The Lions kept their hopes of reaching the United Rugby Championship quarter-finals alive with a 44-12 victory over league leaders Leinster at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Leinster have made 13 changes to their starting XI from the team that beat La Rochelle 40-13 in the Investec Champions Cup quarter-finals last week with a matchday squad that had a healthy mix of youth and experience.
However, it wasn't enough to see victory as the Lions secured a bonus point victory thanks to two tries from Morne van den Bergh, Marius Lowe, Quan Horn, Franke Horn and Emmanuel Tasituka. was. Sanele Nohamba scored 10 points and Jordan Hendrickse added two conversions.
Ireland were held scoreless in the first half, but they looked to make a comeback with two tries from Ciaran Frawley's crosses.
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The hosts took a 22-0 lead in the first 14 minutes with shots from outside the blocks.
Fly-half Nohamba – who is part of the Springboks' training camp and is likely to start in the first Test of the year against Wales – plays a great flat pass for the Lions to score their first try. It only took 30 seconds. Richard Kriel breaks through the Leinster defence.
Manager Kriel brought in JC Pretorius as support, and sent Springbok prospect Morne van den Berg over the line as a flanker, and the match got off to a quick start.
Nohamba's form continued and they added a penalty in the 7th minute, starting a fluid attack when van den Berg ran into Leinster's half and fired a superb offload over his shoulder to captain Marius Lowe, who scored a penalty for the Lions. He extended his lead. 15-0 in just 10 minutes.
absolute rugby @Lions Rugby Teckers 😍👏🦁#BKTURC #URC | #LIOvLEI #Race to the Eight pic.twitter.com/sH1A9pH93I
— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) April 20, 2024
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Nohamba then picked up Liam Turner's pass, stretched his legs and spread the ball wide for the full-back's horn to score Joburgers' third try.
The hosts dominated the first quarter and despite Leinster's attempts to fight back, the Lions defense remained resolute.
When the ball was placed in front of the line, the visiting team were denied a try and their effort went unrecognized, leaving Leinster to finish the game scoreless.
The Irish province broke the deadlock in the second half with Frawley's kick-through over the Lions' tryline, but the hosts were quick to react through flanker Tsitka.
Van den Berg tapped a good grubber across the field, and when Kriel picked the ball back up, he lost his footing and was tackled by Cormac Foley, who had come on as an early substitute for injured winger Andrew Osborne. The Lions wing was able to pass from the deck to Tsutsuka, who went for a bonus point try.
A well-worked set move saw Frawley score his second try, but Chicka's second try and Horne's effort after a Leinster error secured a decisive victory for the Lions. This is Leinster's third defeat of the URC season.
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Benetton keeps play-off hopes alive
Meanwhile, Benetton remained firmly on track for the United Rugby Championship play-offs with a 36-19 bonus point win over the Dragons in Treviso.
The Italian team's ninth league win of the season should have become even more convincing given how many clear-cut chances they created.
But in the end Rhino Smith, Gianmarco Lucchesi, Andy Woolen, Onishi Latabe, Edoardo Iacizzi and Michele Lamaro scored tries, Tomas Albornoz converted two and Jacob Umaga converted one. This proved to be a successful job.
The Dragons fought back in the second half with interceptions from winger Jared Rosser and scrumhalf Dane Blacker, as well as a touchdown from Che Hope.
Kai Evans and Will Reid added conversions, but it was another frustrating away day for Dai Flanagan's side.
Benetton were sharp from the start and it took just eight minutes for them to cut through the Dragons' defense with some great moves.
Smith had almost had a try two minutes earlier but made no mistake this time, helped by a midfield burst from winger Leonardo Marin, who scored the full-back a touchdown in his 50th appearance for Benetton. Ta.
Benetton's free approach with Albornoz converting and Uhlen threatening to score further in a dominant first quarter, but a poor performance left the Dragons unpunished.
Benetton missed three great opportunities due to poor handling, but a more direct approach paid off, with Lucchesi scoring a powerful lineout drive to make it 12-0.
The Dragons were mediocre and predictable in comparison, with Woolen intercepting a pass from center Aneurin Owen before half-time, the former Bristol No. 9 sprinting 60 meters unopposed and Albornoz converting a simple. In addition, he gifted Benetton with a third try.
The damage was limited, but there was a glimmer of hope when Rosser intercepted Albornoz's pass and Albornoz ran deep into his own half to score.
However, normal service soon resumed as Benetton earned a bonus point with Latave collecting a pinpoint kick into space from Albornoz for a strong finish.
Blackie intercepted a wayward pass from Benetton to bring the Dragons to double-digit points, but late on, Jaacizzi and Michele Lamaro intersected and Hope scored a try, sending the Dragons to their 11th loss of the URC season.
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