RUGBY NEWS - Springbok Lionel Mapoe scored a brace of tries as his Emirates Lions side gave their new head coach Swys de Bruin his first Vodacom Super Rugby victory, winning 26-19 over a tough Cell C Sharks side at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday.
Mapoe’s name highlighted a scoresheet of a pulsating, physical and enthralling game that was only decided in the last minute, as both sides showed that they will be great contenders for the coming season with an exceptional brand of attacking rugby.
The game was an advert for all that is great about South African rugby. Tough forward play, good defence and some scintillating attacking play.
And while the Lions fans will claim they will be the favourites to win the conference title this year, on the strength of this display they will have a good argument, althought the Sharks aren’t far behind.
All the pre-season fears for both sides seem to be unfounded, and while the Sharks may have lost, they certainly are a side that will trouble many teams this year.
In the likes of Ruan Botha, Phillip van der Walt, Cameron Wright and Lukhanyo Am they have some exceptional footballers, while Robert du Preez was their standout player of the night. Out wide in S’bu Nkosi and Makazole Mapimpi they have strike power that will be the envy of many a side.
