The Sharks were stretched all the way but killed off a determined Lions team to reach the Currie Cup playoffs after a rusty display by narrowly beating them 19-17 in the Absa Stadium on Saturday.

It took a 72nd-minute penalty from Sharks' halfback Ruan Pienaar to finally give the lead back to the hometeam after it looked like the Lions would score the biggest upset of the competition.

While the Lions trailed the more fancied and Springbok-laden team by only five points at the break, they won the second half 6-3 but fell short by an agonising two points in the final analysis.

“We knew defence will have to be good but we showed there's a lot to play for the team and we showed that the Lions have a good feature,” said Lions captain Cobus Grobbelaar.

Failing to get the bonus point the Sharks have dropped to second on the log, on level terms at 49 log points with log-leaders Western Province, but placed second on a weaker points differential.

The Sharks, who struggled throughout to shake off the physical approach of the Lions, led 16-11 at the break.

Both teams scored only one try, both in the opening stanza, but the gutsy Lions had to make about twice as many tackles as the home team.

The Lions, however, lead 17-16 with 15 minutes left in the game after scrumhalf Chris Jonck justified the visitors' never-say-die approach by putting his team back in the lead with a well-taken penalty, rewarding his forwards for a mammoth performance.

The Lions were not overawed by a Sharks team loaded by Springboks but the visitors showed the national players no respect and produced a display that made the union proud.

Evident from the tough encounter Lions flyhalf Herkie Kruger, was replaced by Ruan Boshoff in the 54th minute, and left the field with his left eye almost closed, while Lions captain Cobus Grobbelaar had to leave the field with his face covered in blood.

Sharks scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar, entrusted with the goal-kicking duties again taking over from Puma flyhalf Juan Hernandez, got matters going with a fourth-minute penalty after Lions skipper Cobus Grobbelaar was penalised by referee Jonathan Kaplan to lead by 3-0.

Six minutes later Pienaar was on target again when the Lions other flank Derick Minnie was blown up and the Sharks lead increased to 6-0.

But then the visitors showed they had come to play when Lions flyhalf Herkie Kruger converted a penalty after Sharks hooker Bismarck du Plessis was penalised and two minutes later Lions No 9 Chris Jonck silenced the home fans with the first try of the game after centre Doppies la Grange, ripped open the Sharks midfield defence; Kruger failed to convert and the Lions had their tails up: 8-6.

The Lions missed a golden opportunity to increase their lead in the 20th inute when Kruger missed his second penalty attempt and minutes later Le Grange secured another telling line break only for the Lions to fail to capitilise.

Hernandez put the Sharks back in the lead at 9-6 with a neatly struck drop goal in the 33rd minute, while Lions lock Nico Luus was yellow-carded in the 37th minute after repeated warnings by Kaplan for transgressions at the breakdowns.

Sharks hooker Bismarck du Plessis eventually scored the hometeam's only try from the ensuing ruck and with Pienaar deadly on song with the boot and converting the conversion from the touchline the Sharks lead 16-8.

Kruger converted his second penalty on the stroke of halftime to keep the Lions in touch at 11-16 and two minutes after the break Kruger kicked his third penalty to reduced the hometeam's lead even further to 14-16.

SHARKS: Try: Bismarck du Plessis. Conversion: Ruan Pienaar. Penalties: Pienaar (3). Drop goal: Juan Hernandez (1).

LIONS: Try: Chris Jonck. Penalties: Herkie Kruger (3), Jonck (1).

Sapa

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