Lions 7 (0) vs Blue Bulls 21 (6)

Lions shocked at home by Blue Bulls

Mametsa scores a hat-trick in his 100th game for Blue Bulls

The Lions started their 2008 Currie Cup campaign in the worst fashion at home, going down 21-7 to the Blue Bulls in a match where the Lions struggled the whole match to find any kind of rhytm. Mametsa scored three tries in his 100th match for the Blue Bulls and was deservedly named man of the match.

The match was started by Jaco van Schalkwyk in perfect rugby conditions. The first chance came early for the Blue Bulls when they established an overlap on the left, and the Lions did well to tackle Mametsa over the line in the left corner and keep him from scoring, even though it took the TMO quite some time to decide that his feet did in fact go out in the tackle.

Just about a minute later the Lions had their first chance for points when they were awarded a penalty just inside their own half, and Rose indicated that he was going for poles, but the kick was well short, even though the direction was perfect.

The next chance came after 15 minutes when the Blue Bulls conceded a penalty at a ruck just outside their 10 meter line, but this time Rose pushed the penalty to the right.

Jannie Boshoff replaced Rayno Benjamin at this stage, Benjamin looking like he injured his right leg.

The first points eventually came in the 31st minute when Morne Steyn kicked a penalty from about 10 meters outside of the Lions 22, the penalty awarded because the Lions tackled a player without the ball inside their own 22 meter area.

Minutes later scrumhalf JP Joubert put the Blue Bulls further ahead with a woer-woer dropgoal from the Lions 22 meter line, the score now 6-0 for the Blue Bulls, and the Lions pinned in their own half.

Just before the break Mostert cleaned away Olivier who looked offside at a ruck, but the ref wasn't happy and he received a yellow card. That was basically the final happening of the first half, so the Blue Bulls leading 6-0 at halftime.

12 minutes into the 2nd half the Lions finally opened their score, it was a short pass to Jano Vermaak on the Blue Bulls 10 meter line, Jano was in space and no defenders in front of him, so he ran in the try under the poles. Rose converted and the Lions now in front 7-6, but it was short lived, as the Blue Bulls hit right back when Mametsa scored in the left corner. Steyn missed the conversion, but the Blue Bulls back in the lead 11-7.

Koch was on for Alberts for a short blood injury.

The Blue Bulls pulled further ahead through another try by Mametsa in the left had corner with 13 minutes left in the game. Steyn missed the conversion again, but the score now 16-7 for the Blue Bulls.

Mametsa wasn't finished yet, he scored his 3rd, also in the left corner, it came from a line-out the Lions lost on the Blue Bulls 10 meter line, Wanneburg ran the ball up to about the Lions 22 meter line, where the ball went left with a huge overlap and Mametsa scored in the corner.

Noble came on for Rose with about 4 minutes left in the game. Muller, Reynecke and Jonck was also on now, but time ran out and even though the Lions threatened a bit at the end the Blue Bulls defense held and the final score was 21-7 for the Blue Bulls.


The scorers: