The Lions scored their first try within five minutes of the game when flanker Renzo du Plessis scored a converted try under the posts. 

For the next ten minutes, it was all Griquas, with both centre Zane Bester and full-back Cameron Hufke scoring tries and Lubabalo Dobela successfully converting both. The pendulum then swung back to the Lions, with hooker Jaco Visagie, prop Morgan Naude and Du Plessis all going over the line.  Only Naude’s try was converted, but the Lions still led 24–14 going into the break.

The Lions did not rest on their laurels coming out of the break and flanker Jarod Cairns scored 10 minutes into the second half.  But the Griquas never backed down and tries by Connor Mahoney and sub Tertius Kruger – both converted by Dobela – gave the Griquas a glimmer of hope. 

‘At the end of this weekend, the Bulls are in the top spot on the Currie Cup table’

But the Lions had the final say and scrumhalf Nico Steyn delivered the crushing blow when he went over the line with about 15 minutes to go.

The Lions will host the Pumas next Saturday, while the Griquas will travel to Durban to face the Sharks on Sunday.

At the end of this weekend, the Bulls are in the top spot on the Currie Cup table with 21 points. The Cheetahs, Lions, and Pumas are all on 18 points, while Western Province lies fifth with 13 points. The Sharks are only a point behind on 12, with Griquas in sixth place with 8 points and the Griffons at the bottom with 2 points.

OFM Sport/Ilse Smalberger mvh/cg