Hook nails late winner
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
June 13th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Joe you beauty…all is forgiven!
June 13th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Cheers all hope WP wins here.
June 13th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
PETERSEN you beauty
June 13th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
As I was saying …
June 13th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
#198 grootblousmile:
ummmmmmm…
June 13th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Bad call from the linesman leads to a try…
June 13th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
#198 grootblousmile: se gou weer?
June 13th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
As I say that… Petersen scores…. TMO
Try… scores level, kick to come
June 13th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
all these big deal gatgabbas from north of the jukskei supported by their **** nosed smokkelaars from south of the berg river, who out of sheer ideological incapacity have turned tail and run for the shallow shadows of their closed ox wagon circles, and who don’t even have the guts or the class to support their own province or captain are the pitiful 2nd grade frauds of this website.
and it is precisely this indoctrinated punk *** attitude that is the epitome of the trash that exists in the ideological debauch dichotomy that is the bane of this proud Sa rugby fraternity.
What they going to say if WP manage to win this little contest against their sorry sad debauch desires, the poor punk prick’s that they are.
I said yesterday watch out for the upset and who knows perhaps here it comes.
June 13th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
ek on sweer ek het nou net ‘n ou gesien wat soos luke lyk.
June 13th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
hahhaaha … lekker !!
hier kom n ding
June 13th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
#204 gunther:
#206 Veltie:
Julle sien, ek moet MEER se WP kannie, dan kan hulle dalk…
Hehehe
June 13th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
yip ou Doos you called it. for sure.
down to the wire.
June 13th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
#208 skopskiet:
we will say well done WP now put a sock in it…
June 13th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
#208 skopskiet: Have you ever considered becoming an Evangelical Minister
June 13th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Come on Aplon do your magic !
June 13th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
#211 grootblousmile: bou so voort my bloubul mater. laat ons hierdie souties slag
June 13th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
#208 skopskiet: This is the Lions second team. You could liken it to the Boks winning the WC without having to play the All Blacks as you go on and on and on about at every opportunity.
June 13th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
#214 goyougoodthing2: What will he evangelise…. “f’c adilly gospel” ??
June 13th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
#208 skopskiet: i will say cograts. you sure can predict an upset.
June 13th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Sa ref trying his utmost to keep the Br. Lions in the game.
June 13th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
#218 grootblousmile: Something like that. Something about fingers pointing to the moon and naysayers with oxwagons crucifying ***** not the jews who have been blamed for it…
June 13th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
#219 JM:
even a broken watch is right twice a day..
June 13th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
#220 skopskiet: I’d say he’s done a good job keeping Puke’s team in the game.
June 13th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
lions are in deep **** here, superb stuff.
June 13th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
forward pass?
June 13th, 2009 at 4:31 pm
#162 Pietman: Nee man, daardie is Player 23, Jan Watson of so iets.
June 13th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
bad decision by the linesman… shocker. Is it a game for girls now?
June 13th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
lol, big hitttt
June 13th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Powell shoulder barge – dirty welsh fck!
June 13th, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Lawrence n@@i hierdie BLions
June 13th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
What a SHOCKER from Fake Tan Lawrence. Keeping the Glory Hole boys in this one.
What a JOKE
June 13th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Lawrenson is helping WP… a lot…
June 13th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Monye is also a cheating prick!
June 13th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
jeez lawrence is also making some strange one’s tackle was ok and so was the throw-in by munye
June 13th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
#232 grootblousmile: Yes he is. He is a real *****
June 13th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
#233 Crouching Tiger Hidden Bokke: ?
June 13th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
they are going to ban home refs in warm up matches after this..
June 13th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Playing Bobo at wing is one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen!
June 13th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
O flok, JD Mollig is on for Blaauw… and immediately he does not take the bind
June 13th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
#237 gunther: I’d ban ALL refs if I had the chance. We could all ref using our DSTV remotes.
June 13th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
#235 goyougoodthing2: Did you not see his throw-in to himself? He thought no-one was looking, that’s twice he’s tried to get away with illegal quick throw-ins.
June 13th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Lions 26 / 23
June 13th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
#238 Crouching Tiger Hidden Bokke: Playing Bobo on a rugby field is a pretty bad start.
June 13th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
#240 goyougoodthing2: now that is the best idea ever!
June 13th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Who wants the game more now…. WP or Lions….
June 13th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
#241 Crouching Tiger Hidden Bokke: It was’t illegal. It was a 5m throw to himself with the same ball that only he had touched. Lawrence completely messed up his decision there.
June 13th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
#241 Crouching Tiger Hidden Bokke:
lol he thought no one was looking …. do you really think that…the repla shows it was a highly marginal call…
June 13th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Moller sien sy Holler
June 13th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
17 isn’t binding at all.