Lions Sneak the Win at Newlands: Lions 26-23 W.P.

13/06/09 15:42 Filed in: Results
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The Lions managed to close out a hard fought victory against Western Province this afternoon and just managed to make the win 26-23. The Lions outscored their opposition three tries to one, but De Waal was on song with the boot for WP to keep the home team in touch. Joe Pietersen scored late on to put the Lions under real pressure and level the scores 23-23, but after one missed opportunity from far out, James Hook stepped up to a similar mark on the opposite side of the field to seal the match.

Tommy Bowe had another storming game, barely putting a foot wrong, finishing a well worked team try and making a searing line break and floating a lovely near-basketball pass to put the Ugo Monye away in the corner. The scrum went superbly well again, particularly in the last ten as the front-row continually turned the screw on the opposition. By contrast, the lineout was somewhat one dimensional with Matthew Rees throwing nearly exclusively to O'Callaghan at the front. Both he and Ford had some dodgy throws to hand Western Province the ball.

The Lions lead by eight points at one stage early in the second half, and it looked like they might push away from their hosts, but in the end it became a very close fight. Western Province kicked well both from ground and hand, but following Hook's final penalty to give the Lions the lead, full back Joe Pietersen grubbered through off the Western Province final attack to leave Hook with a simple ball to gather and boot off the park. The hooter had blown, the game done.

It was a tight game, and at times the Lions handed the initiative to the hosts with dodgy decision making and careless errors. Strategically, the tourists let Western Province play in Lions territory far too much. Momentum is key in touring, and crucially the Lions take another win forward into their final match prior to the test series. The Lions take on the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth on Tuesday.

We'll be adding further analysis and commentary in due course. The Lions success continues. Well done boys!!


British and Irish Lions (18) 26
Tries: Bowe, Monye, M Williams
Cons: Jones
Pens: Jones 2, Hook

Western Province (12) 23
 Pens: De Waal 4
Drops: De Waal, Pietersen
Tries: Pietersen
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