URC result: Lions edge Ospreys in thriller to finish on a high

It took a last gasp try in the corner from Lions flyhalf Lubabalo Dobela to give the hosts a thrilling 29-28 win over Ospreys in both teams final United Rugby Championship (URC) match of the season at Ellis Park on Saturday evening.

It was a back and forth match that saw both teams take the lead on numerous occasions, including three times in the final 10 minutes, ending with the home sides elation as they closed out a poor season with a win.

However it shouldn’t have been such a close game, as the first half belonged completely to the Lions, but they only managed to take a slender 12-7 lead into halftime after missing a hatful of chances.

Ineffective finishing

The Lions managed about six or seven 22m entries during the first 40, but weren’t able to walk away with points from any of them, as both of the tries they scored were started from outside the 22.

The first of those came in the ninth minute of the match after a good period of dominance, with the Lions attacking from a lineout, spreading the ball where fullback Quan Horn sliced through a gap and laid a perfect pass onto wing Edwill van der Merwe to run in and score.

But straight from the restart the Lions handed the Ospreys a free score, as wing Richard Kriel’s clearance attempt was charged down by flank William Griffiths, who dotted down the converted score to put them 7-5 up.

The Lions had a slew of chances to get back ahead, but it took until the 30^th minute for them to do that as they finally went blind from an attack near the halfway, sending the ball wide where hooker Jaco Visagie broke, passed to flank JC Pretorius, who gave the return pass for the captain to go over.

Dobela’s conversion put them five points ahead, with them taking that lead into the break, despite both teams having chances to score in a frenetic few minutes before halftime.

Ospreys on top

The second half started with Ospreys on top, and they were finally rewarded in the 52^nd minute after bashing away on the Lions line, lock James Ratti received the ball at pace and crashed over, with flyhalf Dan Edwards extras putting them ahead.

But their joy was short lived as straight from the restart flank Renzo du Plessis won a turnover, Dobela kicked to the corner, the Lions set the maul and rumbled over for Visagie to score his second, putting them back ahead 17-14 after 55 minutes.

Seven minutes later Ospreys retook the lead, attacking off a lineout in the 22m, with fullback Jack Walsh running a good line to scythe over for the converted score.

In the 70^th minute it was the Lions turn to lead again, attacking off a 5m scrum, as outside centre Henco van Wyk took a short ball to power over for the converted score to put the hosts 24-21 up.

Ospreys thought they had done enough to win the game in the 77^th minute when they attacked from a lineout in the Lions 22m, hammering away at the line before replacement hooker Sam Parry powered over to give them a four point lead with minutes remaining.

But the hosts would not die and kept the ball alive after the fulltime hooter, kicking to the corner, attacking from the lineout, going through a couple of phases before a skip pass found Dobela on the wing to beat the final tackle and go over for the winning score.

Scorers

Lions: Tries – Edwill van der Merwe, Jaco Visagie (2), Henco van Wyk, Lubabalo Dobela; Conversions – Dobela (2)

Ospreys: Tries – William Griffiths, James Ratti, Jack Walsh, Sam Parry; Conversions – Dan Edwards (4)