Lions concede three late tries to lose to Ospreys

The Lions will be kicking themselves for failing to beat Ospreys from Wales in their final group match in the Challenge Cup at Ellis Park on Sunday afternoon.

After dominating the encounter and enjoying a good lead midway through the second half, the Lions inexplicably went to sleep, while Ospreys smelt blood and the visitors duly pounced to leave the home team wondering “what just happened?”.

Ospreys scored three tries inside the final 10 minutes to snatch a dramatic 38-28 win against the Lions – their first win against the Joburg team in all competitions.

It means the Lions will now have to travel abroad for their last-16 match in the competition, giving up crucial home ground and altitude advantage.

The Lions had led 18-14 at half-time and 28-17 with eight minutes to go after earlier scoring tries through captain Marius Louw (2), JC Pretorius and Morne van den Berg.

Sanele Nohamba kicked two penalties and a conversion, while the Lions were twice reduced to playing with 14 men following the yellow carding of two players during the match.

Cheetahs also go down

The Cheetahs, meanwhile, also had the heart ripped out of them, when they also lost in the dying minutes of their Challenge Cup match to Oyonnax in France on Saturday. Fortunately for them, they picked up enough points to also progress to the knockout stages of the competition, having secured third spot in Pool 1.

Like the Lions, discipline cost them as they were reduced to playing with 14 players for most of the match after Munier Hartzenberg was red carded early on for a dangerous tackle, though they shook off the setback and were well on their way to victory after leading 27-21 with time up on the clock.

A late Oyonnax try, which was also converted, gave the home team the win, despite the Cheetahs doing just about everything to win, and after scoring a brace of tries by hooker Marnus van der Merwe and a try and 12 points with the boot by Ruan Pienaar.

The Cheetahs were down to 13 men at one stage when Daniel Kasende was sin-binned, but still led by 19 points midway through the first half, and by 22-14 at half-time.

The final match of the group stage will be played late Sunday when the Sharks take on the Dragons in Wales to determine who will face who in the last-16 round in the next few weeks.