The Lions wrapped up an unbeaten Vodacom United Rugby Championship tour with a third successive victory, beating Edinburgh on Friday night.
Listed as rank underdogs to win in the Scottish capital against a strong Edinburgh lineup recently returned from South Africa, the Lions produced a stirring comeback performance to triumph 22-19 at the DAM Health Stadium.
A miserly first-half served up just 10 points and two tries – Edinburgh No 8 Viliam Mata finished a strong driving maul before Andries Coetzee crossed the whitewash to level the score at 5-5 heading into the break.
Edinburgh winger Darcy Graham cemented his place as the URC’s top try-scorer when he bagged his sixth of the campaign shortly after the restart, restoring the home side’s lead, but it was short-lived as stocky Lions outside centre Henco van Wyk displayed immense strength and awareness to finish a powerful try.
Mata scored his second for the hosts off the back of another driving maul, only for Lions No 8 Francke Horne to crash over with the try in reply.
Gianni Lombard’s 75th minute penalty gave the Lions the lead for the first time and sensational defending from the tourists secured a memorable 22-19 victory and a 3-1 start to the season.
The Lions will return home to host Ulster on Saturday, 15 October.
Photo: Twitter/@URCOfficial_RSA