URC result: Lions fall to disappointing Cardiff defeat

The Lions produced a poor finishing performance to fall to a disappointing 20-17 defeat in their important United Rugby Championship (URC) match against Cardiff at Arms Park in Wales on Friday night.

It was a dominant first half performance from the Lions that should have seen them well ahead at the break, but they instead trailed by three points going into the second half.

A more even second 40 was then battled out, with Cardiff desperately holding onto their three point advantage right until the end, when the Lions again failed to convert a final entry into the hosts 22m into with the clock having run red, giving the hosts what could be a vitally important win.

Strong start

It was a strong but frustrating start to the game for the Lions, as they dominated possession and territory in the first quarter, but weren’t able to convert most of their chances.

They did get over for the opening try in the 11^th minute, after smashing away on the Cardiff line, prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye crashed over, with flyhalf Gianni Lombard adding the extras for a 7-0 lead.

But the Lions were punished for their profligacy in the 20^th minute, when Cardiff in their first visit to the visitors 22m, attacked from a lineout and got close, where flank Ben Donnell ran a strong line and powered over to score, converted by flyhalf Callum Sheedy to draw the scores level.

Cardiff took the lead in the 32^nd minute, after the Lions were pinged at the breakdown, allowing Sheedy to knock over the penalty for a 10-7 lead.

The Lions thought they had scored just before halftime as scrumhalf Nico Steyn went over after a lineout move, but the TMO caught a knock on in the build up and it was chalked off, allowing Cardiff to lead at the break, despite the visitors dominating the stats.

Even second 40

The second half started with Lombard and Sheedy trading penalties, as Cardiff moved 13-10 ahead in the 50^th minute.

A mistake from Cardiff then cast them as the Lions received a lineout on their 22m, attacked and after getting onto their line eighthman Francke Horn dived over under the posts for the converted score and 17-13 lead in the 59^th minute.

But five minutes later the Lions surrendered that advantage with a mistake of their own, centre Marius Louw throwing a poor pass to be intercepted by wing Harri Millard to run all of 55 metres to score, with Sheedy’s conversion from touch putting them 20-17 up.

Heading into the final 10 minutes the match was still in the balance, when ref Federico Vedovelli made a contentious call, yellow carding Lombard for a deliberate knock on when it looked like it had been knocked on in the tackle.

That allowed Cardiff to kick into the corner, but they were unable to get over the line, eventually making a mistake allowing the Lions to clear.

That led to a thrilling finish as the Lions got into the Cardiff 22m and bashed away on their tryline after the fulltime hooter, before the ref decided the ball had been held up over the line ending the contest.

Scorers

Cardiff: Tries – Ben Donnell, Harri Millard; Conversions – Callum Sheedy (2); Penalties – Sheedy (2)

Lions: Tries – Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Francke Horn; Conversions – Gianni Lombard (2); Penalty – Lombard