Lions restore some pride

Having trailed by fourteen points at half-time, the Lions sparked a remarkable comeback to beat the Highlanders 27-22 in Johannesburg.

Having trailed by fourteen points at half-time, the Lions sparked a remarkable comeback to beat the Highlanders 27-22 in a nail-biting Super 14 encounter at Coca-Cola Park on Friday.

The Highlanders mounted a big surge at the death but the Lions defence – the worst in the competition with 51 leaked tries – held them out… but only just.

Ironically it was the Lions' two worst players on the evening – Earl Rose and Andre Pretorius – who sealed the result. Rose rounded off an impressive break by Louis Ludik ten minutes from time and then Pretorius put over a 45m drop to give the Lions a little more breathing space with four minutes to go.

Before the duo's heroics, Pretorius had missed three easy shots at goal that would have put the Lions well clear while Rose was his team's own thorn in the side as he made a plethora of mistakes.

One of them included a try to the opposition. Rose took a quick throw-in to himself five metres out from his line with no support, and then tried to side-step Adam Thomson. But the All Black flanker turned it over and set up his fellow loose forward Alando Soakai for a try that left Rose as red as the colour of his jersey.

If Springbok coach Peter de Villiers still has any notion of picking Rose for the series against the British and Irish Lions, he certainly couldn't have watched the match.

In a clash between two of the bottom sides with errors abounding – especially in the first half – the Lions went into the lead in the fifth minute when number eight Willem Alberts picked up a ball lost forward by the Highlanders, ran well and then kicked ahead for the visitors to carry over.

From the resulting 5m scrum under the posts, the ball was moved to the left where winger Michael Killian slam-dunked the ball over the chalkdust for a well-worked opening try.

Rose, who was roundly booed by the rather sparse home crowd after his third major error was then on hand – literally – to give the Highlanders' their opening score of the match.

The Lions full-back seemed to put a spring in the Highlanders' collective step, and he cost his side another four times in the next seven minutes with two knock-ons as well as also providing the visitors with an attacking line-out ball.

The Highlanders charged and Ben Smith brushed off two would-be tacklers for another five-pointer. Despite the attentions of Killian, the TMO correctly awarded the score with Israel Dagg converting.

Highlanders skipper Jimmy Cowan followed suit one minute before the break and his troops went into the break a comfortable 19-5 ahead.

Just after the restart, with the Lions looking threatening, a Rose pass was intercepted – and six minutes later he lost the ball from a promising move. Rose then botched a Lions overlap which allowed the Highlanders to counter-attack.

It simply wasn't his night against a very average side, and a timely warning for De Villiers that Rose is not ready for the big time.

A penalty by Dagg put the visitors 22-5 up (it would also be the last time the Kiwis would score), before Alberts – who had a storming game – scored after sustained attacks on the Highlanders' line.

Pretorius missed another conversion, but nine minutes later it was Alberts again on the charge, and this time he sent number nine Jano Vermaak over following his burst through the Highlanders' midfield defence. Pretorius finally found the target and at 22-17, the Lions were within striking distance.

It was now Lions. Playing some good, exciting rugby, ironically it was Rose who levelled the scores after a good break by Ludik. Pretorius converted to put the Lions ahead at 24-22 and a drop-goal from the former Bok pivot soon put pressure on the Highlanders.

They now had to score a try to draw level – a converted try to win – and, despite a concerted effort, the Lions defence held out for only their fourth win from twelve matches.

Man of the match: One Lion who would have impressed Peter De Villiers was scrum-half Jano Vermaak who had another lively game, especially on defence, while on attack he showed his class with a try.

The scorers:

For Lions:
Tries: Killian, Alberts, Vermaak, Rose
Cons: Pretorius 2
Drop: Pretorius

For Highlanders:
Tries: Soakai, Smith, Cowan
Cons: Dagg 2
Pens: Dagg

Lions: 15 Earl Rose, 14 Louis Ludik, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Doppies La Grange, 11 Michael Killian, 10 Andre Pretorius, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Robert Kruger, 6 Johan van Deventer, 5 Anton van Zyl, 4 Jannes Labuschagne, 3 Lawrence Sephaka, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Replacements: 16 Hans van Dyk, 17 Gert Muller, 18 Franco van der Merwe, 19 Todd Clever, 20 Chris Jonck, 21 Walter Venter, 22 Dusty Noble.

Highlanders: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Jason Shoemark, 12 Johnny Leota, 11 Kenny Lynn, 10 Mathew Berquist, 9 Jimmy Cowan (c), 8 Steven Setephano, 7 Alando Soakai, 6 Adam Thomson, 5 Tom Donnelly, 4 Hayden Triggs, 3 Clint Newland, 2 David Hall, 1 Jamie Mackintosh.
Replacements: 16 Jason Rutledge, 17 Anthony Perenise, 18 Josh Bekhuis, 19 Tim Boys, 20 Sean Romans, 21 Fetu'u Vainikolo, 22 Lucky Mulipola.

Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Touch judges: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Cobus Wessels (South Africa)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)