Bulls hold on to thwart Lions comeback
The Bulls began their quest for a fourth Super title in five years with a 24-20 win over the Lions in an all-South African encounter at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The Lions lost all 13 matches last year and looked down and out when they trailed 24-5 at halftime before staging a stirring second-half comeback.
“We left it a little bit late,” said Lions captain Franco van der Merwe. “Facing a kicker like Morne Steyn we must learn to keep our discipline.”
The hosts outscored the Bulls by three tries to two and kept them scoreless in the second half but it was in the opening 40 minutes that the champions showed their class.
Much was expected of the new-look Lions after a number of off-season signings by billionaire owner Robert Gumede and the acquisition of former All Blacks coach John Mitchell.
Instead it was the Bulls, with 13 Springboks in their side, who laid down an early marker in the competition that has been expanded to 15 teams.
“We were very clinical in the first half but made too many mistakes in the second,” said captain Victor Matfield.
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The Bulls, champions in 2007, 2009 and 2010, scored two tries in the opening 17 minutes through fullback Zane Kirchner and winger Gerhard van den Heever while Springbok flyhalf Steyn kicked 14 first-half points.
The Lions, however, upped their game in the second period.
Debutant hooker Martin Bezuidenhout barged over in the 57th minute for a try converted by flyhalf Elton Jantjies and forward Warren Whiteley brought the fans to their feet four minutes later when he dived over.
The 20-year-old Jantjies then booted a 69th-minute penalty to set up a nailbiting finale. - Reuters
