[2015 Super Rugby] Lions vs. Highlanders (Round 13) 09/05/2015

[TRF_heineken]

Emirates Airlines Park, Johannesburg

17:05 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

Teams

Lions: 15. Andries Coetzee, 14. Ruan Combrinck, 13. Harold Vorster, 12. Alwyn Hollenbach, 11. Courtnall Skosan, 10. Marnitz Boshoff, 9. Ross Cronje, 8. Warren Whiteley (captain), 7. Warwick Tecklenburg, 6. Jaco Kriel, 5. Franco Mostert, 4. Andries Ferreira, 3. Julian Redelinghuys, 2. Robbie Coetzee, 1. Schalk van der Merwe

Substitutes: 16. Akker van der Merwe, 17. Jacques van Rooyen, 18. Ruan Dreyer, 19. Robert Kruger, 20. Ruaan Lerm, 21. Faf de Klerk, 22. Elton Jantjies, 23. Howard Mnisi

Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith (co-captain), 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Richard Buckman, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Nasi Manu (co-captain), 7 Dan Pryor, 6 Gareth Evans, 5 Mark Reddish, 4 Tom Franklin, 3 Josh Hohneck, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Kane Hames

Substitutes: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Brendon Edmonds, 18 Ross Geldenhuys, 19 Elliott Dixon, 20 John Hardie, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Marty Banks, 23 Jason Emery

Referee: Craig Joubert

AR1: Marius van der Westhuizen

AR2: Rodney Boneparte

TMO: Johan Greeff​

 

[TRF_heineken]

This could be the match of the weekend.

I think both teams will continue to play their natural free-flowing game... Try-fest!!

 

[Kiwi_]

Highlanders to edge a high scoring game. Hard working forwards with a great back line. Always the winner in these open ended games.

 

[MotherRucker1]

Good game, however it ends. Can definitely see examples in the "ABs contenders" thread where Fekitoa's tackles aren't always totally accurate, but they are so imposing and powerful that turnovers can be effected. He's a presence on the field, much like Jerry Collins was, and statistics can't account for that sort of thing.

Also good to see a couple of dropkicks making an appearance on world cup year by Sopoaga and Ben Smith.

 

[austingtir]

The Highlanders weak point is clearly scrums and driving mauls. They are getting totally destroyed by this Lions team in that aspect and pretty much have been for the last three weeks in a row by various teams. The scrum was o.k last week but still super weak on driving mauls.

Wishful thinking but maybe Joseph can convince the Saders tight 5 to come down next year and turn this side into a championship team.

65minutes in and its going to take something really special to win this from here imo.

EDIT: And they sure as **** aint going to get any 50/50 calls out of this saffa ref. Bloody hell!!

 

[austingtir]

Not a bad result really for the HL in the end the dominance of the lions pack really deserved more than a 7 point margin imo.

 

[MotherRucker1]

It was actually a reasonably good display up until the second half, or the latter part of that half. There was just a complete momentum swing and the Highlanders had no answer. Like you said Austin, they had no answer for the rolling mauls. Ben Smith made some nice little touches, like touch finders and the drop goal but thought he was a bit subdued by his own high standards. But brilliant set pieces and the forwards hard work in general is what lays the platform. If you can't tick those boxes for the whole 80 then forget it (same reason why a couple of international teams aren't doing that well.)

 

[Kiwiwomble]

We had no answer for a blind or cheating ref! Can't believe it! Those weren't even 50/50 calls! Forward pass missed, knock ons missed! Getting penalised for twisting scrims it was obvious the lions were twisting to open up a side when on attack

That last penalty to end the game...no one was holding it except the lions player...he was just so far off balance over the ruck he couldn't stand again

Smiths "knock on" at the base of the ruck...didn't leave his hand so how can it be a knock on?

No highlanders interviewed at the end...

 

[Kiwi_]

Disgraceful reffing. Move on, let's win the next game.