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| Shaun Reynolds |
The Golden Lions scored four tries to beat the Griquas 34-19 in the first of Saturday’s Currie Cup semi-finals at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg.
The result means the Lions go through to their first final since 2015 and will play either the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein or host the Sharks in Johannesburg next week.
The match also marks a disappointing end to promising coach Brent Janse van Rensburg’s time in charge of the Griquas. The 39-year-old will soon announce where he is headed next after reportedly accepting a post at a higher level of the game.
The Griquas had been the first team to qualify for this year’s playoffs – their first semi-final appearance since 1998 – but last week’s loss to the Lions in Kimberley meant they finished third and hence had to make the trip up to Johannesburg.
The first-half was mostly a closely contested affair but lapses in defensive concentration from the Griquas allowed the hosts to score through Madosh Tambwe, Stean Pienaar and Hacjivah Dayimani – the latter crucially coming on the stroke of halftime to extend his side’s lead by eight-points.
A Chris Smit score, as well as two penalties from skipper George Whitehead, meant the Griquas trailed 21-13 heading into the second-half.
Despite staging a number of attacking waves in the third-quarter, the Poubloues could not crack the defence of the Lions, who did well to absorb that pressure and clear time and again.
Whitehead and Reynolds traded two penalties each, but a late try from a driving maul to ex-Griqua Marnus Schoeman all but ended the contest and sent his side through to the final.
Golden Lions – 34
Tries: Tambwe, Pienaar, Dayimani, Schoeman
Cons: Reynolds (4)
Pens: Reynolds (2)
Griquas – 19
Tries: Smit
Cons: Whitehead
Pens: Whitehead (4)
Xerox Golden Lions – 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Madosh Tambwe, 13 Wandisile Simelane, 12 Duncan Matthews, 11 Stean Pienaar, 10 Shaun Reynolds, 9 Ross Cronje (captain), 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Ruben Schoeman, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Pieter Jansen, 1 Sti Sithole.
Replacements: 16 Jan-Henning Campher, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 20 Len Massyn, 21 Dillon Smit, 22 Jan-Louis la Grange, 23 Jamba Ulengo.
Tafel Lager Griquas – 15 Anthony Volmink, 14 Ederies Arendse, 13 Michal Haznar, 12 Chris Smit Swarts, 11 Eduan Keyter, 10 George Whitehead (captain), 9 Christiaan Meyer, 8 Zandre Jordaan, 7 Sias Koen, 6 Gideon van der Merwe, 5 Victor Sekekete, 4 Ian Groenewald, 3 Ewald van der Westhuizen, 2 AJ Le Roux, 1 Khwezi Mona.
Replacements: 16 Wilmar Arnoldi, 17 Mox Mxoli, 18 Johan Momsen, 19 Neill Jordaan, 20 Chriswill September, 21 ??, 22 Bjorn Basson, 23 Ruan Kramer.
Written by Shaun Goosen for Hollywoodbets
