.png){kind=small}
By Renaldo BothmaThe Lions win over the Pumas at Ellis Park told two very different stories depending on which half of the match you watched. As a former No. 8 who spent years fighting for every point on grounds like this one, I can tell you that a 52-29 scoreline flatters no one when the first half was that scrappy. The Lions bounced back at home, put 50-plus on the Pumas, and ultimately controlled what mattered — but this was far from the clinical performance their fans will want heading deeper into the Currie Cup.
The Lions win over Pumas at Ellis Park secured the points, but captain Willie made clear in his post-match interview that he was anything but satisfied. That kind of honesty from a skipper is exactly what separates teams that plateau from teams that push for titles. Willie is right to be hard on his group, and I'll explain why.
| Currie Cup · Full-time | ||||
| ||||
| View the full match centre → |
PumasA First Half Built on Chaos
The Pumas came out of the blocks with purpose. Danrich Visagie slotted an early penalty to announce their intent, and for a period, the visitors looked like a team with a genuine plan. The Lions responded through Likhona Finca and Jarod Cairns — both converted by Samuel Francis — to establish a foothold, but the scoreboard kept shifting in uncomfortable ways. JJ Scheepers crossed for the Pumas, Visagie added the conversion, and suddenly the home side's cushion felt uncertain. A yellow card to Dalvon Blood gave the Lions a numerical advantage, but they couldn't fully capitalise before Morgan Naude's own yellow card levelled the disciplinary ledger. De Wet Marais then punished them to make it a contest at half-time. Two yellow cards for the Lions in a single half is the kind of ill-discipline that costs you finals. Willie would have had plenty to say at the break, and rightly so.
The Lions Turned It On When It Counted
The second half was a different team. Jarod Cairns grabbed his second — a brace that underlines just how dangerous he is when he gets momentum — and Samuel Francis kept the boot accurate throughout. Latica Nela crossed twice, Rynhardt Jonker added another, and suddenly the Lions were pulling clear with the authority you expect from a home side at Ellis Park. Francis was immaculate with the boot all evening, and that consistent execution under pressure is the kind of platform a backline needs to play with confidence. The Pumas had their moments — Conor van Eden crossed and Dalvon Blood, back from his yellow card, also finished — but by then the game was gone from them. Troy Delport's late yellow card summed up a frustrating night for the visitors' discipline too.