Bulls clinch thriller over Lions, Griquas thump Griffons in Currie Cup

A last gasp drop goal attempt from Lions flyhalf Gianni Lombard drifted wide to hand the Bulls a breathless 33-32 (halftime 26-20) bonus point win in their Currie Cup clash at Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon.

With the clock running red and the Lions throwing one last attack at the Bulls, working their way onto their 22m, the ball was passed back to Lombard in front, with him pulling his drop goal giving the Bulls a massively important win.

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It was the visitors who led from the outset as a flying start saw them 12-0 up after five minutes as superb interplay in the Lions 22m on both occasions ended with eighthman Elrigh Louw and fullback David Kriel dotting down, while flyhalf Johan Goosen landed one conversion.

The Lions then hit back with eighthman Francke Horn scoring an opportunistic try as he hacked ahead from a Bulls knock on in their own half, as scrumhalf Sanele Nohamba slotted the conversion and a 17^th minute penalty to make it 12-10.

But the Bulls powered back with another quickfire double, as scrumhalf Embrose Papier showed strength to power through two tackles to score, followed by prop Mornay Smith diving over, with Goosen nailing both conversions for a 26-10 lead after 21 minutes.

Six point game

A 30^th minute penalty try after the Lions maul was illegally brought down, and a second penalty from the boot of Nohamba made it a six point game at the break.

The second half then saw early tries traded as Lions wing Edwill van der Merwe ran in a try of the season contender, followed by Bulls flank Marcell Coetzee crashing over for a converted score, making it 33-25 after 51 minutes.

It was a massive arm wrestle over the rest of the match but Van Der Merwe’s second try in the 71^st minute, converted by Lombard, made it a one point game, leading to the last second drama.

Bonus point win

In the earlier game the Griquas powered back from an early deficit to claim a 47-21 (halftime 28-14) bonus point win over the Griffons in Welkom to make sure they stayed in the hunt for a place in the Currie Cup play-offs.

As has happened a number of times this season the Griffons got off to a great start, with prop Stephan de Jager going over for two tries, both converted by flyhalf Duan Pretorius giving them a 14-0 lead after 10 minutes.

But the rest of the half belonged to the visitors as they first fought back through tries to scrumhalf Johan Mulder and eighthman Carl Els, with flyhalf Lubabelo Dobela knocking over both conversions to draw the scores level after 21 minutes.

Outside centre Jay-Cee Nel then went over for a converted score in the 25^th minute, followed by Dobela scoring and converting on the half time hooter to give them a strong lead going into the second half.

Early in the second half De Jager went over for his hattrick try, converted by Pretorius, to bring the Griffons back within seven at 28-21 after 44 minutes, but that was as good as it got for the hosts.

A second try to Els, a converted score to fullback Ashlon Davids and a late unconverted try to replacement back Sango Xamlashe then sealed the strong win for the Griquas.