Lions roar to rare win
The Lions claimed only their second win of the Super Rugby season with a shock 29-20 victory over the Brumbies.
Last Updated: 14/05/11 2:42pm
The Lions claimed only their second win of the Super Rugby season with a shock victory over the Brumbies at Canberra Stadium.
The South African visitors ran in four tries on Saturday evening to claim a hugely-deserved 29-20 triumph on their travels.
Still without a win at home this season, few would have expected the Lions to claim victory on Australian soil but they did so in emphatic fashion, bagging a bonus point in the process.
New Lions signing Butch James had dominated the headlines going into the match, however it was young fly-half Elton Jantjies who stole the limelight with a virtuoso performance.
The talented 20-year-old created two tries, constantly threatened the Brumbies defence and landed four of his five kicks at goal.
Dangerous
The Brumbies made a strong start and opened the scoring with a try from hooker Stephen Moore, which fly-half Matt Giteau converted.
Giteau then increased the home side's lead with a penalty after Patrick Cilliers was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle.
But, despite the numerical disadvantage, the Lions burst into life thereafter and launched a stunning fightback.
Flanker Michael Rhodes scored a try after a sustained period of pressure close to the line before winger Deon van Rensburg crossed untouched after another prolonged spell on the attack.
Jantjies, who had converted Rhodes' try, could not repeat the feat from wider out and the Lions went into the break with a slender 12-10 lead.
Inside centre Alwyn Hollenbach increased the advantage with an early second-half try after a beautiful inside flick pass from Jantjies, who this time converted to give the Lions a 19-10 advantage.
Jantjies and Giteau then traded penalties, before the Lions' fly-half again displayed his sleight of hand when he slipped a pass to full-back Jaco Taute to score the bonus-point try.
Winger Andrew Smith scored a late consolation effort for the Brumbies after Giteau had sparked a counter attack from his own try-line, but the home side were unable to crack the Lions defence again in the remaining time.
