Match Report
| Golden Lions | 10 | vs | 74 | The British and Irish Lions |
| Tries. Frolick | Tries. Bowe (2), O'Driscoll, Roberts (2), Monye (2), Croft, Ferris, Hook |
|
| Conv. Pretorius (1) | Conv. S.Jones (6), Hook (3) | |
| Pen. Pretorius (1) | Pen. S.Jones (2) |
The British and Irish Lionsvs Golden Lions3rd June 2009JenkinsMearsVickeryHinesWyn JonesWallaceCroftHeaslipPhillipsJonesRobertsO'DriscollBoweMonyeKearney The British and Irish Lions
- 1. Jenkins
- 2. Mears
- 3. Vickery
- 4. Hines
- 5. Wyn Jones
- 6. Croft
- 7. Wallace
- 8. Heaslip
- 9. Phillips
- 10. Jones
- 11. Monye
- 12. Roberts
- 13. O'Driscoll (c)
- 14. Bowe
- 15. Kearney
-
Subs:
Ford
- Murray
(Vickery, 65),
- Ferris
- Powell
Ellis- Hook
- S.Williams
(Mears, 65),
Golden Lions
- 1. Sephaka
- 2. Wepener
- 3. Muller
- 4. Mockford
- 5. Stoltz
- 6. Grobbelaar
- 7. van der Merwe
- 8. Alberts
- 9. Vermaak
- 10. Pretorius
- 11. Noble
- 12. la Grange
- 13. Boshoff
- 14. Killian
- 15. Ludik
- Subs:
- Reynecke
- van Rensburg
- Joubert
-
Clever - Jonck
- Venter
- Frolick
Match Report
The British and Irish Lions scored 10 tries as they demolished their namesakes the Golden Lions at the Coca-Cola Park.
Ugo Monye, Tommy Bowe and Jamie Roberts scored 2 tries each, with others coming from Tom Croft, Brian O’Driscoll, James Hook and Stephen Ferris. There was no doubt the Lions were looking to improve after leaving it so late to win their opening tour match against the Royals, this time the Lions ensured the win with superb play and utter dominance throughout.
The Lions first score came after only five minutes thanks to a cleverly-worked try from young Welsh centre Roberts. Picking an inside line off centre partner O’Driscoll, after the Irishman had created the first real scoring opportunity of the night.
The second try came just five minutes later through skipper O’Driscoll as provider turned try scorer. Ireland’s talisman easily stepped inside the last defender to score after fellow Irishman Bowe had ventured off his wing deep in the Golden Lions half to create the gap.
Fly-half Jones added the extras and further extending the lead with two penalties before the 20 minute mark. This left the Lions sailing with the score at 20 - 3.
England winger Ugo Monye was then next to get in to the action two minutes later after rounding off another venomous Lions attack. Hooker Mears kept the ball alive rather than taking contact after he looped round the back of a lineout in the Lions own half, allowing Jamie Roberts to again cross the gainline. Roberts proceeded to find winger Bowe who was on the Welshman’s shoulder 40 metres from the Golden Lions line. With one man to beat he threw a lengthy pass to fellow winger Monye who out sprinted the cover and dived over in the left-hand corner.
With a lead of 22 the British and Irish Lions further increased the gap before the 30 minute mark as Croft showed his blistering pace to claim a debut try.
The Golden Lions hit back with a try from replacement full back Frolick after 37 minutes with former Springbok fly-half Andre Pretorious slotting a difficult conversion from wide on the right to reduce the Lions lead to again 22 points.
However this was not to be the end of the action. With the clock at 40 minutes captain O’Driscoll decided his side would run the ball just 15 metres from their opponents try line. It was a decision that paid dividends as Roberts powered over the line for his second try of the half. Stephen Jones added the extra two to give the Lions a commanding 39-10 lead at half time.
Tommy Bowe scored two scores more tries to add to his debut try against the Royal XV. His first came 2 minutes into second half. Using centre Roberts as a decoy runner to break the first line of defence the Lions fed Stephen Jones who's deft flick pass sealed a try for Bowe. The second was an interception from the halfway, with Jones successful with both conversions.
Bowe was involved in the Lions’ eighth try as he took and passed the ball in one fluid motion to set up Monye for his second try of the game. Monye burned off two covering defenders as he sliced through the middle of the Golden Lions defence give the British and Irish Lions a 48 point lead with a mear 12 minutes remaining. Replacement fly-half James Hook converted before adding try of his own and the subsequent conversion.
With the hooter sounding for full time the ball was kept alive by the Golden Lions, however after big Gethin Jenkins had driven the opposition back in the tackle, substitute flanker Ferris showed great speed as he raced clear for a 50-metre break away try. Golden Lions Pretorious was unable to catch the Ulsterman as he crossed the line in the last play.
The British and Irish Lions play Super 14 side the Cheetahs on Saturday (kick off 6.10pm UK time). McGeechan and his coaching team will be hoping for another skilled performance in Bloemfontein, with the first Test against the Springboks getting closer.
