The second semi-final takes us to Coca Cola Park in Johannesburg, where the defending champions Lions take on Western Province in a repeat of the 2011 semi-final.
The Lions have made a host of changes from the team that lost to the Bulls last week, a match that Johan Ackerman used to rest his stalwarts, recalling the likes of Elton Jantjies and Jaco Taute to the starting line-up.
Western Province have lost three Springboks to injury, and will be captained by Deon Fourie in the absence of Jean de Villiers. Andries Bekker and Tiaan Liebenberg also miss out on play-off action, with De Kock Steenkamp and Scarra Ntubeni gaining from the injuries.
Golden Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Jaco Taute, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach/Dylan des Fountain, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Jaco Kriel, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Michael Rhodes, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Callie Visagie, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg (captain).
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 CJ van der Linde/Pat Cilliers, 18 Hendrik Roodt, 19 Derick Minnie, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Butch James, 22 Deon Helberg.
Western Province: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Marcel Brache, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Don Armand, 6 Deon Fourie (captain), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Siyabonga Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Deon Carstens, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 19 Jebb Sinclair, 20 Louis Schreuder, 21 Damian de Allende, 22 Joe Pietersen
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LIONS!!!!!!!!!!
Kitty Katte!!!!!
Sharks v Lions final? I hope, but think the WP will be to strong today
Late change for the Lions, Mapoe in at 14, Combrink moves to 11
I called 21-17 Lions.
Kick off
Penalty Catrikilas
WP 3
Lions 0
4min
Yellow for Gerhard vd Heever
That was the most deliberate knock down…and out of play I have ever seen by vd Heever…
Penalty missed by Jantjies
Lions 0
WP 3
7min
My guess 24 – 15 to the Lions
Ruan Combrink having an attempt at goal bout 60m out and over.
Lions 3
WP 3
18min
58 meter kick easily slotted by Combrink for the Lions
Mapoe fields the kick but stripped by Habana in the tackle…move killed by a terrible terrible pass by De Jongh…passing across 3 players on his outside…
Combrink going for another 50+ ckick…
Combrink having another attempt about 55m out but no
Shorter distance kick…just under the crossbar…
TMO try?? For WP. No try. Held up
Penalty Catrikilis
WP 6
Lions 3
30min
Penalty but misses Jantjies again
Lions 3
WP 6
36min
@Mutley (Comment 18) :
I think TV ref was looking at the wrong tackel…he was looking at the Aplon tackle on Elton as opposed to the tackle on Hollenbach…
Penalty reversed for just about nothing…face pushing at best…
Jantjies not having the best goal kicking days
Jantjies misses no 3 in a row…
Jantjies going for another attempt and misses yet another. Has the Bok kicking coach ruined him?
Come on Lions!
Halftime
WP 6
Lions 3
Lions missing 4 kicks at goal…WP slotting all chances…
@Hmmmm
Agree that tackle on Hollenbach was definitely high
So far, the gulf in class between WP and the Lions is very palpable. Looks like WP are going to run away in the second half.
Lions not taking their chances. WP will win this one.
2nd half starts
ai jai jai …..
Jantjies finally gets a penalty over
Lions 6
WP 6
44min
At last…after 4 straight misses at goal the Elton slots 1…
@Mutley (Comment 30) :
Biggest issue IMO. Lions have a small number of key game-breakers, and so far today they aren’t firing. Maybe all they need is some luck to get some confidence: doesn’t look like they have any.
Try Micheal Rhodes
Converted
Lions 13
WP 6
50min
@Big Fish (Comment 35) : Back from the desert?
Poor handling by de Jongh in spite absolutely no pressure…lazy running by Etsabeth adding to the good fortune…
Lions score under the poles…
And a 2nd straight kick at goal…
WP great oppo to score after a great maul but De Jongh knock takes play back to the maul penalty…
De Jongh keeping the Lions ahead in this game…
Lions leaving A LOT of points on the field…
And………….?
The Lions yet again making silly errors leaving some more points on the field in that period of play…
65th min Lions lead 13 – 6…WP scrum on 50…
Penalty Pietersen but misses
WP 6
Lions 13
67min
Butch starting his tricks…taking Hab’s out off the ball…get nurvous when Butch is on the in a close semi…
Hab’s crying to everyone about that…think he even called home…
70 mins. Come on Lions.
Province puting good pressure on the Lions…Lions not controlling their possession well…
Try Pietersen
Poor def by Lions…WP score out wide…
I’m watching the Smurfs
@JarsonX (Comment 51) :
Kom Lions!
Conversion missed Pietersen
WP 11
Lions 13
74min
How the hell did he miss that??
Joe misses the conv…Lions lead 13 – 11 6 min to play…
@klempie (Comment 52) :
Game over. Penalty WP right in front.
Penalty right in front for province
There’s that step from de Jongh again. Best in the business.
Since WP 20 and 21 came on the province backline is on fire…
@Mutley (Comment 54) : Blow the final whistle
Pietersen puts it over
WP 14
Lions 13
76min
4 mins to go.
Joe puts over the penalty and leads 14 – 13
Hmmmm…Lions have a 22 lineout…
@Mutley (Comment 63) : No!
Penalty Lions!!
Come on Elton….
It’s basically just outside the 22 on the 15m line. He should get this…
It’s THERE!!!!
1.5 mins to go!
Jantjies to take the penalty and over
Lions 16
WP 14
79min
79 mins and province have a lineout in the Lions 22.
Province are going to maul it over the line.
And WP scores the winning try
Try Province.
Province score with a 20 meter maul…
The best team def did not win…
Sharks seem BIG fav to take this Currie Cup…
FT Lions 16 – 21 Province
Shit! Sorry Lions
@Hmmm (Comment 77) : Unlucky bru.
Converted
WP 21
Lions 16
Full Time
@klempie (Comment 80) :
Life goes on…
We left like 12 – 15 points on the field…when you do that you don’t really deserve to win…
@Hmmm (Comment 82) :
Actually even more points…
@Hmmm (Comment 82) : OK. Unllucky me then. Would have been nice seeing you after next week’s hiding.
Elton must be gutted…
Ouch – those last minute losses hurt!
Sorry Lions, but congratulations WP.
Massive confidence win for Prooooovince – they’re gonna take some stopping from the Sharks next week.
@klempie (Comment 84) :
Ha-Ha…well at least the highveld Lions in the CL T20 semi final…still got a chance there…
Would be a big upset if WP win…
WP Jou Lekke Ding!
is it not funny how Elton Jantjies ( who is moving to weeping province and has a 100 % kicking rate) suddenly misses 3 sitters in front of the poles to give his NEW team a win.
@pete69 (Comment 91) :