Lions lose ‘basketball’ thriller
19 Feb 2010
A poor defensive display from the hosts early in the second half resulted in a 72-65 win for the Chiefs at Ellis Park.
The Lions produced a brave performance in the first half, which saw them lead 25-17 until Stephen Donald scored 10 points before the half-time mark.
But the Chiefs ran rampant in the third quarter as they surged ahead 72-25. Despite a late defensive lapse from the visitors which led to five tries for the Lions, the 47-point lead proved just enough for the win.
The Lions banked two bonus points but they only had themselves to blame for the defeat as their game plan of ‘running their opponents off the park’ proved to be one-dimensional and their defence staggered as a result.
Conversley, the Chiefs’ ill-discipline and three yellow cards allowed the Lions to take charge at certain stages during the match, but they had control when all 15 men were on the field.
Centre Richard Kahui said earlier in the week that they were looking forward to play an expansive game against the Lions on a dry pitch. This was evident from the first minute.
In typical Chiefs’ fashion, the visitors ran the ball from their 22 after the kickoff. This saw Kahui burst through down the touchline which led to a Chiefs’ lineout 5m from the Lions’ try line.
The home side seemed shell shocked by the Chiefs’ early intensity and this saw their defence stretched. Callum Bruce eventually capitalised in the corner, with Stephen Donald converting.
Earl Rose opened the scoring for the Lions with a penalty moments later.
The Chiefs’ then lost skipper Sione Lauaki to the sin bin after the flank was guilty of a tip-tackle and Rose hit back with another penalty.
But the Chiefs still maintained momentum and extended their lead to 17-6 through a Donald three-pointer and Kahui’s try from close range.
But credit for the Lions for not giving up the fight. The next 20-minute period saw a great comeback from Dick Muir’s charges and they stole the lead as scoring 19 points.
Wing Wandile Mjekevu, who looked out of his depth in the early exchanges, showed great pace to beat Kahui on his outside.
The Lions had another opportunity minutes later, this time via a rolling maul. But Chiefs hooker Aled de Malmanche was guilty of collapsing the maul, and referee Marius Jonker reduced the visitors to 13 men.
The Lions capitalised with Todd Clever and Carlos Spencer crossing the chalk for the hosts. Scrumhalf JP Joubert’s played a big role in their surge, catching the Chiefs off guard with clever quick penalty taps.
But the Chiefs gained ascendancy when restored to 15 players and they went ahead 27-25 at the break thanks to a Donald try and penalty.
The Lions were in a promising position to upset last year’s finalists but they needed a strong start to the second stanza. But it wasn’t to be as the Chiefs struck with five tries in 20 minutes, securing the bonus-point in the opening play.
Kahui finished off his hat-trick, while Liam Messam, Junior Poluleuligaga and Sitiveni Sivivatu also touched down.
However, the Lions had a late, spirited fight back which created an intense finish to the game. Kahui was also wrongfully sinned bin which opened up play.
The Lions scored five tries in the final quarter, including one in the 85th minute, but Brendon Leonard’s try in 70th minute proved to be the decisive score as the Chiefs held on for their seven-point victory.
By Gareth Duncan
379 Comments
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20 Feb 2010, 06:39 am
@Aus_Rebel:
347
Interesting
I counted 13 FAKED attempts at tackle, that guy never has any intention to tackle in the first place.
20 Feb 2010, 06:40 am
@munkiboi: I don’t think it does. He will have to target certain rucks and be a lot more careful and considered in what he does. But everyone else reckons it does.
20 Feb 2010, 06:43 am
@munkiboi:
#349
Yah,
have you ever watched A ‘WP Leaga’ match?
20 Feb 2010, 06:46 am
The replay showed Kaplan to have a wrong rulling against Brussow where he actually extracted the ball quickly, the tackled player didn’t release the ball so Brussow plucked it away and was signalled!
Even Kaplan got mixed up!
20 Feb 2010, 07:26 am
@Hondo:
fortunately no i have not.
20 Feb 2010, 07:29 am
@Hondo:
earl rose is a show pony. fits well into the lions team. they only like to attack and have no interest in defence. of course with spencer at 10 he doesn’t have the best defensive role model.
funnily enough though when i watched the crusaders highlanders game you could see carter was mostly concerned about his own safety when he made tackles. quite ineffective. johnny wilkinson never learned to protect himself the way carter does and naas used to.
20 Feb 2010, 07:30 am
what a KAK game. I’d rather not watch rugby if this is what it’s going to turn into.
give me a tight game like the Sharks vs Chief last week instead of this bucket of pile.
These new rule interpretations have basically nullified Brussouw as he now can’t compete for the ball… gawd why even bother with a fetcher these days?
20 Feb 2010, 07:44 am
@brains_trust: 357
Agree
this was truly a horrible nightmare.
sies!!!!!!!!
20 Feb 2010, 07:46 am
Jonker also had a shocker …. we did everything in his power to give Lions their bonus point.
20 Feb 2010, 08:26 am
@munkiboi:
356
I watched it too last week.
There is some difference in status between Carter and Mr Rose, perhapse Carter is under instructions not to tackle head on? he is too indispensible for NZ Rugby.
When he played at centre, he tackled like a demon, something no one EVER blamed Rose of doing, hehehehe.
In fairness, Rose is only 75 kg, his bone structure will crack if he tackles, not that he has the courage and the commitment for it.
20 Feb 2010, 08:29 am
@Darius_Monker:
Rest assured Jonkers had his instructions, I know he is bad but not THAT bad!
20 Feb 2010, 08:29 am
@Robzim: Peter Grant will be just fine, I promise… Ricky… well let’s wait and see
@carol: lol Carol, jaw drop and drool
20 Feb 2010, 09:23 am
As much as purists are hating this, I suspect the rest of the world loves this kind of rugby.
20 Feb 2010, 10:26 am
@Eminem:
THAT is EXACTLY why I’d prefer it if we played our rugby in Europe.
20 Feb 2010, 11:57 am
@brains_trust: @grant10: I agree, I don’t think I’ve ever come across such a high scoring game, this is nonsense almost like touch rugby? The powers that be must get rugby back to basics and if they don’t want opposing players lying on the ball or tackled player bring back raking.
20 Feb 2010, 12:51 pm
@brains_trust:
@grant10:
@byoboy:
Bunch of miserable old women, why dont you return back to your knitting group……cuppa tea anyone ?
So last year it was misery and doom because everyone was kicking the ball. Now its doom and gloom because theyre running it instead ?
There didnt seem to be too many complaints when the Bulls & Cheetahs had a high-scoring match last week.
Besides, the defences always tighten up considerably come Round 4/5 so I wouldnt bother jumping off the bridge just yet.
20 Feb 2010, 12:59 pm
@Black Panther: make yourself a bladdy cuppa ya old crout. I see a lot of kicking now too..for posts coz there are so many fkn penalities. When the bulls slaughtered the Chiefs last year, I recall having watched a lot of running rugby and that was just one game. don’t be a doos.
20 Feb 2010, 13:07 pm
@byoboy:
yes, all Safa teams are still kicking. The Lions just appeared to be in shock from having a no10 who runs a BACKLINE (look that up in the dictionary) and not kicking everything in the air.
So its OK when the Bulls run it but when a SA team is on the receiving end of the same tactics then its time for a whinge and moan ?
The Force this am seemed to kick everything, thats because they dont have a flyhalf on their squad list. SA teams dont have that excuse.
20 Feb 2010, 13:18 pm
People keep yapping on about the “new rules” bringing the world to an end.
This was a freak game, marked with weak defence. The scorelines of the other games have not been extra-ordinary, and this game is not a reflection of the “new rules”, but rather a poor reflection on the defence of the two teams.
Technically the “new rules” should mean there is less space because the defending team isn’t committing players to the rucks, leaving more players in the defensive line.
20 Feb 2010, 13:32 pm
I just watched Tialata’s probable try against the Force that wasn’t given.
What occurs to me is that under the “new law interpretations” (which the Aussies keep telling us are how the laws should always have been interpreted), there is actually no way of holding players up over the line. After all, you should be penalised for not rolling away (this did not happen in this case, but why not?). If you tackle a player with the ball close to the line/just over the line, you should have to release him and roll away. He then grounds the ball, scoring the try.
Ridiculous.
20 Feb 2010, 13:32 pm
Can’t believe I predicted the score in the Lions Chiefs game on Superbru!
20 Feb 2010, 13:36 pm
@stormer in a teacup:
20 Feb 2010, 14:02 pm
@kaksioek: There are different laws in the deadball area, otherwise it wouldn’t work particularly well.
When you are on the open field, the defending team is supposed to let the attacking player place the ball, and release him when he is on the ground. Over the try line you can hold the player up, you don’t have to release him.
This is largely how the laws have often be. There used to be a couple balls stolen a game, not 10 or 15 like we were seeing. The tackler is supposed to allow the tackled player to place the ball, and then he can try to steal it. That hasn’t been happening for the past few years.
Watch people like Kronfeld, Back, Wilson from the past. They got a couple of steals a game, and normally as second man to the ruck, rather than as the tackling player.
20 Feb 2010, 14:10 pm
@WOLFMAN21: I think you mean the in-goal area. The dead-ball area is beyond that, where the ball is dead.
Where are these different laws written?
20 Feb 2010, 14:18 pm
@kaksioek: OK, Law 22. I guess the in-goal area is the one area a contest for the ball can still take place. Unless they come up with a “new interpretation” that is.
20 Feb 2010, 15:05 pm
@WOLFMAN21:
exactly the point.
Lets not forget that it USED to be the 2nd/3rd tackler to the ruck that stole the ball. Kronfeld was the master, taught by the wee thief himself, Ginge Henderson. It was only much later when rucking, apparently, died a quick death did we ever see McCaw intro/perfect this all-in-1 tackle-on-your-feet-steal the ball technique and also George Smith and then Brussow today. So why on Earth does this new interpretation at the breakdown not just return to the days of Kronfeld et al when balls were still pilfered, turned over and dramatically used on attack ?
The smart players and teams will adapt, they always have.
21 Feb 2010, 01:07 am
The Chiefs returned home after their grueling two week tour of South Africa
21 Feb 2010, 09:01 am
lots of nick stealing on this thread!
Mine in particular.
Piet bored again.
21 Feb 2010, 22:47 pm
FFS would someone tell that damn Doppies La Grange to STAY IN LINE!!
And please, PLEASE get rid of rose- he had no intention of tackling at all the entire match.
And if there are ten decisions Rose can make, and one of them is bad, it is GUARANTEED he will take the bad one. he does not even look around him until it is too late. In fact if I can make a call on the one MAIN/BIGGEST failing of the Lions players (besides falling off tackles), is not looking around them or being aware of their own players. They need that peripheral vision woman – Dr Calder?.
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