Sharks edge Lions in pre-season thriller

REPORT: The Sharks edged the Lions 45-43 in a United Rugby Championship pre-season thriller at Ellis Park on Friday.

In a game where defence was not at a premium, the Sharks outscored the Lions by seven tries to six.

The hosts raced into an early 14-0 lead, with the rest of the encounter a tit-for-tat encounter.

At half-time, the Sharks held a 24-19 lead, which became 31-19 early in the second half.

Another two-try blitz saw the Lions reclaim the lead (36-31), the Sharks going ahead (38-36), the Lions reclaiming the lead (43-38), before the visitors scored a late winner.

The scorers

For the Lions

Tries: Horn, Van den Berg, Van der Merwe, Sangweni 2, Maxwane

Cons: Hendrikse 2, Swanepoel 3

Pen: Swanepoel

For the Sharks

Tries: Penxe, Bholi, Fassi 2, Jooste 2, Abraham

Cons: Bosch 2, Crone, Chamberlain 2

Teams

Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Quan Horn, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Morné van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Ruan Venter, 6 Travis Gordon, 5 Reinhardt Nothnagel (co-captain), 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Ruan Smith, 2 Pieter Botha, 1 Asenathi Ntlabakanye.

Replacements – from: Morgan Naudé, Jaco Visagie, Ruan Dreyer, Pieter Jansen van Vuren, Pieter-John Steenkamp, Jaco Kriel (co-captain), Ruhan Straeuli, Emmanuel Tshituka, Sanele Nohamba, Gianni Lombard, Sibahle Maxwane, Zander du Plessis, Sango Xamlashe, Stean Pienaar, Tiaan Swanepoel, Stephan Smit, Sibusiso Sangweni, Andre Warner.

Sharks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Yaw Penxe, 13 Marnus Potgieter, 12 Ben Tapuai, 11 Anthony Volmink, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Phendulani Buthelezi, 7 Dylan Richardson, 6 James Venter, 5 Reniel Hugo, 4 Thembelani Bholi, 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Dian Bleuler.

Replacements – from: Dan Jooste, Khwezi Mona, Carlu Sadie, Hanro Jacobs, Jaco Willemse, Hyron Andrews, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Zee Mkhabela, Lionel Cronje, Thaakir Abrahams, Nevaldo Fleurs, Werner Kok, Boeta Chamberlain.

Referee: Jaco Peyper