The Lions’ road to the final

05.08.2016 10:45

Business Report

Jacques van der Westhuyzen looks back at how the Lions got to the Super Rugby final.

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Jacques van der Westhuyzen looks back at how the Lions got to the Super Rugby final.

The Lions opened with a bonus point win at the new Japan-based team's first match at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium. After a tough first half, they dominated proceedings in the second period when the Wolves were reduced to 14 men. And they duly put their numerical advantage to good effect via tries from Robbie Coetzee, Courtnal Skosan, Jaco Kriel and Lionel Mapoe.

In a nail-biting game that was decided very late, the Lions registered their first win in Hamilton by playing an outstanding brand of attacking rugby. Elton Jantjies was at the heart of matters, showing good early season form. Malcolm Marx, Courtnall Skosan, Warren Whiteley and Ruan Combrinck all dotted down.

After the high of winning their first two games on tour, the Lions came crashing down to earth in round three. They looked to be in with a shout by half time as they held their own, but the Lions went to sleep straight after the break and conceded two quick tries from which they couldn’t recover. Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Ruan Ackermann crossed for the visitors.

Following the disappointment of Dunedin, Johan Ackermann’s men returned to South Africa and gave their home fans plenty to cheer about. A stunning first half saw the Lions saunter into a 31-3 lead. And while the Cheetahs came back in the second period, there was no stopping the Lions. Elton Jantjies, Faf de Klerk, Howard Mnisi, Ruan Ackermann and Corne Fourie all scored tries.

The Lions again thrilled their fans, but so did the Crusaders in what was a hugely entertaining match. However, a few soft moments by the home team and some exceptional play by the visitors saw Ackermann’s men come up short.

Akker van der Merwe scored a brace, while Elton Jantjies and Lionel Mapoe also crossed the whitewash but it was all in vain as the visitors triumphed.

The Lions bounced back immediately by completely outplaying the Sharks. In a game of few opportunities, they kept their hosts try-less, while they grabbed two five-pointers, by lock Andries Ferreira and Lionel Mapoe. The win took the Lions to the top of their conference ... and they’d stay there until the end.

There was plenty of excitement ahead of the Stormers’ visit. And while this was a fairly tight affair, the hosts - thanks to Faf de Klerk and Elton Jantjies who stood out - came out on top. Ruan Combrinck and De Klerk scored the tries, but it was Jantjies’ accurate goal-kicking, and a drop-goal, that made the difference.

The Lions picked up another five points after a comprehensive showing against the out-classed Kings with Jantjies again leading the way.

The visitors scored seven tries, through Ruan Combrinck (2), Warren Whitely, Courtnall Skosan, Akker van der Merwe (2) and Rohan Janse van Rensburg, to the Kings' two.

For whatever reason, the Lions came horribly unstuck the week after demolishing the Kings.

They were sloppy in many areas, gifting the visitors a number of tries through poor passing and there was just no coming back when they went 21-0 down after 15 minutes.

Akker van der Merwe, Lionel Mapoe and Jaco Kriel scored the Lions’ three tries.

The Lions had a week off to think about their mistakes against the Canes and came back stronger than ever to hammer the Blues in a sensational display of attacking rugby. Elton Jantjies produced a master-class in the pouring rain, Lionel Mapoe got a hat-trick of tries and Warren Whiteley, Courtnall Skosan, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Warwick Tecklenburg also scored tries.

The men from Argentina were next on the Lions’ hit list ... and Ackermann’s team dished out another beating. Ruan Combrinck and Courtnall Skosan grabbed two tries each, while Lourens Erasmus, Cyle Brink, Lionel Mapoe and Jaco Kriel also crossed for tries. It was an exceptional performance with a few fringe players given a chance to impress the technical team.

This was supposed to be a close encounter, but the Lions dominated from start to finish, with young Rohan Janse van Rensburg stealing the show. Faf de Klerk was also exceptional in a game where Marnitz Boshoff started because of an injury to Elton Jantjies. Janse van Rensburg got two tries, while De Klerk, Lionel Mapoe, Jaco Kriel, Julian Redelinghuys and Courtnall Skosan also scored.

For the second time in the season, Johan Ackermann’s men would produce a stunning performance, led by Faf de Klerk and captained by Jaco Kriel in Warren Whiteley's absence. The home team went 27-0 up and then 37-0 up to qualify for the play-offs. Ruan Combrinck, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Malcolm Marx, Ruan Ackermann and Jaco Kriel scored tries.

They perhaps weren’t as clinical as they should have been, but the home team still had far too much fire-power for the visitors, Rohan Janse van Rensburg again shining at inside centre and getting two tries, while Andries Coetzee, Faf de Klerk, Franco Mostert, Malcolm Marx, Sylvian Mahuza and Courtnall Skosan also got five-pointers.

Having secured a home quarter-final and semi-final Ackermann opted to rest his front-line players for the trip to Argentina. It was a controversial decision because just one log point from the game would have ensured the Lions finished top of the pile. The ‘B’ team lost, with the Lions’ tries coming from Anthony Volmink (2) and Sylvian Mahuza.

Into the quarter-finals and what a performance by the Lions to confirm that the decision to rest key players was right. They made up for their defeat to the Crusaders earlier in the season by playing with power and pace to out-smart their visitors. Courtnall Skosan, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Malcolm Marx, Ruan Combrinck and Lionel Mapoe crossing for tries. It was sensational stuff from the Lions.

Would they actually beat two top New Zealand sides back-to-back? You bet they would. Elton Jantjies was exceptional, scoring a try and having a hand in three others ... the Lions dominated the defending champions. Besides the No 10, the other tries came from Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Courtnall Skosan, Jaco Kriel and Lourens Erasmus as the Lions earned a spot in tomorrow's finale.

BEAT SUNWOLVES 26-13 (Tokyo)

BEAT CHIEFS 36-32 (Hamilton)

LOST HIGHLANDERS 15-34 (Dunedin)

BEAT CHEETAHS 39-22 (Jhb)

LOST CRUSADERS 37-43 (Jhb)

BEAT SHARKS 24-9 (Durban)

BEAT STORMERS 29-22 (Jhb)

BEAT KINGS 45-10 (Port Elizabeth)

LOST HURRICANES 17-50 (Jhb)

BEAT BLUES 43-5 (Jhb)

BEAT JAGUARES 52-24 (Jhb)

BEAT BULLS 56-20 (Pretoria)