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October 23 - Two of the three finals at Coca-Cola Park on Saturday will feature MTN Golden Lions teams after the 32-27 win of the Lions over Western Province in the Absa Under-19 competition.
The Lions will play the Blue Bulls in the Under-19 final in the first of two junior finals before the Absa Currie Cup showpiece. The Blue Bulls comprehensively beat the Free State 48-13 in the other semi-final on Friday to advance to the final after winning ten of their 12 league matches.
Leading 20-13 at halftime on Saturday, the Lions increased this lead to 32-13 after lock Paul Willemse’s second try and one by No 8 Ruan Lerm in the first 17 minutes after the break.
The visitors then had to play catch-up for the second time in the match but never really threatened the Lions lead despite pulling back seven points 12 minutes before the end through a converted try. It left WP a leeway of 12 points, and their final converted try, virtually on time, still left the visitors five points shy of qualifying.
The Lions scored four tries to three, and were into their stride virtually from the kick-off when scrumhalf Vian van der Walt scored after barely a minute. With Marais Schmidt converting the try and also Willemse’s first try seven minutes later, WP had it all to do with the score at 14-0 to the home side.
WP came back seven minutes later through a first converted try by their fullback Craig Barry and two penalties by each side made it to the halftime 20-13 lead of the Lions.
The scorers were:
MTN Golden Lions: Tries: Paul Willemse (2), Ruaan Lerm, Vian van der Walt. Conversions: Marais Schmidt (3). Penalties: Schmidt (2).
Western Province: Tries: Craig Barry (2), Carlo Theron. Conversions: Dillyn Leyds (3). Penalties: Leyds (2)
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