Unbeaten Lions make a splash in wet Parma
MATCH REPORT: The Lions retained their unbeaten start to the United Rugby Championship - edging Zebre by a single point in monsoon-like conditions in Parma on Saturday.
Despite struggling with the challenges posed by the weather, the Lions scored the game's only try in a 10-9 win at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi.
It cemented their place in the top three and sets up next week's final tour match against the table-topping Leinster.
Plenty of rain fell during the game, forming pools of water on the pitch and creating heavy underfoot conditions.
This certainly did not suit the Lions' expansive inclinations.
The Lions' game management was a big issue, while Zebre had a far more pragmatic approach.
It also did not help that the Lions' execution let them down badly for large parts of the game.
The Lions' scrum - despite conceding an early penalty - eventually started wearing their opponents down. There was another scrum penalty against them early in the second half, but it was by far the visitors' most destructive weapon.
Captain and Man of the Match Francke Horn praised his team for a 'great defensive set' in the final 10 minutes, which proved to be the winning play.
* To recap all the drama, CLICK HERE!
* The report continues below ...
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It was a nervy start by both teams, with the challenging conditions ensuring that kicking was the predominant feature of the game.
Scrumhalf Alessandro Fusco was the chief protagonist for the home team in the opening 10 minutes, with the Lions making some attempt to keep the ball in hand.
The first realistic scoring opportunity came in the 14th minute - a breakdown penalty allowing Zebre flyhalf Giovanni Montemauri to slot the kick for a 3-0 lead. He made that 6-0 just past the quarter mark, a high-tackle penalty.
It forced the visitors to play catch-up - using their powerful driving maul to make progress.
It was wing Edwill van der Merwe that broke the Lions' duck with a try on the left, after the forwards went close with a series of raids. Flyhalf Sanele Nohamba added the touchline conversion - the visitors taking a 7-6 lead.
On the stroke of half-time, Nohamba had a chance to stretch the lead. However, he pushed the penalty attempt wide to the right - leaving his team to take a one-point lead into the break.
The second half started with a scrum penalty to the Lions, Nohamba slotting this one to make it a 10-6 lead.
An offside penalty allowed Montemauri to close the gap back to one point - 9-10.
The game now degenerated into a kicking contest, with the home better equipped for this style.
With 10 minutes remaining, the Lions were penalised deep in their 22, but Montemauri pushed his attempt wide to the right.
The Lions now resorted to defence and hung on desperately for a hard-earned win.
The scorers
For Zebre
Pens: Montemauri 3
For the Lions
Try: Van der Merwe
Con: Nohamba
Pen: Nohamba
Teams
Zebre: 15 Geronimo Prisciantelli, 14 Jacopo Trulla, 13 Giulio Bertaccini, 12 Luca Morisi, 11 Simone Gesi, 10 Giovanni Montemauri, 9 Alessandro Fusco, 8 Giovanni Licata, 7 Iacopo Bianchi, 6 Davide Ruggeri, 5 Andrea Zambonin, 4 Matteo Canali, 3 Juan Pitinari, 2 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 1 Danilo Fischetti (captain).
Replacements: 16 Luca Bigi, 17 Luca Rizzoli, 18 Matteo Nocera, 19 Leonard Krumov, 20 Luca Andreani, 21 Giacomo Milano, 22 Gonzalo Garcia, 23 Fetuli Paea.
Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Richard Kriel, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Sanele Nohamba, 9 Morné van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn (captain), 7 Jarod Cairns, 6 Johannes Pretorius, 5 Ruben Schoeman, 4 Reinhard Nothnagel, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2 Jaco Visagie, 1 Juan Schoeman.
Replacements: 16 Pieter Botha, 17 Heiko Pohlmann, 18 RF Schoeman, 19 Ruan Delport, 20 Renzo du Plessis, 21 Nico Steyn, 22 Erich Cronje, 23 Rabz Maxwane.
Referee: Ben Connor (Wales)
Assistant referees: Ben Whitehouse (Wales) and Rhys Jones (Wales)
TMO: Aled Griffiths (Wales)
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