Sanele Nohamba scored 24 points as the Lions ambushed the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld yesterday to sustain their Vodacom United Rugby Championship playoff hopes.

Leading 23-13 at halftime, the Lions kept their resurgent rivals at bay to come away 29-25 victors in what marks their first URC victory over the Bulls.

At the final whistle, the result saw the Lions jump to 11th on the log, three positions away from qualifying for the playoffs, while the Bulls’ home playoff chances have diminished following the loss.

The majority of the first half was dominated by the visitors as Nohamba scored an opportunistic try and kicked 13 points to go along with winger Edwill van der Merwe’s opening five-pointer.

It's the @LionsRugbyCo that strike first! 🦁 #BKTURC #URC | #BULvLIO pic.twitter.com/RhB9SwFK9K

— BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial) March 4, 2023

However, the Bulls struck back in the 28th minute through fullback Wandisile Simelane’s try, before winger Sbu Nkosi scored minutes before half time to make it 23-13 in favour of the Lions heading into the break.

Morne ➡️ Sbu #BULvLIO | @Vodacom #URC | #UnitedWeRise pic.twitter.com/eoDPct35ct

— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) March 4, 2023

The Bulls started the second half as they had finished the first, with Simelane scoring his second before Morne Steyn converted hooker Johan Grobbelaar’s try to hand the hosts the lead for the first time since Steyn’s opening penalty in the first minute.

The @Vodacom @BlueBullsRugby take the lead with a power maul 🐂#BULvLIO | @Vodacom #URC | #UnitedWeRise pic.twitter.com/okepspjwgC

— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) March 4, 2023

But the boot of Nohamba was the difference as two penalties in the closing 15 minutes reclaimed the visitors’ lead before they bravely held off waves of desperate attack from the Bulls to grind out a well-deserved victory.

In Round 16 of the URC, the Lions travel to Treviso to play Benetton while the Bulls are in Belfast to take on Ulster.