The Emirates Lions' rallying cry to finish their Vodacom United Rugby Championship season on a high was met with a muted response as they slumped to a 32-19 loss to Welsh side Scarlets in their penultimate match of the season.
The Lions' slim hopes of making the top eight of the URC were killed off on Saturday, as Benetton’s big win over Glasgow Warriors snuffed out their last chance of making a playoff spot, and things just got worse on Sunday as they were a shadow of the side they needed to be to give their fans something to shout about.
Scarlets hopes of #VURC play-off rugby are still alive 💪
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) May 11, 2025
They take the W in Johannesburg 👇#SSRugby pic.twitter.com/PeGt2JaYqY
Now with one game left, they sit at 13th spot - this from a side that won their opening four games and professed to be a top four team - and are unlikely to finish much higher in their final week of regular competition.
If introspection was ever needed it is now. The Lions failed to inspire themselves, failed to respond to the rallying cries in the week from the coaching staff and the performance points to a side that have lost confidence in the coaching team and their plans.
FOURTH SEASON OF WOE
This now is the fourth straight season of not making the top eight for the Lions, and the sixth straight season of no success under coach Ivan van Rooyen.
There is no doubt that other URC sides would have had little appetite for such failure - in fact three Irish sides have replaced their coaches this season alone with much less fanfare or reason to do so.
Still, this Lions team continues to underperform and while they may have been subdued by the fact their chances were snuffed out less than 24 hours before this game, there is no doubt they should have put up a better performance at home.
But that would take away from a good performance from the Welsh side, who came to Joburg, performed at altitude and took away the points on offer to move to sixth on the log with one week left.
After their shock win over Leinster in the last round, Scarlets once again proved they are no fluke in the competition.
While the Lions couldn’t find momentum and were underwhelming, the Scarlets' forwards were exceptional and at the back Johnny Williams and Blair Murray were class, with the latter scoring two tries as they put the Lions to the sword on their home ground.
MURRAY EXCEPTIONAL
Murray scored in the 14th and 27th minutes, both times coming into the line at the crucial moment to round off a good attack that had the Lions floundering.
The way the Lions fell off tackles was crucial and contributed to the opening two tries of the Scarlets.
Dan Davis’s yellow card late in the first half allowed the Lions an in, and they took it through scrumhalf Nico Steyn, who darted over from close range to put the home side on the board.
Crucially though, Welsh international Sam Costello put through a drop goal on the stroke of halftime to keep the Lions more than a score behind as Scarlets continued to keep their noses ahead.
The Lions were put further ahead when Murray made another break that resulted in recycled ball sending Taine Plumtree over to extend the lead.
But the home side did have a rally that gave them hope.
Richard Kriel scored a brace on the outside, both times stretching the defence before he could pounce, but in between the Lions lost JC Pretorius to a yellow card.
Straight from the training ground 💯@LionsRugbyCo move it wide perfectly for Richard Kriel who finished off 👏@Vodacom #URC | #LIOvSCA pic.twitter.com/L3DzMZkOej
— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) May 11, 2025
Still the brace of tries gave them hope and the Lions could have made a run for it, but the Scarlets were too good at exploiting their weaknesses as the game started grinding down towards the final whistle.
An exceptional break by forward of the match Vaea Fifita opened the gap before the lock passed inside to Williams to seal the game for the Scarlets and keep their top eight hopes very much alive.
Costello sealed the game with a penalty on a day the Lions would rather forget, and a performance that alone should warrant a deep inquiry and action if the forgettable season wasn’t enough already.
🗞️ What a performance, what a result!!!
— Scarlets Rugby (@scarlets_rugby) May 11, 2025
Match report from a stunning bonus-point win over the Lions in Johannesburg
🔗 https://t.co/heRyNjWqG7
Adroddiad o fuddugoliaeth hanesyddol yn Johannesburg#YmaOHyd #LIOvSCA pic.twitter.com/U7bArKyUcK
Scorers
Emirates Lions - tries: Nico Steyn, Richard Kriel (2). Conversions: Kade Wolhuter, Lobabalo Dobela.
Scarlets - tries: Blair Murray (2), Taine Plumtree, Johnny Williams. Conversions: Sam Costello (3). Penalty: Costello. Drop Goal: Costello.