URC result: Lions power game obliterates Ospreys
· Citizen
The Lions forward power game eventually wore down a fighting Ospreys which led to an impressive second half performance from the hosts to seal a deserved 35-19 bonus point win in their United Rugby Championship (URC) match at Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon.
It was a hugely dominant performance from the Lions forwards, as they repeatedly drove the Ospreys back in the scrums and mauls, and after leading at halftime, the visitors faded badly in the second half as the hosts ran in five tries to clinch a big result.
Visit umafrika.club for more information.
The win secures a good start to the season for the Lions, after their opening win over Leinster last weekend, and gives them good momentum to take into their cross-Jukskei derby against the Bulls in Pretoria next weekend.
Slow start
It was a slow start to the match from the Lions but they eventually started building some pressure and from good play in the Ospreys 22m earned a penalty in front in the 12th minute, which flyhalf Chris Smith popped over.
In the 27th minute the Lions then scored the first try of the match after a superb counter attack from their own 22m, after Ospreys knocked on the ball.
The Lions immediately attacked with the ball spread to outside centre Ethan Adams to break up field, before he was tackled close to touch, with the ball then spread down the other side where wing Erich Cronje was on hand to go over for the converted score in the corner for a 10-0 lead.
But a poor finish to the half from the hosts allowed the visitors to come flying back to steal a lead going into halftime.
First a top turnover from Ospreys just outside the Lions 22m gave them front foot ball, with them attacking into the 22m and a great offload off the deck put inside centre Kieran Williams in to score, converted by flyhalf Dan Edwards in the 35th minute.
The Lions discipline then cost them as a number of penalties allowed Ospreys to work their way into the 22m, and after the halftime hooter they set a lineout on the 5m, secured it and just managed to maul over for hooker Efan Daniel to dot down to put them up 12-10 at halftime.
Great start
It was a great start to the second half for the Lions as their power game kicked up a level, as straight from the kick-off a great chase from Lions flank JC Pretorius earned them a lineout on Ospreys 5m.
They secured the ball and rumbled over for hooker PJ Botha to score, and it was rinse and repeat for the home side six minutes later as they set up a 5m lineout and powered over for replacement hooker Morne Brandon to dot down this time, putting them into a 20-12 lead in the 49th minute.
The Lions were now on fire and were in for their bonus score seven minutes later as they attacked into the visitors 22m, the cross kick from Smith didn’t bounce kindly, but a couple of offloads from wing Kelly Mpeku and captain Francke Horn allowed fullback Boeta Chamberlain to stroll in for the score.
It went bad to worse for the Ospreys in the 61st minute as Edwards was yellow carded for a high tackle, with the Lions choosing to scrum, followed by a cross kick to Mpeku who picked up and scored.
Smith, who is usually deadeye off the kicking tee, missed his fourth straight conversion attempt, but two did hit the post before bouncing out.
A couple of minutes later the Lions were in again, this time earning space out wide thanks to the extra man and after good hands down the line Mpeku went in for his second, and despite a change of kicker Chamberlain saw his conversion attempt bounce off the uprights to leave them 35-12 up.
Ospreys then had the final say, as they ended the match as they did the first half, mauling over the line for replacement forward Ross Moriarty to score.
Scorers
Lions: Tries – Erich Cronje, PJ Botha, Morne Brandon, Boeta Chamberlain, Kelly Mpeku (2); Conversion – Chris Smith; Penalty – Smith
Ospreys: Tries – Kieran Williams, Efan Daniel, Ross Moriarty; Conversions – Dan Edwards (2)