Cape Town - The Lions scrapped to a narrow win over the Waratahs in their Super Rugby clash at Ellis Park on Saturday.
As it happened: Lions v Waratahs
The Lions won 29-28 after trailing 21-19 at half-time.
The Lions scored four tries through wings Aphiwe Dyantyi and Courtnall Skosan, lock Stephan Lewies and flank Kwagga Smith. Flyhalf Elton Jantjies added three conversions while replacement Shaun Reynolds landed a penalty.
The Waratahs, who were on the wrong end of a number of questionable decisions by home referee Egon Seconds, replied with four tries of their own by scrumhalf Nick Phipps, flank Michael Hooper and locks Rob Simmons and Tom Staniforth. Flyhalf Bernard Foley was on target with all four conversions.
With neither team showing genuine title credentials in a match blighted by a lack of basic skills, the Lions left with four points for their victory and moved to fourth in the South African Conference and eighth in the Overall standings.
The Waratahs picked up a single point for losing by seven or fewer points, but stayed fourth in the Australian Conference and 13th in the Overall log.
In next weekend Round 14 action, the Lions host the Highlanders (Saturday, May 18 - 15:05), while the Waratahs travel to Brisbane to face the Reds (Saturday, May 18 - 11:45 SA time).
Teams:
Lions
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Vincent Tshituka, 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Stephan Lewies, 3 Carlu Sadie, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Sti Sithole
Substitutes: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Nic Groom, 22 Shaun Reynolds, 23 Tyrone Green
Waratahs
15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Alex Newsome, 13 Lalakai Foketi, 12 Karmichael Hunt, 11 Curtis Rona, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Michael Wells, 7 Michael Hooper (captain), 6 Ned Hanigan, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Tom Staniforth, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Damien Fitzpatrick, 1 Harry Johnson-Holmes
Substitutes: 16 Andrew Tuala, 17 Tom Robertson, 18 Chris Talakai, 19 Hugh Sinclair, 20 Will Miller, 21 Jake Gordon, 22 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 23 Cam Clark
