The Lions saved their slim probability of creating the Currie Cup semi-finals alive with a 39-22 bonus level win over the Griffons in Welkom, whereas the Pumas sealed their place in the knockouts with a 27-17 win over the Griquas in Kimberley on Friday afternoon.
The Lions had been made to work arduous for it however did what they wanted to maneuver themselves as much as fourth place on the log, however they nonetheless want the Cheetahs to beat the Bulls at Loftus with out permitting the hosts a degree, and the Sharks to beat Western Province in Cape Town in Saturday’s matches.
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In the sport it was a robust first half from the Lions that set them up for the win, with the Griffons battling again beautifully in the second half however not doing sufficient to threaten the guests.
The facet’s traded early transformed tries with Lions flank JC Pretorius dotting down in the back of the maul and Griffons lock Riaan Olivier seizing on a mistake from the kick-off to attain making it 7-all after 11 minutes.
A robust last 14 minutes of the half then noticed lock Ruben Schoeman crash over, wing Boldwin Hansen chase a grubber from scrumhalf Sanele Nohamba to dot down and hooker Jaco Visagie to run all of 50m to attain, with Nohamba slotting two conversions for a 26-7 lead on the break.
The Griffons battled again at first of the second half as exterior centre CJ Coetzee scored off the kick-off and hooker HP van Schoor went over, both facet a Nohamba penalty with the rating 29-19 after 52 minutes.
Scrumhalf Jaywinn Juries and Nohamba then traded penalties, earlier than the Lions sealed the win with a late transformed rating to lock Raynard Roets.
Knockouts secured
In the day’s different sport the Pumas win over the Griquas secured their knockout spot, whereas the guests dropped out of the competitors.
In shades of final 12 months’s last when the Pumas beat the Griquas at Griqua Park to select up their first ever Currie Cup title, the defending champs once more needed to do it the arduous option to secure their place in the playoffs, and duly did that with a superb win.
It was an exciting match with the group’s stage pegging at 10-all on the break, after Griquas fullback George Whitehead and Pumas flyhalf Tinus de Beer traded early penalties, adopted by late transformed tries to house flyhalf Lubabalo Dobela and visiting lock Deon Slabbert.
The second half then began with the Griquas retaking the lead as flank Thabo Ndimande went over to attain, just for the Pumas to hit again via their flank Francois Kleinhans making it 17-all after 51 minutes.
A 64th minute penalty to De Beer and a 75th minute transformed attempt to alternative again Wian van Niekerk then sealed the win for the Pumas and saved their hopes of retaining their Currie Cup crown alive.
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