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March 26 - The Auto & General Lions lost their seventh successive Super 14 match when they went down 39-29 to the Highlanders in Dunedin on Friday after again losing their focus to let the home side in following a healthy lead.
The Lions scored five tries to three and again showed that they can in fact create opportunities. Opposition fullback Israel Dagg’s six ultimately made the difference - and the Lions will forever wonder how they let this one slip.
The Lions were 17-6 ahead after 30 minutes after controlling the game up front and being clinical when they took it wide. Then they went to pieces for a period just before and after the break, during which time Dagg’s last four penalties and two converted tries put the Highlanders in control at 32-17 after 53 minutes. The 26 points scored in those 23 minutes clinched the match.
It all went so well for the Lions until the 30th minute. Three tries - with only one converted and an easy penalty kick also missed - saw the Lions up at 17-6 after 21 minutes after having more than 90% of the territory. All three their tries came from good mauling with the backs swelling the lineout numbers to ten to help drive the maul over. The first went to Michael Killian who used his momentum to break through on the line with the touchline preventing an outside pass. Then captain Cobus Grobbelaar was the man in possession as the maul plunged over the tryline and take the Lions went 12-3 ahead. The third try went to Wigan Pekeur after a neat pass from Spencer.
The Lions held the lead until the 38th minute when two penalties by Dagg in the 38th and 40th minutes saw them take the halftime lead at 22-17. The Highlanders’ try came in the 31st minute when lock Hayden Triggs followed up well to take a pop pass from captain Jimmy Cowan after the first of the gaps opened when the Highlanders started to run from far out. At least the Highlanders three tries this time followed clever play rather than missed tackles. But the Lions had - as before in the six losses - lost their structure and concentration. With it went discipline - and although two of Israel Dagg’s penalties followed strange decisions from referee Stuart Dickinson, captain Grobbelaar admitted to poor discipline after the match. “Our discipline cost us. Stupid penalties kept them in the game,” he said.
The Highlanders were very, very lucky to be ahead at halftime. A minute after the resumption, following a controversial penalty decision against Grobbelaar, it became 25-17. Then a kick forward by Dagg saw Kenny Lynn get the fortuitous bounce ahead of Tonderai Chavanga in the in-goal area in the 53rd minute (32-17). Walter Venter was yellow-carded for a late shoulder charge in the 62nd minute at the same time that Jano Vermaak had to leave the field with what looked like a hamstring injury. JC Janse van Rensburg was also replaced, with Ross Geldenhuys coming back. From the ensuing penalty lineout the Highlanders mauled the Lions back metres and were awarded a penalty try when the maul was collapsed (39-17). After 67 minutes Earl Rose, on as a replacement for Doppies la Grange and playing at flyhalf, lost the ball as he went over under the posts. The Lions returned from a 60 metres-sortie by the Highlanders, lost a lineout but got the five metres-scrum from the Highlanders botch-up, and JP Joubert went over oh, so easily for the bonus point try. Rose missed the easy conversion (39-22).
Pekeur got a second try four minutes from time and make it a more respectable 39-29 - but the Lions will be hurting about a match that was theirs for the taking.
Summarising: the Lions have to take their opportunities. They missed that try by Rose, one or two more tries because of poor finishing, three conversions and a penalty. They also have to up their focus and their discipline. Scorers: Highlanders: Try: Hayden Triggs, Kenny Lynn, penalty try. Conversions: Israel Dagg (3). Penalties: Dagg (6) Lions: Try: Michael Killian, Cobus Grobbelaar, Wigan Pekeur (2), JP Joubert. Conversion: Carlos Spencer, Earl Rose
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