URC result: Kriel scores try in final match as Lions end on a high

In a thrilling match, with plenty tries scored, it was the Lions who came out on top against Zebre in the final round of their United Rugby Championship campaigns at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

With nothing but pride at stake as neither side was able to qualify for the top eight and the quarter-finals, defence went out the window and both teams looked to attack at every opportunity.

In all, 13 tries were scored —eight by the Lions and five by the visitors from Parma in Italy.

Jaco Kriel’s goodbye

It was also the final fling for Lions legend Jaco Kriel, the 33-year-old opting to hang up his boots after the game.

And he, too, joined in on the all-action game, with a few trademark charges down the touchline and he also scored a try from a driving maul.

The Lions led 31-22 at the half-time break, with man of the match Sanele Nohamba, Edwill van der Merwe (2), Kriel and Quan Horn all touching down in the first half.

For Zebre, it was wing Simone Gessi who got a hat-trick of tries, all excellent efforts thanks to his swift working backline and, in particular, flyhalf Tiff Eden who cut the Lions’ defence to pieces on a number of occasions.

Second half

The eight first half tries were followed up with a further five in the second period, with the Lions getting the first three of the period, before the visitors from Italy scored two more to add to their three in the first half.

Nohamba got a second try in the 50th minute before replacement flyhalf Andries Coetzee went in and he was followed to the tryline not long after by rookie prop Rhynhardt Rijsburger.

The Lions were now well in control at 50-25 up but Zebre’s two tries by Jacopo Trulla and Manuel Pitinari closed the gap to 15 points.

The Lions though ended their 2022/23 campaign on a high, giving Kriel the perfect send-off, while Zebre finished their season without a win in 18 matches.