The weekend’s rugby finishes rather unspectacularly, with the Lions hosting the Rebels in Johannesburg, the second match of the weekend that has no bearing on the bigger scheme of things, both teams just wanting to gain a few points.
The Lions come off a good few results, beating the Sharks the last time they played at Cocal Cola Park, and then going to Newlands last weekend and giving the Stormers a very tough match. One would think that that would mean an easy match this weekend back at home against the Rebels, but we all know that is not true.
The Rebels finish their season with a tour to South Africa, and with a rather unsuccessful campaign behind them, will want to pick up a few points and finish fourth in the Australian conference, ahead of the Force.
Lions: 15 James Kamana , 14 Lionel Mapoe , 13 Waylon Murray , 12 Butch James , 11 Anthonie Volmink , 10 Elton Jantjies , 9 Michael Bondesio , 8 Joshua Strauss (c) , 7 Grant Hattingh , 6 Derick Minnie , 5 Franco Van der Merwe , 4 Hendrik Roodt , 3 Jacobie Adriaanse , 2 Callie Visagie , 1 JC Janse van Rensburg
Replacements : 16 Martin Bezuidenhout , 17 Ruan Dreyer , 18 Etienne Oosthuizen , 19 Jaco Kriel , 20 Ross Cronje , 21 JR Esterhuizen , 22 Ruan Combrinck
Rebels: 1. Nic Henderson,2. Ged Robinson,3. Jono Owen,4. Cadeyrn Neville,5. Al Campbell,6. Tim Davidson,7. Hugh Perrett,8. Gareth Delve (VC),9. Nick Phipps,10. James Hilgendorf,11. Cooper Vuna,12. Stirling Mortlock (C),13. Mitch Inman,14. Mark Gerrard,15. Julian Huxley
Replacements : 16. Adam Freier,17. Paul Alo-Emile,18. Hugh Pyle,19. Luke Jones,20. Richard Kingi,21. Lachlan Mitchell,22. Lloyd Johannson
Referee: Francisco Pastrana
Assistant Ref 1:Jaco Peyper
Assistant Ref 2:Stefan Breytenbach
TMO : Johan Meuweson
Lets hope the LIONS can do it against the Rebels and the Blues lose against the Force…
So that we at least do not have the last placed team…
Lions just seem to lack pace in their backline…
I take it Andries Coetzee is injured….that sad….he makes a big dif at 15….
Game full of running….Lions first to score with some great backline play….
Try Murray 2 min back….
Converted by Jantjies…
LIONS 7 – 0 Rebels (3 min)
LIONS even running the ball from the kick-off about 10 meters from their goal line…taking play outside their 22 before kicking….
Seems like a open game…both teams passing from side to side and taking the ball up….
After a kick that was knocked by Huxley….we have the first scrum on the Rebels 10 meter…
Lions get free kick from scrum and run….ball going from side line to side line twice over and at the Rebels 22…
Advantage Lions for high tackle…
The Lions pass the ball all the way to the other touch making ground with some good play between Mapoe and Murray….
Then end up scoring through Minnie (who has broken several tackles already the game)
Elton converts from touch after a Minnie buldosed over the Rebels 7…
LIONS 14 – 0 Rebels 11 min
Great play by Lions….that ended with a Elton forward pass….
LIONS set pieces looking solid and the Rebels are being penalised…
Another ruck penalty against eh Rebels and the LIONS get a penalty about 44 meters out….going for goal…
Elton slots it…
LIONS 17 – 0 Rebels 16 min
LIONS def not looking at kicking at all….
Seems Carlos having much more of an impact on the LIONS game now….
First penalty against the LIONS….40 meters…Rebels go for lineout (they are 17 behind)
Get lineout on 22….swinging the ball from side to side…breaking a tackle or two…knock on from Fibbs about 8 meters out from the LIONS tryline….
Another penalty against the LOINS…
Rebels go for lineout…about 8 meters out…
The Rebels mall…Franco penalised for playing the ball off-side (although he seemed right in the middle oft the mall in the air just reaching in with his long arms!??!
Rebels go for the lineout and knock the ball…
LIONS scrum again 5 meters from their tryline…
LIONS under some pressure and not conceding points as yet….
Elton clears….Rebels lineout but coach adjudged that the Lions did not let the lineout jumper down….
Gerrad kicks penalty kick dead….22 drop out….
Ball kicked to and fro….Rebels get lineout in their half….Lions steal ball but after a break by Bondisio Grant Hatting knocks the ball…..
Rebels scrum about 15 meters inside their half…
Volmink has brought some pace into the LIONS side…
About 6 LIONS picked up from the ruck a meter out from the Rebels tryline and went for the line….white line fever like a never seen before…
A chip by Elton just just out of reach of Volmink….ref was playing advantage….LIONS opt ofr lineout….
Lions win lineout 5 meters out…mall with Minnie with ball in hand…Minnie explodes from the back of the mall and scores his 2nd…
Minnie really strong on his feet and tackling well…he def a contender for Bok rugby should there be a few injuries….
Elton converts….
LIONS 24 – 0 Rebels 37 min
Minnie conceded the most penalties int eh comp…..ok maybe not so much….lol
Minnie penalised…rebels go for lineout but Minnie makes amends by stealing the ball 3 meters out when Gerrad took it up….LIONS run from that steal and Volmink just not being able to score after chasing a won kick through…
22 drop out deep…
Missed some play and the rebels got a penalty…yet again go for the lineout…mall and after a few direction changes the rebels score after the hooter….
Try converted….
LIONS 24 – 7 Rebels halftime
@Hmmm (Comment 29) : good man, good man
@robdylan (Comment 30) :
Still 40 min to go so anything can happen…but what is working for the LIONS is they looking good…and it is at altitude…so a good chance…
Rebels scrum ab out 10 kg’s heavier but the LIONS scrumming them back….
Rebels outside LIONS 22….get a ruck penalty and go for lineout….
Rebels win their lineout and go for the mall but the Lions push them over in seconds from forming….rebels still maintain possession though…
Rebels get their 2nd try…
Ball was sent from side to side and after a few rucks a Murray tackle 2 meters out not good enough and the Rebels player scores
converted
Lions 24 – 14 Rebels 48 min
Rebels run the ball from the kick-off and after several phases score within a minute from the previous try….
Lions 24 – 19 Rebels
Lions almost score but knock on meters from Rebels tryline…Rebels scrum and clear to halfway line…
Lions attach from the lineout but fall asleep after a few rucks and Mortlock steals the ball…
However 2/3 phases later the Rebels take the ball in…Lions hold the ball up and wins the scrum just inside the Rebels half…
Again poor ruck play and the Rebels get the ball…
Rebels take linout just outside Lions 22…ball sent through afew phases and just made it inside the LIONS 22…
Another penalty against the LIONS….
Strauss penalised fro side entry….but could not see that….
Converted….
LIONS 24 – 22 Rebels 59 min
How many penalties do we want to concede?
Kick-off knocked on by Rebels….Lions scrum about 5 meters outside Rebels 22
Lions get penalty from the scrum….Elton going for goal….
Elton slots it….5 from 5 for Elton….
Lions 27 – 22 Rebels 62 min
Elton kick charged down…going to TMO to see if Rebels player knocked on…..
Looks like a knock on….
Will have to see what TMO says…
Try awarded….did not seem like it at all hey…
Everyone though it be a knock on…
Converted
Lions 27 – 29 Rebels 64 min
From kick off Minnie plays the ball catcher in the air!???!
Rebels take ball in…
Minnie hold Rebels player up in the tackle…ruled a mall…goes to ground LIONS scrum…
WTF, this isn’t looking good now
Bandisio makes a great break….but no support….and Rebels secure ball…LIONS penalised Rebels kick ball out to halfway line…
Rebels stay on halfway or behind for a few phases….and Rebels 10 kick out on full…
Lions lineout just inside rebels half
Another Rebels penalty…
Rebels going for goal
Slotted off the post…
Lions 27 – 32 Rebels 71 min
2nd half score Lions 3 – 25 Rebels
Penalty against the Rebels
wow
Lions going for touchline…
Lions mall…a bit messy…advantage Lions for Rebels collapsing…
However Bansisio breaks and passes to Kriel (replacement lock)…going to TMO
Ruled legs in air…Try awarded….
bonus point try to Lions…
32 all awaiting kick from Elton off the touch line…
Elton slots it from a half meter inside the field…
Lions 34 – 32 Rebels 75 min
Ball to and fro from kick off…but Rebels penalised about 12 meters in Lions half for holding on from Elton on feet playing ball…
Elton puts ball out inside Rebels 22…
Lions take ball into a mall….Ball goes down and ball does not come out…
Rebels scrum…
77 and half min
Lions put in a really big scrum…Rebels playing back about 10 meters from the tryline…still sending it wide…but incomplete pass into touch….Lions throw in about 12 meters from Rebels tryline….
@Hmmm (Comment 67) :
Oops…rule forward pass…Lions scrum
Lions take threw a few pahses…Elton goes for drop and misses…Lions penalty awarded….not sure for what…
Elton slots it….
Lions 37 – 32 Rebels full time
Rebels still victory-less on SA soil….
Stormers should take them next week…so they should remain victory-less on SA soil
Lions!!!!
Lions thought they had it (like a few games they led halftime this year and lost) and almost lost…but they were able to pull it through in the end…
At least the LIONS got their 3rd win…but unfortunately most likely stay bottom of the log….
Darn useless Rebels
@Franshark (Comment 75) :
Don’t you mean awesome Sharks….
@Hmmm (Comment 76) : that too
Minnie can be a very good player but his discipline let’s him down time and again.