The Cell C Sharks ground out their sixth win of the Vodacom Super Rugby season to stay at the top of the standings.
The KwaZulu-Natalians beat a plucky Lions side by 25-12 in front of more than 30,000 people at Ellis Park in Johannesburg on Saturday evening. It was a battle of attrition and the visitors from Durban scored the only try of the match.
The Cell C Sharks remained patient and kept the pressure up as they won their first away game of the season by beating the Lions by 25-12.
It was a typical South African derby. At half-time, the teams were deadlocked at 6-6 as both sides made mistakes but also defended very well. All the points were scored through penalty goals by the two flyhalves, Marnitz Boshoff and Fred Zeilinga, who limped off with an injury in the first half.
It took two massive penalty goals by Frans Steyn to take the Cell C Sharks back into the lead in the second half before they pounced on probably their best try-scoring opportunity of the match.
Former Springbok Sevens player Sibusiso Sithole forced a brilliant turn-over before Lwazi Mvovo chipped and gathered to score the only try of the match, with less than 15 minutes left on the clock.
Up until that point, the Cell C Sharks had steadily built up the pressure on the Lions, but the home team deserves a lot of credit as they kept on trying for the full 80 minutes.
Ultimately they were denied by yet another superb defensive effort by the Durbanites, who have conceded only eight tries in their seven matches this year.
Scorers: Lions 12 (6) Cell C Sharks 25 (6)
- Lions – Penalty goals: Marnitz Boshoff (4).
- Cell C Sharks – Try: Lwazi Mvovo. Conversion: Frans Steyn. Penalty goals: Fred Zeilinga (2), Steyn (4).
