The ADT Fidelity Lions produced a stunning performance to blitz the Vodacom Bulls 57-33 in a highly entertaining Carling Currie Cup encounter in front of a full house at Midstream College in Olifantsfontein on Friday night.
Earlier in the week it was announced that the Bulls would be taking the important match to the College as an initiative to bring the game closer to their younger fan base.
However it was the Lions who seemed more inspired as they tore into an early lead, led comfortably at halftime and saw out the game in style to clinch a vital win in the end.
The result saw the Lions leapfrog the Bulls to the top of the Currie Cup log and they are now odds on favourites to finish top after the final weekend of pool action next weekend.
It was a great start to the match for the Lions as they cruised into a 19-0 lead after 21 minutes with three early tries.
First some great interplay in the Bulls 22m saw outside centre Erich Cronje hand off a Bulls defender and go over for an unconverted score in the fourth minute.
The visitors' forwards then took centre stage as a number of pick and goes finished with flank Ruan Venter forcing his way over, before a big maul was driven towards the line, where hooker PJ Both broke off to reach over and score, with flyhalf Nico Steyn slotting both conversions.
The Bulls finally responded in the 27th minute as they setup a lineout in the Lions' 22m, saw their maul stopped short before flank Corne Beets crashed over to score, converted by flyhalf Jaco van der Walt to make it 19-7.
However the Lions hit straight back four minutes later, taking play into the Bulls half where inside centre Marius Louw broke the line and offloaded to scrumhalf Morne van den Berg to score their bonus point try.
It was then an action packed finish to the half as Lions wing Tapiwa Mafura was yellow carded for cynical play after illegally preventing an offload attempt from Bulls fullback Canan Moodie close to the try line, leading to a penalty try for the hosts.
But the visitors ended the half on top as they setup a lineout in the Bulls 22m, set the maul and powered it over for Botha to get his second as they took a 33-14 lead into halftime.
FINISH WITH A FLOURISH
The second half was a back and forth affair, with the Bulls getting off to a good start as they drove a maul over for hooker Joe van Zyl to score in the 48th minute, converted by replacement flyhalf Keagan Johannes as they cut the deficit to 12 points.
But the Lions struck back in the 54th minute, taking play into the Bulls 22m where prop Morgan Naude crashed over to score, with Steyn’s extras making it 40-21.
The Bulls then responded with a superb grubber from Moodie in the Lions 22m allowing wing Katlego Letebele to run onto and score, converted by Johannes to again bring themselves back into the game going into the final quarter.
But the Lions weren’t done either and after Steyn knocked over a close-range drop goal to push them more than two scores ahead, try scoring machine loose forward Renzo du Plessis joined the fray and promptly added his name to the score sheet, converted by replacement flyhalf Sanele Nohamba to put them into a 50-28 lead after 70 minutes.
Although they couldn’t win, the Bulls tried to finish strongly, as they pulled a lineout move which allowed replacement hooker Juann Els to power over in the corner.
But it was the Lions that finished with a flourish as they attacked from their own half, before wing Rabz Maxwane finished it off to put the cherry on the cake.
SCORERS
Vodacom Bulls: Tries - Corne Beets, Penalty Try, Joe van Zyl, Katlego Letebele, Juann Els; Conversions - Jaco van der Walt, Keagan Johannes (2)
ADT Fidelity Lions: Tries - Erich Cronje, Ruan Venter, PJ Botha (2), Morne van den Berg, Morgan Naude, Renzo du Plessis, Rabz Maxwane; Conversions - Nico Steyn (5), Sanele Nohamba (2); Drop Goal - Steyn