The Sharks have played the Lions 30 times in Super rugby since 1998 and the Sharks have won 18 times, lost 10 matches and drawn twice.
The Sharks’ 18 wins out of 30 matches gives them a record of winning 60% of their matches against the Lions regardless of venue.
- The Durban side has won their last two Super Rugby games on the bounce against the Lions; however, they had lost their seven meetings in succession prior to that brace.
- The Sharks have lost five of their last seven South African derbies as hosts in Super Rugby, including their last two on the bounce.
- The Lions have won 10 of their last 13 Super Rugby matches visiting the other South African teams (D1, L2), both losses came despite leading at half-time.
- The Lions are one of only two teams (Rebels) with a 90% success rate at both the lineout (90%) and the scrum (92%) in Super Rugby 2019.
- Makazole Mapimpi has scored three tries in his last three games against the Lions, including a brace in his last game against them.
Match detail
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1.00: PEEEEP! We are underway in Durban.
2.00: A Lions’ break is defused as a swipe at his offload attempt puts the ball into the paws of the Black Panther, & the counter goes up the left, but the last pass is into touch.
3.00: Lineout to lineout it goes, as Spider-man swings from side to side of the field, but is holding out on the 22. The Sharks secured the lineout ball, then clear. Dyantyi has a go at the line, nearly held up to force the scrum.
4.00: The ball is turned over two minutes later, & the ball is snapped to the right where one of the men in red misses the wide tackle like he misses uncle Ben! Play now well inside the visitors’ 22.
6.00: Knocked on in contact! Scrum to the web-crawlers some 10m from their own try line. Looks like both sides battling to gain traction as it’s reset.
7.00: That scrum looked like it folded into an alternate dimension under pressure! The Lions scramble the ball out to the left but are taken into touch. The Sharks attack up the middle from the lineout & earn a penalty.
8.00: Snapped up quickly from the ruck by Louis Schreuder for a tap and go. His long pass to the right misses Nkosi & finds touch instead, allowing the visitors to relieve the pressure.
10.00: Both sides going at it hammer and tongs as Spider-man refuses to budge from the line – clearance kick allows the Sharks to come back on the attack, but the ball pops loose in contact – knocked on by the defenders, though.
12.00: Sharks earn a penalty. Bosch calls for the tee.
13.00: MISS! OH DEAR! He pulls a simple kick, wide. The crowd groans. 0-0
14.00: Superb kick by Andries Coetzee pins the hosts back in their half.
16.00: Robert du Preez’s men have dominated, but cannot find a way to put points on the board. Lions are loving this.
17.00: TRY! Bosch intercepts and races 65 metres to open the scoring. 5-0
18.00: CONVERSION! He doesn’t miss this time. 7-0
20.00: Lionel Mapoe knocks on trying to grubber. What was that?
22.00: Coetzee intercepts, but the ref calls the Lions back for collapsing by Johannes Jonker.
23.00: TRY! Easy as you like. The Sharks’ forwards, after bullying their guests in the scrums, they bulldoze their way over for their second try, and Dan Du Preez’s 14th Super Rugby try, seventh of the season. 12-0
25.00: CONVERSION! Bosch fades his kick inside the right-hand upright. 14-0
29.00: The Lions are having some possession, now. Kwagga Smith wins a penalty, allowing Elton Jantjies to kick for the corner.
30.00: Lewies goes close, but he is pushed back after the driving maul. The Lions come again.
31.00: TRY! Lionel Mapoe crashes over under the poles after a wonderful combination from Jantjies and Courtnall Skosan set up the try. It was a beautiful step and offload by Jantjies to send the centre away. 14-5
33.00: CONVERSION! Jantjies adds the extras. 14-7
36.00: This game is pretty good, the TV commentary is terrible.
38.00: Stoppages are mounting as the sides feel the intensity of this derby.
40.00: The Lions’ pack has come back well after their early beat-down. They should have had a penalty for collapsing. Reset, instead. hooter sounds…
42.00: The scrum goes down, but again, the ref gives the home team the benefit. They win the ball, and clear.
The halftime score was Sharks 14 Lions 7
41.00: PEEEEP! We are back underway in Durban. The Sharks look to have scored after the restart, but we are checking with the TMO for obstruction, a knock on, and Sbu Nkosi being tackled into touch.
42.00: NO TRY! The TMO didn’t think there was an obstruction (but the Lions might be hard done by), however, Kwagga Smith’s last-ditch tackle, pushed Nkosi into touch.
43.00: Nkosi knocks on after a poor pass by Schroeder, is too far in front of the winger. The Lions opt for a scrum, instead of a lineout.
45.00: The visitors get out of jail after Mapimpi’s turnover. He tackled Skosan, got up, and won possession, but offsides occurred.
49.00: TRY! Cyle Brink crashes over after Aphiwe Dyantyi’s break. Skosan was chased down, the ball sent to Mapoe, who was tackled before the chalk. The ball was recycled at lightning speed, and Brink finished off next to the poles. 14-12
50.00: CONVERSION! Jantjies levels. 14-all
52.00: Sharks win a penalty.
54.00: PENALTY! Bosch splits the uprights to give his side the lead again. 17-14
56.00: Smith knocks on after a wonderful offload and mini-break by Mapoe. the centre is having a game. Rob du Preez cleaned up, but high tackles in the build-up allowed Jantjies to kick to the corner.
60.00: TRY! Game changer from the Sharks. They repelled a 16-phase attack from the lineout. The Lions pounded away, but the ball was too slow to catch the Sharks off-guard or flat-footed. They had an overlap, but again, Jantjies is intercepted trying to float a pass. Mapimpi sensed the opportunity, took it, and raced away 90 metres to score under the posts. 22-14
61.00: CONVERSION! Bosch extends his team’s lead. 24-10
64.00: The Lions win a scrum penalty, and Jantjies will take a shot.
66.00: MISS! Jantjies cannot reduce the deficit, pulling his kick wide. 24-14
69.00: SO CLOSE! tyrone Green’s kick is gathered by Mapoe (who else?), but he lost the ball in the act of grounding because of Mapimpi’s last-gasp tackle.
73.00: NO TRY! Reinhard Nothnagel dots down next to the post, but he played the ball on the ground. Jantjies will take the points.
74.00: PENALTY! Jantjies makes no mistake. 24-17
76.00: Penalty to the sharks. Bosch can end this.
77.00: PENALTY! Bosch reopens the 10-point gap. 27-17
80.00: The hooter sounds.
82.00: That’s it, the Sharks earn a well-deserved victory, denying the Lions a losing bonus-point and a first derby-day win of this season.
FULL TIME
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The final score is Sharks 27 (14) Lions 17 (7)
Scorers
Sharks
Tries – Bosch, D. Du Preez, Mapimpi
Pen – Bosch (2)
Con – Bosch (3)
Drop –
Cards –
Lions
Tries – Mapoe, Brink
Pen – Janjies
Con – Jantjies (2)
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen
Assistant Ref 1: Cwengile Jadezweni
Assistant Ref 2: Stefan Geldenhuys
TMO: Christie du Preez
Teams
Sharks
15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Sibusiso Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Louis Schreuder (captain), 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Philip van der Walt, 5 Ruan Botha, 4 Ruben van Heerden, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Mzamo Majola.
Replacements: 16 Dylan Richardson, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 John-Hubert Meyer, 19 Hyron Andrews, 20 Jacques Vermeulen, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Robert du Preez, 23 Kobus van Wyk.
Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Courtnall Skosan, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Nic Groom, 8 Albertus Smith (captain), 7 Cyle Brink, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Stephan Lewies, 3 Johannes Jonker, 2 Jan-Henning Campher, 1 Dylan Smith.
Replacements: 16 Pieter Jansen, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 Carlu Sadie, 19 Reinhard Nothnagel, 20 Vincent Tshituka, 21 Hacjivah Dayimani, 22 Shaun Reynolds, 23 Tyrone Green.
