Golden Lions bruised SWD

The penultimate match of the day turned out to be an 11-try affair, but it was the six tries in the first half by Golden Lions who gave them the leverage to dominate proceedings.

Golden Lions got off to a rampant start as they kept South Western Districts inside their 22 for the first two minutes. After five minutes of defending South Western Districts folded, and Asenathi Ntlabakanye scored the first try for Golden Lions. The conversion was missed and the Gauteng side took an early 5-0 lead.

Inside ten minutes Golden Lions were two tries up and continued an onslaught.

The second try came quickly.  In a counterattack  fullback Mark Snyman put on the pace to scored the second try of the match. Wandisile Simelane converted to extend the lead to 14-0.   

Within minutes Simelane went over for his team's third try and the centre made no mistake in putting over his third successive kick, 21-0.

Just shy of the 15 minute mark Simelane scored his second try of the match and the Golden Lions led 26-0.

And before South Western Districts could breathe the fifth try came from a line-out as Tyrone Green went over to register his name on the score sheet, Wandisile Simelane added the extras 33-0.

With 15 minutes to play of the first stanza, South Western Districts had their first try-scoring opportunity. From a line-out they managed to build a good driving maul to go over the tryl-ine. TMO advised that it was not a try because there was no clear grounding.

Eventually the South Western Districts scrum produce an try-scoring opportunity, which Lance Lamprecht grabbed with both hands. As we headed into the last ten minutes of the first half South Western Districts trailed 33-5

With the clock ticking down Simelane was just too good to be stopped. The centre got a sublime pass that sent him on his way for his third try in the corner. With the sun in his face the talisman converted from the touchline to put 40 points on the board.

In the 34th minute South Western Districts started playing more positive and productive rugby. With great carries inside the Golden Lions' 22, WP van Heerden went in low to score a moral boosting try. Darren Adonis added the much need two points on the brink of halftime as his team trailed 12-40.

As the teams returedn for the second half, South Western Districts clawed their way into the match. From a line-out on the Golden Lions five-metre line, South Western Districts secured the ball and Adonis sliced his way through the defence to score his team's third try. To the delight of the South Western Districts supporters Adonis converted the try, 19-40.

With South Western Districts thinking they might stand a chance, the Golden Lions pounced with a moment of brilliance created by Green. He slipped past defenders, put in a little sidestep and planted the ball between the poles on 43 minute. The lead now 47-19 after Simelane conversion.

50 minutes had been played and the crowd were enjoying every minute as South Western Districts refused to give up. But handling errors makes it difficult for the them to put in a solid attack.

As soon as Golden Lions found themselves in the opposition's half they produced some amazing backline flair. A drift pass from Simelane found the hands of Chuiner van Rooyen, who hoisted himself over for his team's eight try,  52-19.

Even eight tries could not slap the wind out of South Western Districts' sail. They continued to press forward and were rewarded with an Andre Posthumus try, the big man bursting over the tryline. Adonis was successful in adding the extra two points as South Western Districts trailed 26-52.

In the dying minutes, the sneaky scrumhalf Tinus Combrinck  caught South Western Districts  napping and scored the final try of the match. After Wandisile Simelane's conversion the ref blew the whistle for fulltime.

The Scorers:

For South Western Districts:

Tries: Lance Lamprecht, WP van Heerden, Darren Adonis, Andre Posthumus

Cons: Darren Adonis 2,

For Golden Lions:

Tries: Mark Snyman, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Wandisile Simelane 3, Tyrone Green 2, Chuiner van Rooyen , Tinus Combrinck

Cons: Wandisile Simelane 7

Teams:

South Western Districts: Dian Bleuler, Sean Swart, Andre Posthumus, Xhantilomzi Nokoyo, Dawid Meiring, Byron Booysen, Willem Petrus van Heerden, Lance Lamprecht, Zinedine Booysen, Xavier Swartbooi, Darryle Kameel, Jay Cee Nel, Bradley Kiewitz, Alexander Wallace, Darren Adonis, Adriaan-lee du Preez, Nicolai Weber, Franco Bosshoff, Jacobus Smit, Victor, Lithemba Mpoli, Damian Bonaparte, Nicolus van Eerden.

Golden Lions: Mpilo Mabuza, Pieter Botha, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Chirstopher Havenga, Darries Landsberg, Mark Snyman, Enrico Liut, PJ Jacobs, Tnus Combrinck, Tyrone Green, Maxwill van Louw, MJ Pelser, Wandisile Simelane, David Cary, Shane Chuiner van Rooyen, Lehlogonolo Naka, Nathan McBeth, Keagan Glade, Christen van Niekerk, Tiaan Scholtz, Kalvin Mills, Tantendaishe Mujawo, Bonianga Mpeky.

Referee: Vusi Msibi

Assistant referees: Ricus van der Hoven, Oregopotse Rametsi

Television match official: Joey Klaaste-Salmans