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April 8 - The MTN Golden Lions moved to the top of the North Section of the Vodacom Cup with a 37-14 win over the SWD Eagles at Outeniqua Park in George on Friday night.
They are now four points ahead of GWK Griquas, who have a game ahead. Griquas play the EP kings in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
Meanwhile the Blue Bulls, after losing their first four matches in the competition, retained their hopes of making the quarter-finals with a 34-8 win over Border in East London. In the other Friday match Boland thrashed the Welwitschias 71-33 at the Boland Stadium
** The MTN Golden Lions ran up a 23-point lead at the break, thanks to three tries in 10 minutes and an excellent kicking display by flyhalf Burton Francis. But then the Lions took the foot off the pedal, allowing the Eagles to dominate everywhere except on the scoreboard.
Having said that, the home side will be kicking themselves for their performance where they squandered their opportunities. On another day SWD might have scored four tries in quick succession, but in this match it was the Lions that finished with the bonus point.
Flyhalf Burton Francis gave the visitors an early 6-0 lead but the Eagles soon made it 7-6 when right wing Howard Noble finished off underneath the posts a movement that started in the Eagles' half of the field.
But Francis soon restored the Lions' advantage with a third penalty before three tries in the 10 minutes before halftime, to lock Johan Snyman, eighthman and man of the match, Dries van Schalkwyk, and scrumhalf Michael Bondesio, took the wind out of the Eagles' sails.
Francis rubbed salt in the wounds by converting all three, as well as Bondesio's second try just after the break to make it 37-7.
The Lions, perhaps understandably given the scoreline, decided to take their foot off the pedal, leaving Eagles replacement wing Clint Wagman to score the only other points of a lacklustre half in the 78th minute.
Scorers:
Eagles: Tries: Howard Noble, Clint Wagman. Conversions: Jeffrey Taljard, Deroy Rhoode.
Lions: Tries: Johan Snyman, Dries van Schalkwyk, Michael Bondesio (2). Conversions: Burton Francis (4). Penalties: Francis (3).
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