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April 30 - The MTN Golden Lions, like their Super Rugby team, were their own worst enemies as they went down 28-26 in the Vodacom Cup quarter-final against a 14-man Blue Bulls side at Wits on Saturday.
After controlling the game in the first half in every respect except on the scoreboard, the Golden Lions let it slip in the last 20 minutes when the Blue Bulls were reduced to 14 men.
There was a lack of cohesion after the break and a lethargy among the players as well as a number of basic errors cost them points.
But they could’ve been out of sight by the break if Elton Jantjies, who succeeded with only one kick from five in the match and Andre Pretorius who also missed one for 13 points squandered.
Jantjies’ misses were an angled conversion as well as two straight penalties before halftime – even the one from halfway was well within his normal reach – and his uncertain kicking this season is obviously also affecting his play.
There was a great try by Lions wing Dusty Noble who had plenty of work to do before scoring; hard work by hooker Edgar Marutlulle and fetcher Jaco Kriek; and a number of other good individual efforts. But in the end it wasn’t enough.
With the Blue Bulls trailing by 14-13 (the halftime score) was 11-10) ten minutes into the second half and the Golden Lions seemingly in control, the Blue Bulls lost their centre Francois centre to a red card for a spear tackle. But then the home side let it slip. Here and there the rucking was aggressive, but a slow service from there to the halfbacks nullified the positive.
And the 14-man Bulls, so often castigated for playing a stereotyped game, used the ball when it counted and did it well while the Lions let their opportunities slip.
Ultimately it was the greater urgency of the Blue Bulls, for whom halfbacks Ruan Snyman and Marnitz Boshoff controlled matters well, that carried them through. Their second try – by Marnitz – came just four minutes before the final whistle to put them into the lead. A last attacking opportunity by the Lions was, almost predictably, squandered through poor communication after the final whistle had gone.
Scorers:
MTN Golden Lion: Tries: Alwyn Hollenbach, Dusty Noble, Michael Bondesio. Conversion: Elton Jantjies. Penalties: Andre Pretorius (3).
Vodacom Blue Bulls: Tries: Morne Mellett, Sampie Mastriet, Marnitz Boshoff. Conversions: Boshoff (2). Penalties: Boshoff (3).
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