Super Rugby Unlocked - Lions vs Bulls on 7 November 2020
November 7, 2020 - The match was played at Ellis Park on Saturday 7 November 2020, and kicked off at 19:00 SA Time.
The Lions got the early advantage when they were awarded a penalty after a huge scrum just outside the bulls 22. Jantjies kicked the penalty to make it 3-0 after just 3 minutes.
The Lions then saw a kick by Scrumhalf Morne van den Berg charged down, the Bulls managed to secure the ball and from the next ruck, the Lions defenders were caught offside. Morne Steyn kicked the penalty to make it 3-3 after 6 minutes.
7 minutes later the Bulls took the lead when Hooker Joe van Zyl scored a try from a maul, converted by Steyn, to make it 10-3.
The Lions then hit back with a simple try by Burger Odendaal, it came from a ruck inside the Bulls 22, Van den Berg passed to Ruben Schoeman, who quickly passed to Lombard behind him, and he threw a pass over the defender between him and Odendaal who dived over in the left corner.
Just before the break the Lions scored again, they set up a maul from a line-out close to the Bulls try-line, but the Bulls managed to stop the maul, and from the ruck Morne van den Berg dived over for the try. Jantjies converted to make the halftime score 15-10 for the Lions.
Early in the second half Steyn kicked a penalty after Van den Berg went off his feet at a ruck, to make it 15-13.
The Bulls then scored a try when they set up a line-out close to the Lions try-line, the Hooker didn't find the jumper, Jantjies gathered the ball but then threw a wild pass that was intercepted by Stedman Gans, who dived over for the try. Steyn converted to make it 20-15 for the Bulls after 50 minutes.
10 minutes later the Bulls were awarded a scrum penalty in front of the poles, and Steyn added the 3 points.
The Lions then scored the try of the match, when the Bulls kicked from their 22 and Skosan fielded the kick just outside his 22. He wanted to pass but then started to run, and got to the halfway line, where he passed to Marnus Schoeman, who quickly passed to Simelane. Replays later showed this pass was forward, but the officials did not spot the mistake. Simelane then stepped David Kriel, beat the tackles of Ivan van Zyl and Morne Steyn, and stepped Travis Ismaiel to score. Jantjies converted to make it 23-22 for the Bulls, with 10 minutes left in the match.
Kurt-Lee Arendse then scored for the Bulls down the left hand touchline after some ordinary defense from the Lions. Steyn converted and it was 30-22 for the Bulls.
Jantjies added a penalty late in the match to make the final score 30-25 for the Bulls.
Officials
Referee: Rasta Rasivhenge
AR1: Cwengile Jadezweni
AR2: Egon Seconds
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen
Teams
Lions: 15. Gianni Lombard; 14. Stean Pienaar, 13. Wandisile Simelane, 12. Burger Odendaal, 11. Courtnall Skosan; 10. Elton Jantjies (Captain), 9. Morné van den Berg; 8. Len Massyn, 7. Vincent Tshituka, 6. MJ Pelser, 5. Marvin Orie, 4. Ruben Schoeman, 3. Carlu Sadie, 2. Jaco Visagie, 1. Sti Sithole.
Replacements: 16. PJ Botha, 17. Nathan McBeth, 18. Ruan Dreyer, 19. Reinhard Nothnagel, 20. Marnus Schoeman, 21. Ross Cronjé, 22. Dan Kriel, 23. Tiaan Swanepoel.
Bulls: 15 David Kriel, 14 Travis Ismaiel, 13 Stedman Gans, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain), 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Walt Steenkamp, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Joe van Zyl, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Replacements: 16 Corniel Els, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Marcel van der Merwe, 19 Sintu Manjezi, 20 Nizaam Carr, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Chris Smith, 23 Marco Jansen van Vuren.
Scorers
Lions: 25 (15): Tries: Burger Odendaal, Morné van den Berg, Wandisile Simelane. Conversions: Elton Jantjies (2). Penalties: Elton Jantjies (3).
Bulls: 30 (10): Tries: Joe van Zyl, Stedman Gans, Kurt-Lee Arendse. Conversions: Morné Steyn (3). Penalties: Morné Steyn (3).