SJ Kotze of the Lions tackled by Josh McKay of Glasgow Warriors during the United Rugby Championship match at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday.
Image: BackpagePix
Maybe, just maybe, the Lions’ glory days of three successive Super Rugby finals are around the corner after their annihilation of log leaders Glasgow on Saturday afternoon at Ellis Park.
The Lions swamped a Warriors team awash with Scotland internationals 54-12 to entrench themselves deep inside the United Rugby Championship top eight.
The Lions have never made the URC playoffs, but they are now in touching distance of a proud first.
The Lions made a mockery of the suggestion that they would be rusty after three weeks of inactivity because of their non-involvement in the Challenge Cup — within ten minutes, they were 12-0 up after well-worked team tries that went to centre Henco van Wyk and wing Erich Cronje.
Alarmingly for the visitors, their set scrum was under early pressure, and in the 18th minute, tighthead prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye scrummed his opposite number into a penalty. Phases later, Van Wyk crashed over for his second try, and the Lions were 19-0 up as the game approached the first quarter.
The 2024 champions were never going to surrender. The right wing Kyle Rowe kept counter-attacking from the back, and a series of spirited team attacks saw flyhalf Dan Lancaster coast through the defence for a morale-boosting try, which he converted. At 19-7 on the half-hour mark, the Lions knew the job was far from done.
But they did get a crucial seven-pointer just before halftime. It was a try that gave the front-rowers bragging rights — Ntlabakanye punched a hole through the defence in the 22 and fellow prop SJ Kotze crashed over. Chris Smith converted from the touchline to make it a commanding 26-7 at the break.
For Glasgow, Nigerian lock Jare Oguntibeju had been outstanding in trying to get something going in the first half for the former champions.
The Lions struck a telling blow early in the first half when a penalty kicked to the corner saw Ruan Venter surge over. At 33-7 with just over 30 minutes to go, the Lions were over the hills and far away. They also had the vital try-scoring bonus point in the bag.
Glasgow substitute forward Angus Fraser punched through from close quarters to give the score a vestige of respectability at 33-12 at that time, but in truth, Glasgow were never allowed to get their high-tempo game going and would fall away in the last quarter.
The Warriors were completely outplayed by a Lions team that prevented them from getting their high-tempo game going by stifling the Scots at the breakdowns.
In the final quarter, the rampant Lions screamed home and past the 50-mark with tries by Morne van den Berg, Siba Mahashe, Quan Horn.
Scorers
Lions — Tries: Henco van Wyk (2), Erich Cronje, SJ Kotze, Ruan Venter, Morne van den Berg, Siba Mahashe, Quan Horn. Conversions: Chris Smith (7).
Warriors — Tries: Dan Lancaster, Angus Fraser. Conversions: Lancaster.
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The Lions have never made the URC playoffs, but they are now in touching distance of a proud first.
The Lions made a mockery of the suggestion that they would be rusty after three weeks of inactivity because of their non-involvement in the Challenge Cup — within ten minutes, they were 12-0 up after well-worked team tries that went to centre Henco van Wyk and wing Erich Cronje.
Alarmingly for the visitors, their set scrum was under early pressure, and in the 18th minute, tighthead prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye scrummed his opposite number into a penalty. Phases later, Van Wyk crashed over for his second try, and the Lions were 19-0 up as the game approached the first quarter.
The 2024 champions were never going to surrender. The right wing Kyle Rowe kept counter-attacking from the back, and a series of spirited team attacks saw flyhalf Dan Lancaster coast through the defence for a morale-boosting try, which he converted. At 19-7 on the half-hour mark, the Lions knew the job was far from done.
But they did get a crucial seven-pointer just before halftime. It was a try that gave the front-rowers bragging rights — Ntlabakanye punched a hole through the defence in the 22 and fellow prop SJ Kotze crashed over. Chris Smith converted from the touchline to make it a commanding 26-7 at the break.
For Glasgow, Nigerian lock Jare Oguntibeju had been outstanding in trying to get something going in the first half for the former champions.
The Lions struck a telling blow early in the first half when a penalty kicked to the corner saw Ruan Venter surge over. At 33-7 with just over 30 minutes to go, the Lions were over the hills and far away. They also had the vital try-scoring bonus point in the bag.
Glasgow substitute forward Angus Fraser punched through from close quarters to give the score a vestige of respectability at 33-12 at that time, but in truth, Glasgow were never allowed to get their high-tempo game going and would fall away in the last quarter.
The Warriors were completely outplayed by a Lions team that prevented them from getting their high-tempo game going by stifling the Scots at the breakdowns.
In the final quarter, the rampant Lions screamed home and past the 50-mark with tries by Morne van den Berg, Siba Mahashe, Quan Horn.
Scorers
Lions — Tries: Henco van Wyk (2), Erich Cronje, SJ Kotze, Ruan Venter, Morne van den Berg, Siba Mahashe, Quan Horn. Conversions: Chris Smith (7).
Warriors — Tries: Dan Lancaster, Angus Fraser. Conversions: Lancaster.