MATCH REPORT: Three tries by the Lions’ Springbok Ruan Venter helped his side to an emphatic 55-12 win over the Pumas at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Keeping the big frame of Venter at bay was a stretch too far for the visiting Pumas as he also had a hand in a few of the Lions’ eight tries.
With this victory the Lions moved to the second spot in the Currie Cup standings with only the Cheetahs that could leapfrog them should they record a win over Western Province on Saturday evening.
The Lions started strong and immediately worked their way into the Pumas’ 22, scoring their first try in the third minute as Tapiwa Mafura got over in the corner.
But the Pumas hit back a minute later when their captain Shane Kirkwood took the kick-off cleanly and sent Phiko Sobahle to finish off on the opposite side.
Neither conversions by the two flyhalves were successful and the score was 5-5 after six minutes of play.
Lions fullback Quan Horn sent a lovely kick into the corner spotting open spaces but the Pumas’ Clinton Swart, attempting to defend, slapped the ball down and got his marching orders for cynical play.
After a try by Renzo du Plessis was disallowed, the Lions regrouped and Darrien-Lane Landsberg galloped down the middle, and passed to Venter who was never going to be stopped to dot down under the poles.
This was followed by a sneaky try through Lions scrumhalf Nico Steyn, converted by Bronson Mills and the home side stretched their lead to 19-5.
At this stage, the Pumas, still down one man, were starved of possession with the Lions playing all the rugby.
On the stroke of half-time, the confident Lions needed little time in the red zone using their forwards to gain ascendency before Mills crossed for their fourth try of the afternoon.
Mills sent his first penalty through the poles as the Lions put more daylight between them and the struggling Pumas.
The Lions needed only two minutes to advance to the Pumas’ 22 as they launched yet another ruthless attack on the visitors.
But the Pumas managed to clear their lines with a great touch finder to move play to the middle of the field.
Finally, the visitors managed to string together some phases and keep possession.
Scrumhalf Ross Braude, the Canadian international, kept play alive with quick service behind the rucks and mauls, giving his backs some clean ball.
They squandered their positive ascendancy with a poor line-out throw and the ball was back in the hands of the Lions.
Play was taken back into the Pumas half of the field, and as they were scampering, the lanky fullback Stefan Coetzee started running inside his own 22 and almost made it all the way before handing off to Sobahle for their second try.
The Lions got their fifth try as the big Venter mauled his way over in response to the Pumas’ try.
With 30 minutes left, the Lions were leading 34-12.
It was no surprise that the big Springbok Venter yet again worked his way across the whitewash for his third as the Lions’ forwards completely dominated proceedings.
Then his big loose forward partner Jarod Cairns also got a try after the Pumas fumbled the ball and he managed to stay on his feet to go and score.
Everything seemed to go wrong for the Pumas as they lacked cohesion, handling, and physical presence while the Lions never showed any signs of taking the foot off the pedal.
The poor defence of the visitors allowed the Lions an abundance of freedom and confidence to run every ball at will.
Venter had his hands on multiple try-assists, like the one to new recruit from the Cheetahs Sibabalo Qoma, who went over for the Lions’ eighth try.
The Pumas squandered so many chances allowing the quick Lions, playing with confidence, to pounce on every mistake they made.
It was no surprise that Venter, with his 17 carries, 88 metres made and three tries, was the Man of the Match.
Scorers:
Lions:
Tries: Mafura, Venter 3, Steyn, Mills, Cairns, Qoma
Cons: Mills 6
Pumas:
Tries: Sobahle 2
Cons: Visagie
Yellow: Clinton Swart (Pumas – cynical play 15’)
Teams:
Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Boldwin Hansen, 13 Kelly Mpeku, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Tapiwa Mafura, 10 Bronson Mills, 9 Nico Steyn, 8 Jarod Cairns, 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Renzo du Plessis, 5 Darrien-Lane Landsberg, 4 Raynard Roets, 3 RF Schoeman, 2 Jaco Visagie (captain), 1 SJ Kotze
Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 Heiko Pohlman, 18 Sivu Mabece, 19 Etienne Oosthuizen, 20 Sibabalo Qoma, 21 Luca Ribbens, 22 Layton Horn, 23 Zander du Plessis
Pumas: 15 Stefan Coetzee, 14 Darren Adonis, 13 De-An Ackermann, 12 Clinton Swart, 11 Phiko Sobahle, 10 Danrich Visagie, 9 Ross Braude, 8 Kwanda Dimaza, 7 Deon Slabbert, 6 Ruward van der Merwe, 5 Shane Kirkwood (captain), 4 Jeandre Leonard, 3 Sampie Swiegers, 2 Eduan Swart, 1 Etienne Janeke
Replacements: 16 Darnell Usuagwu, 17 Deward Maritz, 18 Munashe Mhere, 19 Malembe Mpofu, 20 Anele Lungisa, 21 Godlen Masimla, 22 Wian van Niekerk, 23 David Brits
Referee: AJ Jacobs
