Lions player Madosh Tambwe scores a try during the Super Rugby match between Australia’s New South Wales Waratahs and South Africa’s Golden Lions at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on 20 April, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / PETER PARKS /
Super Rugby highlights: Waratahs 0-29 Lions [video]
The Lions put on one hell of a show against the Waratahs – preventing them from scoring even a single point. The lifted the South African team back into pole position of the Super Rugby log. Missed the game? Here are the highlights.
Lions player Madosh Tambwe scores a try during the Super Rugby match between Australia’s New South Wales Waratahs and South Africa’s Golden Lions at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on 20 April, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / PETER PARKS /
South Africa’s top team the Lions crushed the Waratahs 29-0 for their first win in Sydney on Friday as the Otago Highlanders heaped more misery on the Auckland Blues.
The Lions were clinical in registering their largest winning margin over the Waratahs, keeping the Sydneysiders scoreless for the first time in Super Rugby.
Playing without injured skipper Warren Whiteley and fellow Springbok forward Jaco Kriel, the Lions forward pack dominated the Waratahs with two of their four tries coming off driving mauls.
The Lions led 7-0 at half-time but powered away with second-half tries to Kwagga Smith, Harold Vorester and Marnus Schoeman.
“The boys wanted it more, we worked hard through the week and it paid off,” skipper Franco Mostert said.
“Any team would love to have a start like this to a long tour and we’re grateful to have had the chance.”
The Lions consolidated their lead at the top of the South Africa conference, while the Waratahs’ loss opens the door for the Melbourne Rebels to return to the top of the Australian conference.
The Waratahs went into the match on the back of four straight wins against their Australian rivals, but they found the Lions a much tougher proposition.
Spearheaded by outstanding Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx, the Lions were superior up front and out wide.
It was the biggest loss for the Waratahs at home since 2002 and comes ahead of four matches against New Zealand teams.
Giant Waratahs winger Taqele Naiyaravoro, who had scored seven tries in the past four games, was well contained.
Watch: Waratahs vs Lions Super Rugby highlights
The scorers:
For Lions: Tries: Tambwe, K Smith, Vorster, Schoeman
Cons: Jantjies 3
Pen: Jantjies
Waratahs: 15 Bryce Hegarty, 14 Alex Newsome, 13 Curtis Rona, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Taqele Naiyaravoro, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Michael Wells, 7 Michael Hooper (c), 6 Ned Hanigan, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Tom Staniforth, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Damien Fitzpatrick, 1 Tom Robertson
Replacements: 16 Hugh Roach 17 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 18 Paddy Ryan, 19 Nick Palmer, 20 Jed Holloway, 21 Will Miller, 22 Nick Phipps, 23 Lalakai Foketi
Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Madosh Tambwe, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Dillon Smit, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Franco Mostert (c), 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen.
Replacements: 16 Robbie Coetzee, 17 Dylan Smith, 18 Jacobie Adriaanse, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Marnus Schoeman, 21 Nic Groom, 22 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 23 Sylvian Mahuza
Referee: Mike Fraser (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Damon Murphy (Australia), Graham Cooper (Australia)
Television match official: George Ayoub (Australia)
