Lions in beast mode: Glasgow torn apart in rout at Ellis Park
by Craig Taylor · KickOffAnother clinical attacking display from the Lions helped secure an emphatic 54-12 win over the Glasgow Warriors in a United Rugby Championship clash in Johannesburg on Saturday.
The Lions, as they have done for the past few weeks, were composed throughout the match and showed why they are the form team in the tournament at the moment.
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Ivan van Rooyen’s charges started like a house on fire, running into a 12-0 lead within 10 minutes thanks to tries from Henco van Wyk and Erich Cronjé, one of which was converted by flyhalf Chris Smith.
Both tries came from the home side’s willingness to let the ball do the work, with the Lions sensational with their attacking play and probing for gaps in the Glasgow defence.
With the Lions receiving a penalty 15m out from the Warriors’ line in the 19th minute, the home side opted for a quick tap. Again, they pierced the Glasgow defence with ease, and Van Wyk added his second of the match, with Smith converting for a 19-0 lead.
Glasgow finally started cutting out their errors and giving away unnecessary penalties, and spent several phases on attack in the Lions’ half. But the home side’s defence held strong throughout as Glasgow’s attack eventually fizzled out when they knocked on.
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Glasgow were finally on the board in the 31st minute, when Dan Lancaster rounded off a slick passing move, slicing through the Lions’ defence to score a converted try to cut the home side’s lead to 19-7.
But the Lions weren’t done, setting up a lineout in the Glasgow 22 metre area with a minute left in the half.
Instead of mauling, the ball went to the backs, where a ruck formed in midfield. The Lions went right, working space for SJ Kotze to power past the Glasgow defence.
Smith didn’t miss the conversion to give the Lions a 26-7 lead at half-time.
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The second half started perfectly for the Lions as Ruan Venter scored from a lineout five metres from the Glasgow line in the 44th minute.
The ever-reliable Smith added the conversion as the Lions opened a 33-7 lead.
Glasgow pulled a try back in the 58th minute, when Stafford McDowall cut through the Lions’ defence from a five-metre attacking lineout, pulling off a worked move to perfection.
With the conversion missed, however, the Lions still had a healthy 33-12 lead as the match entered the final quarter.
Further tries for Morne van den Berg, Siba Mahashe, and Quan Horn followed as the Lions reigned supreme at Ellis Park.
Scorers
Lions 54 (26)
Tries: Henco van Wyk (2), Erich Cronjé, SJ Kotze, Ruan Venter, Morne van den Berg, Siba Mahashe, Quan Horn.
Conversions: Chris Smith (7)
Glasgow 12 (7)
Tries: Dan Lancaster
Conversions: Dan Lancaster