Sharks secure vital draw
Winger Lwazi Mvovo crossed for a late try to tie the scores as the Sharks came from 21 points down to draw 30-30 with the Lions.
Last Updated: 11/06/11 6:54pm
Winger Lwazi Mvovo crossed for a late try to tie the scores as the Sharks came from 21 points down to draw 30-30 with the Lions.
The Lions, who have won only three matches all season, led 30-9 after 48 minutes but the Sharks launched a thrilling fightback as Patrick Lambie, JP Pietersen and Mvovo all claimed tries, with fly-half Lambie adding all three conversions.
Two tries from flanker Cobus Grobbelaar and another from Jano Vermaak had helped put the Lions in control, with former Bath fly-half Butch James kicking three penalties and three conversions.
The result keeps John Plumtree's side in the wildcard play-off places ahead of next weekend's final round of regular-season games.
Lambie had put the Sharks ahead in the third minute, converting a 42 metre penalty after a high tackle by Wikus van Heerden, before the Lions hit back.
James edged the hosts ahead with two penalties of his own before Grobbelaar crossed for the game's first try.
The flanker burst through to crash over the line after some excellent line-out work, with James adding the extras.
Brilliant
Lambie kept his side in the game with two more penalties to trim the gap to 13-9, but Vermaak scored right on half-time to leave them with a mountain to climb, the scrum-half doing brilliantly to touch down in the corner after a break from Jaco Taute.
James kicked his third penalty shortly after the resumption and the game appeared over as a contest when Grobbelaar's second try arrived seven minutes into the second-half, but the Sharks did not allow their heads to drop and managed to pull themselves back into the match.
