Lions claw Cardiff to restore some pride

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The Lions ended a five-game losing streak in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship with a well-earned victory over the Cardiff Blues at Ellis Park.

Tries for Edwill van der Merwe, Morne van den Berg and Vincent Tshituka, with Jordan Hendrikse bagging 17 points from the kicking tee, were enough for the hosts to claim a 37-20 win on Sunday.

Cardiff struck first after halftime, James Botham making it over the line with the Lions’ defence caught napping inside their 22.

But two penalties from Hendrikse restored the lead for the home side, before the visitors were forced to fight back with 14 men after Kristian Dacey copped a yellow card for an illegal cleanout at the breakdown, with Tshituka landing the killer blow on the stroke of full time.

The Lions were ahead on the scoreboard as early as the third minute after Van den Berg exploited space on the short side of a ruck, with Hendrikse adding the extras.

Hendrikse then regained the hosts’ seven-point advantage after a Jarrod Evans penalty, only for the Cardiff pivot to quickly sink another over the uprights.

But Van der Merwe bagged the Lions’ second try for Hendrikse to convert, the former going over in the corner off a wide move. Van der Merwe doubled his tally moments later, Tshituka drewing two defenders before the ball was worked out wide to the speedster.

Will Boyde was awarded a try for the visitors in the 26th minute, only for his effort to be turned over on a TMO review. But Cardiff pulled one back, thanks to Aled Summerhill selling a slick dummy en route for the touchdown, before Hendrikse sliced his penalty attempt wide as the halftime hooter sounded with the score 24-13.

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Devin Hermanus