Lions edge courageous Cheetahs
6 Jun 2009
A Heinrich Brüssow-inspired Cheetahs team went down 26-24 to a second-rate Lions side in Bloemfontein.
This game was one of two halves with the sin-binning of flanker Stephen Ferris the watershed. The tourists were 20-0 up after 24 minutes before Ferris paid the price for the umpteenth breakdown transgression. The Cheetahs scored 14 points in the blindside’s absence to trail 23-14 at the break.
The option-taking and defence wasn’t always great from the home team. Their line defence repelled many a Lions surge, but a soft try by Ferris allowed the visitors to shoot to a 10-0 lead after 12 minutes. A subsequent chip by James Hook was gathered by centre Keith Earls who swerved past a couple of defenders en route to the tryline.
During this period, referee Wayne Barnes allowed the Lions to spoil on defence and seal the breakdown ball off on attack. Brüssow made a couple of turnovers but the Lions were still getting away with illegal play.
It took 23 minutes for Barnes to brandish yellow, and from here the Cheetahs began to gather some momentum. Danwel Demas rounded off a good move that exploited the Lions’ one-man disadvantage, and prop Wian du Preez reduced the deficit further when he steamrolled a defender from close range.
Back to their full compliment, the Lions sought to keep it tighter. They had the better of the Cheetahs’ scrum, Andrew Sheridan applying unsustainable pressure on the outclassed Kobus Calldo. The Lions’ set-piece even held its own when Ferris was off, and the Springbok management should take note, the Lions’ scrum is going to be a massive factor in the Test series. Hook goaled three penalties accrued from the Cheetahs’ scrum transgressions, and it kept the hosts at arm’s length.
The breakdown, however, was a different story. On defence, the visitors did everything they could to spoil the Cheetahs’ ball. Brüssow had another industrious outing in the tackle-department, but it was his ground-zero scavenging that proved the biggest boost to the hosts. Because of his proficiency, the visitors battled to get go-forward after the initial set-piece.
Jacques-Louis Potgieter kicked well initially but missed a great opportunity in the 52nd minute when he pushed a penalty-attempt wide. The three points would’ve reduced the deficit to 26-20 at a critical stage of the game.
The Cheetahs tried their hearts out, and it’s just a pity there weren’t more people at the stadium to witness their brave efforts. Vodacom Park saw 23 000 patrons through the gates, a shocking number considering the stadium now holds 48 000.
The Lions were shaky and it’s only through little errors that the Cheetahs didn’t put them away. Yet another Lions breakdown infringement gifted the hosts a penalty, but Potgieter proceeded to kick it dead. The Cheetahs’ inferiority at scrum time also continued to cost them possession and territory from ensuing penalties.
And yet, it was their strength at the tackle point that kept them afloat. Brüssow never relented in his quest for dominance and his team-mates never dropped their intensity. The Lions have a long way to go if they’re going to compete with the Bok breakdown in the coming Tests.
Both sides were exhausted by the hour mark and it was here that the Cheetahs were always going to be tested. They made another crucial turnover after the Lions launched a multi-phase assault on their tryline. It was clear the Lions would not be coasting to victory in the final minutes.
Replacement flyhalf Louis Strydom missed a difficult penalty attempt in the 70th minute to allow the Lions to keep their nine-point cushion. However, a brilliant reading of a flat Shane Williams pass allowed Corne Uys to sprint 80m for a seven-pointer. With six minutes to go, the Cheetahs had a chance of a massive upset.
The Lions were running out of puff as the clock wound down and the local supporters began to find their voice. After Meyer Bosman crashed it up into the suspect Irish midfield, Strydom slipped into the pocket for the drop-goal. Unfortunately, the kick drifted cruelly wide.
The Cheetahs looked to have another opportunity to win it when Lions fullback Lee Byrne dropped a high ball and his retreating team-mates played it from an offside position, but it was a transgression that the fallible Barnes missed.
The Lions eventually won a penalty in the final play and hacked it into touch. The win takes them to a three-from-three tour record, but there will be more concerns than positives for Ian McGeechan as he prepares his charges for the Tests.
By Jon Cardinelli, at Vodacom Park
718 Comments
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6 Jun 2009, 13:57 pm
Eerte, soos die Bulls !
6 Jun 2009, 13:58 pm
Eerte = eerste
6 Jun 2009, 14:19 pm
Iwatched the wallabies earlier on, they were quite impressive, although this barbarians team was admittedly quite average. But you can see they are a very well coached side. South Africa on the other hand is completely the opposite, our head coach pdv is a quota who has no clue of what he’s doing.. I’m worried.
It’s a pity that such a brilliant generation of players won’t furfil it’s potential because of a donkey like PDV.
6 Jun 2009, 14:22 pm
#2 BDB: Sien Rose het Steyn verby gesteek as Bok heelagter contender op poll. Wonder steeds wie’t 61 keer vir Rose gestem.
6 Jun 2009, 14:31 pm
#4 Isigidi: Dink dit was Snorre homself !
6 Jun 2009, 14:40 pm
Rose het Morne Steyn verby gesteek as heelagter. Wat verstommend is dat sommige mense dink Morne is ‘n heelagter. Net so verstommend is dat daar mense is wat dink dat Rose in ‘n nasionale span opgeneem kan word
6 Jun 2009, 14:46 pm
Rose hoort nie naby die Bokspan nie. Wasdit nie dat Rose se pa en Asterix saam perlemoen gesmokkel het nie so Rose nie eers naby aan die Bok groep gekom het nie!!
6 Jun 2009, 14:49 pm
Goooooooo Staat !!
Knoop die Bleekbene se bene en laat hulle SA gras vreet vir mirragete !
6 Jun 2009, 14:51 pm
Go Cheetahs……..
Go Saffa…..
6 Jun 2009, 14:51 pm
Good Luck Cheetahs.
6 Jun 2009, 14:51 pm
Kom julle blikore. Laat hierdie poms kak vandag.
6 Jun 2009, 14:53 pm
#8 grootblousmile: Dankie tog, weg van daai anner threat!
Wat seg jy pelle? Cheeters ga moeilik trek? Ek dink so. Lions se sterte regop. Hoop cheaters knoop hulle agter hulle se ore.
6 Jun 2009, 14:55 pm
#8 grootblousmile: Hello my lovely all good with you?
Am I the only Lions Supporter here this afternoon?
6 Jun 2009, 14:55 pm
Ian gives a good interview.
Doesn’t put his foot in his mouth.
6 Jun 2009, 14:55 pm
#12 Isigidi: Die Pommeranians sal wen…. maar ek hoop die Staat hanteer die game soos die game teen die Tjarks… of die game teen die Saders….. dodelike vedediging !!
6 Jun 2009, 14:56 pm
#13 carol: I thought you’re a Bull and an Honorary Saffa now…. get that ugly red shirt off your back !!
Hehehe
6 Jun 2009, 14:58 pm
#15 grootblousmile: Oi, manne lyk gefokus, dis nou die Lions!
6 Jun 2009, 15:00 pm
#17 Isigidi: Ek hoop dit verander van “gefokus” na “gefokk is”
Hehehe
6 Jun 2009, 15:00 pm
Cheetahs are the giant slayers.
Wouldn’t it be nice today. (Sorry Carol, but allegiances and all)
6 Jun 2009, 15:00 pm
#13 carol: Hello Carol, Enjoy the game. Off now to go and watch.
6 Jun 2009, 15:01 pm
#16 grootblousmile: It is very fetching actually….
I can’t get a Justin TV feed!! Very annoying!!
6 Jun 2009, 15:02 pm
#19 Bul-a-Bhloo: It’s OK I understand!!
6 Jun 2009, 15:02 pm
#20 Puma: Hi Puma, enjoy…. looks like I am going to have to rely on the commentary here at this rate!
6 Jun 2009, 15:03 pm
Stadium not that full. Not good. Think the prices of tickets have put some people off from going to the games.
Think the Tank is sold out though for Wed.
6 Jun 2009, 15:04 pm
#23 carol: Why is it not on TV there Carol? Its a Lions tour. Or is it on SKY?
We will keep you updated.
6 Jun 2009, 15:05 pm
I like that advantage line that they show on TV now. Hope they do it today.
6 Jun 2009, 15:05 pm
99!
6 Jun 2009, 15:05 pm
I’m still too scared to drink much after last Saturday…. bangbabbelas.
So I’m drinking an innocent White Cow…. till halftime, when I will switch.
6 Jun 2009, 15:06 pm
Is this the 99 call again? Hope not.
6 Jun 2009, 15:06 pm
Hello Hello Hello
Looks like the blikore won the first fight.
6 Jun 2009, 15:07 pm
Good defence so far from Staat
6 Jun 2009, 15:07 pm
I hope the Cheetahs put up a robust challenge.
It will good for the Lions, and the Tour.
6 Jun 2009, 15:09 pm
@32 Cant be worse than the challenge the Golden Lions put up.
6 Jun 2009, 15:09 pm
Funny, how defending team can retreat 10 meters, if attacker runs at the very next second? That should be an easy way to score points – quickly run, defenders cannot touch you and have to run back or, if they touch, you get another penalty etc. etc.
6 Jun 2009, 15:10 pm
Yeahhhhhh, clearly falling over the ruck by the Bleekbene…
Pale toe !!
6 Jun 2009, 15:10 pm
Short-arm penalties are better than long-arms for minor infringements
6 Jun 2009, 15:11 pm
#25 Puma: I don’t have sky, trying Justin TV but have now got it on Radio 5! Better than nothing!
6 Jun 2009, 15:11 pm
Just missed…
Still Poms 3 / 0
6 Jun 2009, 15:12 pm
10-0
6 Jun 2009, 15:12 pm
when did SA rugby get so sloppy
6 Jun 2009, 15:12 pm
Oi, gifted try to Poms
Pasties 10 / 0
6 Jun 2009, 15:13 pm
eish…soft…scrum radar broken
6 Jun 2009, 15:14 pm
#41 grootblousmile: Just stick with that milk…..
Pastie Poms….Grrrrr
Radio just saying how small the crowd is again!
6 Jun 2009, 15:14 pm
Lions lucky to get away with fighting earlier. Prop and No.8 were the aggressors. Disappointing that our commentators are too polite not to call things as they really are.
6 Jun 2009, 15:15 pm
Wayne Barnes…….wat’s daai woord nou weer…. iets soos plonker….
6 Jun 2009, 15:16 pm
Lions moering us in the scrum
6 Jun 2009, 15:16 pm
#40 SodaJoe: Hi Soda, I am listening to the dulcet tones of Garreth Chilcott here. Very broad west country accent, he is our Tour Host. (Ugly b*gger)!!
6 Jun 2009, 15:18 pm
#46 SodaJoe: We doing ok at the breakdown though?
6 Jun 2009, 15:18 pm
17-0, another massacre looming
6 Jun 2009, 15:19 pm
another soft try…Cheetahs dropping lipstick & handbags all over the field
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