The Lions suffered a late defeat to the Newcastle Red Bulls in Saturday’s EPCR Challenge Cup clash at Kingston Park.
The visitors will be wondering how they managed to lose a match they had dominated and led for 78 minutes. Replacement prop Murray McCallum’s converted try snatched a 14-10 victory for the hosts, who had trailed 10-7 at half-time.
After an opening-round defeat to Benetton at Ellis Park, this loss will hurt Ivan van Rooyen’s side deeply.
In a slugfest, the Lions dominated the scrums, as well as territory and possession for long periods, but a failure to convert numerous chances cost them dearly.
The match was played on an icy field and in bitterly cold and windy conditions, but the Lions started hot and were first on the scoreboard with an intercept try by left wing Angelo Davids. The wing brilliantly read the very first Newcastle attack and scooted in unopposed from the halfway line for the score, which was converted by flyhalf Sam Francis.
Newcastle responded by deploying high kicks in swirling winds which the Lions found hard to handle.
From a butchered Lions lineout throw close to the Newcastle tryline, the home side worked their way up to halfway before South African fullback Boeta Chamberlain scythed through a flimsy Lions defence to send centre Alex Hearle over for a converted try.
Despite the setback, the Lions continued to dominate the contest, winning the collisions, while their scrum earned a string of penalties. After a sustained period of attack, the Lions were held up over the line. A penalty ensured which Francis slotted from in front to push the score out to 10-7.
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However, the Lions failed to further capitalise on a period of sustained possession inside the Newcastle 22. Davids then went from hero to zero after a swinging arm to the face of Christian Wade saw him receive a yellow card. Wade was unable to continue.
The Lions then camped on the Newcastle tryline and forced a number of penalties which eventually saw a yellow card shown to hooker Ollie Fletcher for a cynical ruck infringement. But somehow the home side held out against a ferocious close-quarter onslaught, and the teams hit the sheds with the Lions holding a slender lead.
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The Joburg-based side started the second half as they finished the first, with ball in hand for long periods of sustained attack but without being able to convert pressure into points. There was always the sense that they would come to regret not converting all that pressure.
The Lions butchered another golden opportunity after a clean break from deep by centre Richard Kriel but his offload to scrumhalf Nico Steyn went awry.
But the Lions weren’t the only teams to squander opportunities. A rare foray into Lions territory saw Newcastle earn a penalty dead centre, 30m out. Chamberlain stepped up and, to audible gasps from the crowd, somehow contrived to miss the simple kick to bring the home side level.
But Newcastle kept coming and the Lions had to dig deep to keep out a late Newcastle surge. With three minutes left Jamie Hodgson dropped the ball as he crashed over the line.
Newcastle were not to be denied, though, and after more sustained pressure, big McCallum crashed over near the corner flag to edge the home side in front. The try was converted by Brett Connon and suddenly the Lions needed a try.
There was still time for the Lions to win the restart and barrel forward in desperate search of a try, but despite a valiant late effort, the men from Joburg were unable to conjure up one last, winning effort.
Photo: ©INPHO/Mike Driver
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