The Lions picked up their first win of the 2023 Currie Cup competition after a stunning 12-minute hattrick from scrumhalf Nico Steyn helping them battle back from a 14-point deficit to beat the Griffons 41-26 at Ellis Park on Friday afternoon.
The visitors produced a superb first half performance as converted tries to inside centre Marquit September and Dandre Delport, as well as three penalties from the boot of scrumhalf Jaywin Juries, gave them a 23-7 lead after 28 minutes.
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The Lions only points up to that point had come from a converted score to flank Sibusiso Sangweni, but the hosts managed to go over for a second try before the break as outside centre Stean Pienaar scored, cutting the deficit to 11 points at halftime.
The Griffons however moved 26-12 up after 46 minutes after another penalty from the boot of Juries, but that proved to be their final points of the match as the Lions fought back with four unanswered tries.
Steyn picked up at the back of a scrum and dived over, finished off a brilliant counter-attack and cheekily dotted down from close range in a stunning burst of tries from the 55th to 67th minutes, with lock Raynard Roets crashing over two minutes later as they tore into a 38-26 lead.
A long range penalty from the boot of fullback Tiaan Swanepoel on the full time hooter then put the cherry on the cake for the Lions.
Mauling clinic
The Cheetahs put on a mauling clinic for the Bulls as their pack rumbled over three of their five tries to clinch a 32-7 bonus point win at the Toyota Stadium on Friday evening.
Maul tries to flank Gideon van der Merwe and hooker Marnus van der Merwe, as well as a penalty from the boot of scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar, against a superb counter-attacking score to Bulls hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels saw the Cheetahs lead 15-7 at halftime.
A lovely cross kick score to wing Munier Hartzenberg, along with another maul try to Sibabalo Qoma put the hosts 27-7 up after 60 minutes.
The Cheetahs then finished with a flourish as a good attack with the ball going through multiple hands ended with fullback Cohen Jasper ending the match in style.
