Currie Cup - Lions vs Sharks on 19 December 2020
December 19, 2020 - The match was played at Ellis Park on Saturday 19 December 2020, kick-off was at 19:00 SA Time.
The Lions applied the pressure to the Sharks in the scrums early on, and this allowed Elton Jantjies to kick a penalty in the 2nd minute to put the Lions 3-0 up. The penalty came from a Sharks player caught with his hands in the ruck.
Ten minutes later, the Lions scored the first try of the metch, when Courtnall Skosan dived over in the left corner. It came from a ruck close to the Sharks line, Warner passed the ball to the left but the ball went to ground, and luckily Skosan managed to pick it up and dive over in the corner, with Notshe just not managing to force him into touch. Jantjies missed the conversion, but the Lions were now in a 8-0 lead.
Curwin Bosch then kicked two penalties to narrow the gap to 8-6, before Tiaan Swanepoel amd Elton Jantjies each added a penalty for the Lions to make the score at the break 14-6.
In the second half the Lions were awarded a free kick at a scrum just outside their 22 metre line, they took a quick tap and the ball went down the backline on the left, with the Sharks defenders racing up to put the players under pressure, and Simelane knocked on and then played the ball on the ground, to concede a very kickable penalty which Bosch kicked to make it 14-9.
It was only 14 minutes later that Tiaan Swanepoel added another penalty for the Lions, and 4 minutes later one by Jantjies, to make it 20-9 for the Lions after 62 minutes.
6 minutes later the Sharks were awarded another penalty, and being 11 points down, took the strange decision to go for poles instead of the line-out. Bosch added the 3 points, but the Sharks were still two scores down.
The Lions then scored a brilliant try to seal the match, Stean Pienaar was tackled and driven back just inside the Sharks 10 metre line, from the ruck Van den Berg passed to Jantjies, who passed to Simelane, who took the ball on the outside of Nkosi, he stepped inside the tackle of Libbok, and then stepped Am on his inside as well, and then with just Penxe in front of him, passed to Swanepoel on his outside, who had a clear 10 metre run to the try-line. Jantjies converted to give the Lions the 27-12 win.
Officials
Referee: Jaco Peyper
AR1: Cwengile Jadezweni
AR2: Aimee Barrett-Theron
TMO: Stuart Berry
Teams
Lions: 15. Tiaan Swanepoel; 14. Stean Pienaar, 13. Wandisile Simelane, 12. Dan Kriel, 11. Courtnall Skosan; 10. Elton Jantjies (Capt), 9. Andre Warner; 8. Len Massyn, 7. Wilhelm van der Sluys, 6. Jaco Kriel, 5. Marvin Orie, 4. Willem Alberts, 3. Jannie du Plessis, 2. Jaco Visagie, 1. Dylan Smith.
Replacements: 16. Jan-Henning Campher, 17. Ruan Dreyer, 18. Wiehahn Herbst, 19. Reinhard Nothnagel, 20. Roelof Smit, 21. Morné van den Berg, 22. Burger Odendaal, 23. Jamba Ulengo
Sharks: 15 Manie Libbok, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am (Captain), 12 Marius Louw, 11 Yaw Penxe, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Sanele Nohamba, 8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7 Henco Venter, 6 Dylan Richardson, 5 Aston Fortuin, 4 Juan van der Mescht, 3 Michael Kumbirai, 2 Kerron van Vuren, 1 Retshegofaditswe Nche.
Replacements: 16 Fezokuhle Mbatha, 17 Mzamo Majola, 18 John Hubert-Meyer, 19 Thembelani Bholi, 20 James Venter, 21 Phendulani Buthelezi, 22 Jaden Hendrikse, 23 Jeremy Ward.
Scorers
Lions: 27 (14): Tries: Courtnall Skosan, Tiaan Swanepoel. Conversions: Elton Jantjies. Penalties: Elton Jantjies(3), Tiaan Swanepoel(2).
Sharks: 12 (6): Penalties: Curwin Bosch(4).