Super Rugby: The Sharks beat the Lions 25-12 to go back on top
Lwazi Mvovo scored the only try as the Sharks beat the Lions 25-12 to go back to the top of the Super Rugby standings.
Last Updated: 12/04/14 9:31pm
The only try of the contest came from Sharks full-back Lwazi Mvovo in the 66th minute - a rare bright spot in a contest dominated by penalty attempts and predictable one-out runners.
In a dire first period, just six points were amassed each as away fly-half Fred Zeilinga's early two penalties were later matched by Marnitz Boshoff.
The opener from Zeilinga, who later suffered an injury, came about due to Lionel Mapoe being penalised on four minutes and the pivot doubled the lead a minute later.
However, the Lions recovered and notched two penalties of their own in the 20th and 33rd minutes, the first coming following Sharks prop Jannie du Plessis being yellow carded for body checking Mapoe.
Sharp-shooter Boshoff made no mistake with those two efforts before the Sharks almost crossed. Visiting lock forward Willem Alberts was the player denied a try moments before the half-time break as an earlier knock-on foiled the Bok's score.
Boot battle
The second-half was also a battle of the boot as Boshoff now faced Francois Steyn.
It was Steyn who put the Sharks 9-6 up eight minutes after the restart, with an effort and added another in the 51st minute to re-establish the six-point margin.
Boshoff cut the gap just before the hour mark before Steyn replied four minutes later and then Boshoff hit back again sixteen minutes from time.
However, the kicking battle came to an abrupt end when Sharks full-back Mvovo produced a piece of individual brilliance for the game's only try.
Mvovo received the ball from a turnover and chipped ahead just outside the 22 and collected the ball shortly before the line for his five-pointer.
Although Steyn failed with the extras, the Sharks were 22-12 ahead with 14 minutes to go, which became 25-12 with another penalty from Steyn as the held out to secure the victory to go back top.
