The Lions earned a first win in the Currie Cup this season after beating fellow bottom-dwellers Western Province at Ellis Park on Saturday evening.
Flyhalf Tiaan Swanepoel scored 18 points in a four-tries-to-one victory for the Joburgers, who had a 20-3 lead at half time before closing out the match as the victors.
Lions hooker Morne Brandon dotted down for the opening score but WP pivot Tim Swiel hit back from in front of the posts for the visitors’ first points of the match.
Wing Stean Pienaar quickly doubled the hosts’ try tally, and Swanepoel this time added the extras, before fullback Quan Horn crossed for the third try of the opening stanza.
Swanepoel again failed to convert but successfully nailed a penalty as a frustrating first half ended after plenty of penalties both ways, the Lions heading into the interval with a healthy advantage.
The penalties kept flowing after the break and Lions lock Ruben Schoeman was eventually shown yellow for a ruck infringement.
WP capitalised on the one-man advantage with skipper Nama Xaba grounding the ball on the line for the Capetonians’ first try. Swiel added the extras to close the gap on the scoreboard to 10 points.
But, another two penalties from Swanepoel before scoring and converting his own try earned the Lions some much-needed breathing room as the final hooter sounded on a 33-10 triumph for Ivan van Rooyen’s men.
