Friendly - Lions vs Pumas on 26 February 2021
February 26, 2021 - The match was played at Ellis Park on Friday 26 February 2021, kick-off was at 19:00 SA Time.
Tiaan Swanepoel was picked at Flyhalf for this friendly, and kicked 6 penalties and 2 conversions for a personal tally of 22 points to help the Lions get a 4 point win over the Pumas.
The game was played in wet conditions which normally is a great leveller in rugby, and in the first half the Pumas had the upper hand with their forwards dominating and they also enjoyed the majority of territory and posession.
The Pumas took the early lead when Hooker Simon Westradt scored from a maul after just six minutes.
Close to the break the Pumas dropped a ball on the halfway line, and from the turnover ball the Lions scored a breakaway try to level things at 13 all at half time.
In the second half the Lions were a bit more in the game, and the Pumas conceded many penalties, which allowed the Lions to take a 6 point lead with about 25 minutes left in the game.
AJ le Roux then scored another maul try for the Pumas, to take them within just one points of the Lions, and 7 minutes later the Pumas took the lead when Ali Mgijima scored when the Pumas sent the ball left from a ruck close to the Lions try-line.
The Lions hit back quickly when MJ Pelser scored from a scrum 5 metres from the Pumas line, and just before the end of the match Swanepoel sealed the win with a penalty.
Officials
Referee: Jaco Peyper
AR1: Griffin Colby
AR2: Ashleigh Murray
TMO: Stuart Berry
Teams
Lions: 15. EW Viljoen; 14. Prince Nkabinde, 13. Manuel Rass, 12. James Mollentze, 11. Divan Rossouw; 10. Tiaan Swanepoel, 9. Morné van den Berg; 8. Francke Horn, 7. Roelof Smit, 6. Marnus Schoeman, 5. Reinhard Nothnagel (Capt), 4. Emmanuel Tshituka, 3. Wiehahn Herbst, 2. PJ Botha, 1. Nathan McBeth.
Replacements: 16. Dameon Venter, 17. Banele Mthenjane, 18. Jannie du Plessis, 19. Ruhan Straeuli, 20. MJ Pelser, 21. Dillon Smit, 22. Luke Rossouw, 23. Ngia Selengbe
Pumas: 15 Devon Williams, 14 Luther Obi, 13 Alwayno Visagie, 12 Wayne van der Bank, 11 Etienne Taljaard, 10 Eddie Fouche, 9 Giovan Snyman, 8 Willie Engelbrecht, 7 Ewart Potgieter, 6 Daniel Maartens, 5 Pieter Jansen van Vuren (captain), 4 Brandon Valentyn, 3 Ig Prinsloo, 2 Simon Westradt, 1 Morgan Naude.
Replacements: 16 AJ le Roux, 17 Liam Hendricks, 18 Dewald Maritz, 19 Le Roux Roets, 20 Kwanda Dimaza, 21 Ginter Smuts, 22 Ali Mgijima, 23 Tapiwa Mafura.
Scorers
Lions: 32 (13): Tries: Morne van den Berg, MJ Pelser. Conversions: Tiaan Swanepoel (2). Penalties: Tiaan Swanepoel (6).
Pumas: 28 (13): Tries: Simon Westradt, AJ le Roux, Ali Mgijima. Conversions: Eddie Fouche, Ginter Smuts. Penalties: Eddie Fouche (3).