kicked for 3 points to put the visitors in the lead after just 4 minutes.
Shortly thereafter the Lions went for a line-out from a penalty, the Lions set up a couple of phases and then Elton Jantjies kicked a grubber that Tyrone Green collected and scored the first try of the match.
Jantjies missed the conversion from the side-line, but the Lions were in the lead, 5-3 after 6 minutes.
3 Minutes later the Lions were on the attack on the halfway line, Jantjies kicked a grubber and Andries Coetzee tried to kick the ball ahead, but the ball hit the legs of a Reds player, who picked it up and
caught all the Lions defenders off guard, Campbell eventually took the last pass and scored the try for the Reds, a little bit against the run of play, but putting the visitors in a 10-5 lead after a
successful conversion.
About 5 minutes later the Lions were on the attack again, and Green scored his second try from close range when he stepped inside and then outside to beat the defenders. Jantjies missed the comnversion again, and
the score was 10 all.
The Reds were starting to get the upper hand in the scrums and line-outs, and when they were awarded a scrum penalty within kicking range, Hegarty added the 3 points to put them in a 13-10 lead after 25 miniutes.
The Lions then put the Reds under pressure towards the end of the first half, and eventually the Reds Tupou received a yellow card after repeat infringements by the team. With one man extra the Lions set up a
driving maul, from which Marnus Schoeman scored. This time Jantjies kicked the conversion, to put the Lions in a 17-13 lead at the break.
Early in the second half the Reds received another yellow card and were down to 13 men, and the Lions almost took advantage but Green was denied his third try when he was just tackled into touch in the process of
scoring.
It was the Reds who scored next, when McDermott went over under the posts with a sniping dart from close range. Hegarty added the conversion, and the Reds were in the lead again, 20-17 with 18 minutes left in the match.
5 minutes later the Lions hit back with a try from Skosan, converted by Jantjies, to go back in the lead, 24-20 the score, and then 5 minutes before full time, Elton Jantjies sealed the win for the Lions with a
penalty to make the final score 27-20.
Officials
Referee: Jaco Peyper
AR1: Cwengile Jadezweni
AR2: Griffin Colby
TMO: Marius Jonker
Teams
Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Tyrone Green, 13 Duncan Matthews, 12 Dan Kriel, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies (captain), 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Len Massyn, 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Pieter Jansen, 1 Dylan Smith
Replacements: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Carlu Sadie, 19 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 20 Ruan Vermaak, 21 Dillon Smit, 22 Manny Rass, 23 Shaun Reynolds
Reds: 15 Bryce Hegarty, 14 Jock Campbell, 13 Jordan Petaia, 12 Hamish Stewart, 11 Henry Speight, 10 James O’Connor, 9 Tate McDermott, 8 Harry Wilson, 7 Liam Wright (captain), 6 Angus Scott-Young, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Izack Rodda, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Alex Mafi, 1 JP Smith
Replacements: 16 Sean Farrell, 17 Dane Zander, 18 Josh Nasser, 19 Angus Blyth, 20 Seru Uru, 21 Moses Sorovi, 22 Isaac Lucas, 23 Hunter Paisami
Scorers
Lions: 27 (17): Tries: Green (2), Marnus Schoeman, Skosan. Conversions: Jantjies(2). Penalties: Jantjies.
Reds: 20 (13): Tries: Campbell, McDermott. Conversions: Hegarty (2). Penalties: Hegarty (2).