Lions beat tough Reds at Emirates Airline Park, but hard work awaits Joburg’s team
Although the Lions have overcome a major onslaught from the Reds from Brisbane on Saturday in Johannesburg, Ivan van Rooyen's team will need to fix their scrumming and lineouts if they want to be a factor in the SuperRugby tournament this year.
The Lions scored four tries, including a double by wing Tyrone Green, to defeat a gutsy Reds 27-20 in their Super Rugby second-round match on Saturday afternoon in Johannesburg.
The Highvelders led 17-13 at halftime. It was their first win of the season after they tasted defeat last week in Argentina.
The Reds had the upper-hand in the lineouts and scrums, where they enjoyed a big weight advantage. However, the visitors struggled in general play mainly because of too many handling errors. The home scrum improved in the second half when the replacement forwards were sent onto the field.
Green was a livewire and he almost bagged a hat-trick of tries. He was foiled just in time by Australian wing Henry Speith, who produced a textbook cover tackle to stop a certain try.
Green scored the opening two tries for the home side while loose forward Marnus Schoeman added a third on the stroke of halftime.
Springbok wing Courtnall Skosan scored his first try of the new season 13 minutes from time, which skipper Elton Jantjies converted. Jantjies then slotted a late penalty to secure the 27-20 win.
Jock Campbell and Tate McDermott scored a try each for the Reds, while Bryce Hegarty added two conversions and two penalty goals.
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