Lions edge Kings in PE celebration
Tue, 16 Jun 2009 17:09
Vital score: Ugo Monye scores for the Lions
The British and Irish Lions maintained their unbeaten run on their South African safari, when they beat a willing Southern Kings selection 20-8 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, on Tuesday.
In what was a celebration of the formation of South Africa's newest franchise, the 35,000 spectators that braved the chilly and windy conditions saw the locals take the fight to the tourists.
Played in the purpose-built stadium - which cost a tidy ZAR2.1-billion, with the sub-standard surface and perimeter constructions issues aside - this awesome venue witnessed an entertaining affair.
That it was the biggest crowd of the tour so far says a lot about the hunger that the people in the Eastern Cape have for top-class rugby.
And they saw a motivated Kings team put in many big hits against a Lions team that found Welsh referee Nigel Owens a very sympathetic participant - allowing the tourists to push the letter of the law.
Here the master is Simon Shaw, who showed just how wily he can be at the breakdown, as well as at playing the referee.
That and the Lions' ability to play 'flat' on defence, meant the home side could not breach the Lions' defence till inside the final 10 minutes.
By then the game was over as a contest.
The Kings ran at the Lions from the outset and with just over a minute gone won a penalty when the tourists went offside. Flyhalf Jaco van der Westhuyzen got the new franchise's first points - a historic moment in itself - when he kicked the penalty from 45 metres out.
And when Frikkie Welsh flattened an opponent moments later, the 30,000-odd spectators were in raptures.
The big hits just kept coming and soon more Lions required on field treatment as the Kings launched themselves at the tourists with reckless abandon. And with just seven minutes gone on the clock prop Euan Murray was replaced by Adam Jones - the former limping off with a leg injury.
Not that the Kings were spared. Burly Ruan Vermeulen also limped off soon afterwards.
However, the next scoring opportunity also went to the Kings - again for offside - but this time Van der Westhuyzen was well short of the target.
The Kings continued to dominate early possession and territory, enjoying the opportunity to run at their more illustrious opponents. And the tourists looked ill at ease with having to defend all the time, although - to their credit - they scrambled very well in that first quarter of the game.
The initiative was handed to the Lions when flyhalf Jaco van der Westhuyzen was yellow carded in the 19th minute for a late tackle.
It meant the home team now had to do some serious defending and that while being a man down. They were ably assisted by some wild forward passing and ordinary handling by the tourists.
Maybe the Lions' unwillingness to hold onto the ball a bit longer and make sure of their passes had something to do with the Kings still willing to fly into the tackles.
However, the B&I Lions finally had a shot at some points in the 27th minute - with replacement Ronan O'Gara slotting a sitter of a penalty after hands in a scrum.
That meant when Van der Westhuyzen returned his team had only conceded three points, but the Kings were conceding a string of penalties that allowed the Lions to ease the pressure.
The Kings had the next scoring opportunity - courtesy of some brilliant work on the ground by flank Solly Tyibilika - but again Van der Westhuyzen's radar was off target.
It stayed deadlocked at 3-all going into the half-time break.
The Kings were dealt an early blow after the break when scrumhalf Francois Hougaard twisted his knee in a tackle and was forced to leave the field.
That was followed, quickly, by a penalty to the Lions for an offence at a mess on the ground in which only the referee knew what was going on. O'Gara made no mistake and the tourists finally had the lead - 6-3.
And the penalties kept coming as the Kings got isolated at the tackle, giving the Lions plenty of time on attack.
And, as expected, the unstable surface took its toll - with Kings wing Mat Turner injuring his ankle when stepping into a hole while chasing a kick.
The Lions now started to find the measure of the Kings' defence and a well-time cross-field kick by O'Gara saw wing Ugo Monye pouncing on a bobbling ball in the ingoal area for the first try. The call went to the TMO, who took a while, but finally found enough reasons to award the score. O'Gara added the extras and at 13-3 it started to look ominous for the home side.
Knowing that they were no in control, O'Gara and fullback Keith Earls played the percentages, forcing the Kings to play from deep inside their own territory.
The Kings were dealt another blow when lock Ross Skeate was yellow carded for a professional foul - leaving the home side a man short for the second time in the game.
Welsh referee Nigel Owens then awarded a penalty try against the Kings scrum who - being a man down - simply could not handle the pressure and twice collapsed a scrum close to their line. Owens seemed rather trigger happy, but there was little the Kings could do, as O'Gara's conversion made it 20-3 with just 10 minutes to go.
The stadium exploded in a cacophony of noise moments later when Kings flank Mpho Mbiyozo went over in the right corner after a series of strong rushes by the home team's forwards - the initial thrust coming from a break by the flyhalf, Van der Westhuyzen. The conversion attempt was again wide, but the home side had some reward for their honest endeavour - 8-20.
There was a late rally by the Kings, but with Mr Owens still very sympathetic to the flat-lying Lions defenders the match ended with a 12-point (20-8) win for the tourists.
Man of the match: Southern Kings scrumhalf Francois Hougaard took his chances in an energetic first-half performance, before injury forced him off. For the British and Irish Lions there was the immaculate control of Ronan O'Gara - who kept the Kings pinned in their own half at the most crucial time of the game, showing just how valuable his experience is. However, our award goes to Kings flank Mpho Mbiyozo, who produced a blinder and showed he is far more than just a Sevens specialist. There is a bright future ahead of this young man.
Moment of the match: The crucial scores were Ugo Monye's try from O'Gara's pint-point kick and the penalty try. But for sheer delight and historical value goes to Mpho Mbiyozo's try in the 72nd minute - a try brought about by a solid build-up and a classic flyhalf break.
Villain of the match: There are two here - both Kings - with Jaco van der Westhuyzen (late tackle) and Ross Skeate (professional foul) costing their team dearly (10 points) with their yellow cards.
Scorers:
For the Southern Kings:
Try: Mbiyozo
Pen: Van der Westhuyzen
For the British and Irish Lions:
Tries: Monye, Penalty try
Cons: O'Gara 2
Pens: O'Gara 2
Yellow cards: Jaco van der Westhuyzen (Southern Kings, 19 - foul play, late tackle), Ross Skeate (Southern Kings, 24 - professional foul, hands in the ruck)
Teams:
Southern Kings: 15 Tiger Mangweni, 14 Wylie Human, 13 Frikkie Welsh, 12 De Wet Barry, 11 Mat Turner, 10 Jaco van der Westhuyzen, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Darron Nell, 7 Mpho Mbiyozo, 6 Solly Tyibilika, 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Marco Wentzel, 3 Ruan Vermeulen, 2 Derick Küun (captain), 1 Jaco Engels.
Replacements: 16
Delarey du Preez, 17 Deon Greyling, 18 Lungelo Payi, 19 Dries van Schalkwyk, 20 Josh Fowles, 21 Bevin Fortuin, 22 Mzwandile Stick.
British & Irish Lions: 15 Keith Earls, 14 Ugo Monye, 13 Riki Flutey, 12 Gordon D'Arcy, 11 Luke Fitzgerald, 10 James Hook, 9 Mike Blair, 8 Andy Powell, 7 Joe Worsley, 6 Nathan Hines, 5 Donncha O'Callaghan (captain), 4 Simon Shaw, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Andrew Sheridan
Replacements: 16 Matthew Rees, 17 Adam Jones, 18 Tom Croft, 19 David Wallace, 20 Harry Ellis, 21 Ronan O'Gara, 22 Shane Williams.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland), Cobus Wessels (South Africa)
TMO: Johann Meuwesen
By Jan de Koning, in Port Elizabeth
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