Hook nails late winner
13 Jun 2009
Replacement James Hook goaled a penalty in the 74th minute to give the Lions a scrappy 26-23 win over WP.
The rain abated from kickoff to climax, but the heavy showers around lunchtime certainly left their mark on the Newlands turf. The greasy ball was even harder to field given the turbulent wind, as WP fullback Joe Pietersen indicated on more than one occasion.
The Lions employed the high-ball tactic to good effect as Pietersen and company dropped several bombs to hand the visitors both territory and possession. The first quarter was characterised by garryowens, probes for touch and low-trajectory grubbers, and for the most part it was the Lions who executed these kicks better.
Willem de Waal kicked two penalties and a drop goal in the first half while Pietersen sunk a drop goal of his own, but unfortunately for the home fans, WP just never looked like scoring a try. The Newlands’ faithful screamed whenever the hosts drew close, but as the move broke down a more prominent cry of ‘Lions, Lions’ could be heard from the travelling contingent.
Wales No 8 Andy Powell stood out for the tourists, beating the first tackler with his dangerous combo of quick feet and powerful upper-body strength. It was a Powell break that sparked the first try as the Lions’ backs and forwards combined to expose some poor WP defence.
Powell offloaded to Martyn Williams who in turn popped a smart pass to Stephen Jones. Rob Kearney took it wide, throwing a great floating pass in spite of conditions. Tommy Bowe received the ball on WP’s 22, spun out of one tackle, stepped inside another and bust through two more to dot down.
Bowe’s direct running set up the visitors’ second try in the 35th minute, and again credit must go to the shocking WP defence. Bowe slid through the first line effortlessly and was eventually hauled in by Tonderai Chavhanga after repelling the hapless Pietersen. He also found the time to deliver a basketball-pass to fellow winger Ugo Monye, who showed great anticipation and pace to finish.
De Waal goaled a penalty right on half-time to reduce the deficit to 18-12, but WP were struggling to stay in the match.
The scrums were a mess with both teams falling foul to a slippery pitch while the Lions’ lineout were solid on their own ball and competitive on WP’s. The breakdowns were also a mess with no team obtaining a clear advantage.
De Waal’s penalty attempt just after the break dropped under the bar, but several moments later he was on target to further narrow the gap. Province began to believe, and this was exemplified by lock Anton van Zyl’s scuffle with opposite number Donncha O’Callaghan.WP were outclassed but were determined to go down fighting.
But there was never enough accuracy in their fight for it to amount to any real threat. They bounced off too many first-time tackles and dropped too many passes. There were several turnovers that the Cape crowd cheered, but these were very minor and insignificant victories.
The Lions piled on the pressure and eventually the WP resistance crumbled again in the 57th minute. They built through the phases never shifting out from the first-receiver, and eventually Williams flopped over in the corner.
Stephen Jones’s goal-kicking radar was off in this fixture and he’ll surely be keen to get back up to the highveld. Newlands is notorious for its difficult goal-kicking conditions but that hardly seem to affect De Waal, who kicked an important penalty in the 61st minute to keep the hosts in the game at 23-18.
Province drew level three minutes later when a sustained period of pressure paid dividends. They looked to have butchered an opportunity but remained patient, and when the overlap was created De Waal threw a good overhead pass to Pietersen who showcased his finishing ability. De Waal, couldn’t convert from the touchline, but at 23-23 with 16 minutes remaining, the stage was set for a dramatic finish.
Hook didn’t fare any better than Jones with his first penalty attempt, and so the Lions failed to take the lead. Brimming with confidence, the hosts fought their way into Lions territory but were undone by a handling error again. This time it was De Waal who dropped the ball cold.
Hook goaled a difficult penalty from 50m out to regain the lead and from here the Lions fought to hang on. Again they were helped by WP’s errors, an attacking movement in Lions territory coming to nought due to a forward pass. On the hooter, Pietersen also grubbered the ball away to hand the visitors victory.
It was a far from polished performance from the men in red, but the bottom line is the Lions have won their fifth match in succession and gained further match preparation ahead of next Saturday’s Test in Durban.
By Jon Cardinelli, at Newlands
657 Comments
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13 Jun 2009, 19:31 pm
#590 poppa69: I never expected the AB’s to lose. I don’t like it when the NH teams beat the SH teams.
Think the AB’s will rectify what happened today next weekend.
13 Jun 2009, 19:31 pm
#591 gunther:
did you actually see it all unfolding?
if its correct, to skinstads credit, he’s never ever moaned or spoken about the incident. had the kiwis just lost or won?
13 Jun 2009, 19:32 pm
Hey, julle willie weet hoe baaaie Keo $ het ek nie… ek sien nou eers…. flok, ek blog te veel… $ 30 375.00
13 Jun 2009, 19:32 pm
#591 gunther: exactly G….pissed me off and left a lasting impression….i know its not fair to ever generalise….but lets just say Marshall will never recieve the time of day from me….thug…
13 Jun 2009, 19:33 pm
#595 grootblousmile: Goeie mur. Dit is amper dubbel wat ek het.
13 Jun 2009, 19:34 pm
#589 grant10: hey grant…i’m impressed by province’s display today even if they didn’t win, joe pieterson is k@k under the high ball, bobo is no wing, chavanga is “mr glass”…
I’m a bit gesuip, lilith not happy about all blacks loss but she’s handling it with decorum…just fed her mum’s dog & about to go back to the pub for the england/argentina game…what’s up on your side?
13 Jun 2009, 19:34 pm
#592 grant10: mate, that openng 20 was the worst I have EVER seen from an AB side… just seemed to be no hunger, no desire… I think they were actually lacking an on field leader, someone to pull them together after the first french try and put skyrockets where the sun dont shine…
13 Jun 2009, 19:34 pm
#594 cab: i was there …right there….Stormers had beaten Saders 28….19…if memory serves me correctly….bloody Marshall…coward thug
13 Jun 2009, 19:35 pm
#597 Ed_the_Lion: En ek het dit juis rustig gevat die afgelope klompie weke…
13 Jun 2009, 19:35 pm
#597 Ed_the_Lion: Nou het ek $17000.
13 Jun 2009, 19:35 pm
#594 cab:
G10 saw it …. I heard it from another source the horses mouth if you will…
13 Jun 2009, 19:35 pm
#601 grootblousmile: Ek weet, jy was baie min op Keo.
13 Jun 2009, 19:36 pm
#598 Transformation: hi boet…just back from newlands…hot soup and cuddling under a blanket with blonde soon….tell lilith howzit…have a great nite and travel safe my man..viva la france
13 Jun 2009, 19:37 pm
#599 poppa69: i only saw last 20 min…kiwis had chances then…
13 Jun 2009, 19:38 pm
#604 Ed_the_Lion: Nee, laat ek fokkerofski hier, ek voel nou skoon skaam oor my blogging gewoontes…
Hehehe
13 Jun 2009, 19:39 pm
#596 grant10: Interesting. Marshall was, still is, a good player but seems to have a touch of arrogance about him. When did this happen?
13 Jun 2009, 19:39 pm
#600 grant10:
according to marshall in his book they just had an argument after which skinstad stormed out and they’ve spoken about it since.
if they had an after-match barney, its a poor effort, but its happened plenty before with egos and alcohol.
13 Jun 2009, 19:39 pm
#607 grootblousmile: Cheers my maat. Hierdie BLions span wat vandag gespeel het, sal kak teen die Bulle.
13 Jun 2009, 19:39 pm
not spoken about it since.
13 Jun 2009, 19:39 pm
#593 Ed_the_Lion: not all doom and gloom as you said, was definite positives, at 17-3 I was ready to moer anything lol, only one week to avenge this loss this time… think they will largely go with an unchanged side, maybe start Latimer and revert thompson back to blindside… he is not an opensider… (eiher that or Kaino will be back).
#596 grant10: boet, where you just as disgusted when Dalton was king hit on the cavaliers tour? as Shaun would say, speak to the individual, not the national category
13 Jun 2009, 19:40 pm
genys…lots of brandy and beer…now some quality time with the blonde…have a great evening all….congrats Lions….5 from 5 is outstanding and the stage is set for a battle of note 1 st test…
Boks forever
Outta here
13 Jun 2009, 19:40 pm
#577 grant10: you were there?
13 Jun 2009, 19:40 pm
genys is gents
13 Jun 2009, 19:41 pm
#612 poppa69: One week indeed. I don’t want to hear the French if they do this 2 weeks in a row. Please make sure that it doesn’t happen.
13 Jun 2009, 19:42 pm
#608 JimT: 1998…a touch of arrogance….? Ja…i better leave this …dont want to slander…
13 Jun 2009, 19:42 pm
#615 grant10: be well boet… cheers
13 Jun 2009, 19:42 pm
#609 cab: Bobby could’ve nailed Marshall, I fail to believe he did him any damage, was probably his mates. Tremendous waste of a career tho, if there was a world player of the year award, Skinstad would’ve won it in ’98, such an exciting talent.
13 Jun 2009, 19:43 pm
#609 cab: i dont want to expand cab….long time ago…
13 Jun 2009, 19:43 pm
#616 Ed_the_Lion: me neither, because it will give them the confidence to return in 2 years time… same thing England did when they won in Aus… France play a one off against Aussie I believe…
13 Jun 2009, 19:45 pm
#621 poppa69: 100%. We cannot afford that they go into the WC with alot of confidence. That might spoil it for all of us.
13 Jun 2009, 19:45 pm
#612 poppa69: no…i agree….lets say it is old stuff and i chose to never back any kiwi again…and never will…you guys good enough …dont need this cliftonite support anyway…Bob is and always will be my favorite bok…lets say he forgave…i didnt..
13 Jun 2009, 19:46 pm
#614 Big Hit: You know anything about this BH? Me, I was out of touch with rugby back then.
13 Jun 2009, 19:46 pm
#614 Big Hit: yip
13 Jun 2009, 19:47 pm
#619 Big Hit: in 98 bob indeed touched the angels….unreal…wasted and never the same after that nite…i still get bitter
13 Jun 2009, 19:47 pm
#622 Ed_the_Lion: agreed… but then, maybe we are just trying the reverse psychology thing… you know, let them beat us inbetween WC’s, then we get to spring the “upset” lol
13 Jun 2009, 19:49 pm
#627 poppa69: Bwahaahaha. Never. Tests are to important for NZ. Think we will see next week what the AB’s can do.
13 Jun 2009, 19:49 pm
#619 Big Hit:
yeah sounds like it reading between the lines, but who knows what happened, as you say an absolute waste, very skillful skinstad, came back a different player.
#620 grant10:
no worries, cheers.
13 Jun 2009, 19:49 pm
okay…outta here…last thing….a certain person had to give bob a lift home after a car incident that nite…now thats enough from me blonde calling
13 Jun 2009, 19:50 pm
#626 grant10: he was most definitely a talented talented player…all rugby fans were disappointed with what happened Grant, but it has happened throughout the years too… anyways, I understand your reasoning, and admire that you are sticking to your guns…
13 Jun 2009, 19:51 pm
#625 grant10: fair enough my man. He was a sensation up here in 97-98, we’d never seen a backrow forward with such pace and game-breaking ability. He tore Wales and Ireland to shreads, I think Erasmus was on the other side of the scrum, just tremendous.
13 Jun 2009, 19:52 pm
#610 Ed_the_Lion: ****, **** ! Kan nie glo ‘n leeu ondersteuner kan soveel ‘sense’ praat nie.
13 Jun 2009, 19:52 pm
#628 Ed_the_Lion: They will be much better for the run, but the French will have their tails up, plus I think a few first choice players back, guess we will get to see what this new class of AB is made of… in last years 3Ns, after the loss to Aus, ABs were a completely diff team at Eden park, Im hoping they can find the same sort of desperation…
13 Jun 2009, 19:54 pm
Well Grant, Ed, BH, CAB and Jimt… apologies if Ive missed anyone… it is 4 am here, I need to sleep..
enjoy yourselves guys…
13 Jun 2009, 19:55 pm
#635 poppa69:
later poppa
13 Jun 2009, 19:55 pm
#633 BDB: Dit was ook ‘n heeltemal ander span wat teen die Leeus en Sharks gespeel het.
#634 poppa69: Big weekend next weekend. AB’s France, SA BLions and my Parents are arriving on Sat. Man, what a weekend.
13 Jun 2009, 19:55 pm
#635 poppa69: Cheers Poppa. Have a good one.
13 Jun 2009, 19:56 pm
#637 Ed_the_Lion: that it is mate… should hopefully get the right results, being ones birthday and all..
cheers
13 Jun 2009, 19:57 pm
#639 poppa69: I will make sure I sing to you.
13 Jun 2009, 20:00 pm
#635 poppa69: gnite poppa
13 Jun 2009, 20:01 pm
Argentina v England on in 60 mins, should be tough.
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