Lions turn it up to crush Ospreys with second-half blitz

The Lions produced an incredible second-half display as they powered to a brilliant 45-15 win over Ospreys in their United Rugby Championship match at Ellis Park on Friday night.

The home side scored a number of brilliant long-range tries, and after a scrappy first half, they turned it on in the second with some superb broken play to outscore the visitors seven tries to two.

After an even start to the match, which included flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse missing an easy penalty, the Lions then got on the board in the 13th minute.

They attacked from a Ospreys 22m drop out, skipper Burger Odendaal made the break, popped the ball to scrumhalf Morne van den Berg who then found wing Rabz Maxwane who stepped a defender and sprinted away to score, with Hendrikse finding his range for a 7-0 lead.

A barren run of play then ended in the 31st minute as Ospreys got on the board through a penalty to flyhalf Josh Thomas after a penalty at the breakdown on the 22m.

The Lions, however, finished the half strong as another attack started from their own half saw Odendaal with the initial break, offloading to van den Berg to go over under the sticks for a converted try to lead 14-3 at half-time.

If the first half was scrappy then the second was a try fest as the Lions ran in five tries against two to the Ospreys.

First Reinhard Nothnagel crashed over from short range for a converted score after 43 minutes, before Ospreys scrummy Rhys Webb sniped over from close range for their own converted score.

Van den Berg then went over for his second in the 55th minute after a break from outside centre Wandisile Simelane, while Ospreys hit back with an intercept try to outside centre Michael Collins in the 65th making it 28-15.

In the final 11 minutes the Lions then piled on the misery as replacement centre Manie Rass went over, wing Edwill van der Merwe scored through pure pace and replacement scrummy Andre Warner rounded out good play as the Lions cruised to a huge win.

The bonus-point victory is another indication that the Lions have turned the corner after a tough start to the year and they will be now be targeting the URC top 10.