Lions 9 (0) vs Bulls 16 (16)

Lions lose at home but at least get a bonus point

Bulls get the vital away victory 

The Lions lost at home to the Bulls on Saturday, going down 16-9 after trailing 16-0 at the break. One thing they did right was to at least get a bonus point for ending within 7 points of the Bulls, something which they failed to do in the past when they lost games.

The match started in not-so-ideal conditions, with the rain coming down, although it wasn't heavy rain, but still enough to make conditions and the ball slippery.

The surprise was that Andre Pretorius was starting at Flyhalf instead of Earl Rose, coach Eugene Eloff saying that Pretorius would be better in these rainy conditions.

The early break for the Bulls came after 13 minutes, when a high ball was fumbled by the Lions inside their 22, the Balls stole the ball and hit left with their backline, where Ndungane slipped through a half gap, and as he was stopped he passed to Spies on his inside, who scored the try. Steyn converted to put the Bulls in the lead, 7-0.

Just two minutes later Steyn extended the lead with a penalty from the Lions 10 meter line.

Steyn added another three points in the 26th minute from a penalty just inside the Lions 10 meter line, awarded to the Bulls because the Lions went offside at a ruck.

Just four minutes before the break the Lions obstructed a Bulls player at a ruck and the Bulls were awarded another penalty, this one between the Lions 22 and 10 meter line. Steyn kicked it to put the Bulls in a 16-0 lead.

Ernst Joubert left the field with a blood injury and was replaced by Franco van der Merwe, and there was no further score in the first half, so the Bulls leading 16-0 at the break.

The Bulls came close to scoring early in the second half when they kicked the ball ahead towards the Lions try-line, and then Wynand Olivier knocked it on as he tried to pick it up to score, a lucky break for the Lions.

The Lions first points came 10 minutes into the second half from an Andre Pretorius penalty on the Bulls 22 meter line, after a high tackle from Steenkamp on Pretorius.

Four minutes later Wynand Olivier got a yellow card after shoulder charging Ludik, the Lions still 13 points behind but perhaps in with a chance now that the Bulls were down to 14 players.

21 minutes into the second half the Lions were awarded a penalty right in front of the poles, and Pretorius kicked it to make the score 16-6 for the Bulls.

At this stage Rose replaced Pretorius and Clever on for Mostert, and shortly afterwards JC Janse van Rensburg replaced Sephaka.

30 minutes into the 2nd half the Lions got another penalty when the Bulls came in from the side at a ruck, and Rose kicked it from the Bulls 10 meter line to make the score 16-9.

Just three minutes later Rose got a yellow card for foul play so the Lions now down to 14 players. Jannie Boshoff took the field in the place of Doppies la Grange.

The Bulls went for a late drop goal to try and deny the Lions a bonus point, but luckily it went wide and the final score was 16-9 for the Bulls.


The scorers: