Lions feast on Brumbies
The Lions secured a 25-17 win against the ACT Brumbies at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Last Updated: 23/03/09 11:13am
The Lions earned a hard-fought 25-17 win against the ACT Brumbies at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The South Africans outscored their visitors by three tries to two to notch their second victory of the Super 14 season.
Defeat cost the Brumbies a chance of moving into the top four in the standings, leaving them in ninth place as the tournament approaches the mid-point.
Stand-off Andre Pretorius scored 10 points from two conversions, a penalty and a dropped goal to guide the Lions to their first win over the Brumbies for six years.
Springbok centre Jaque Fourie scored the opening try with an incisive run through the Brumbies midfield in the 14th minute.
And five minutes later scrum-half Jano Vermaak hacked a loose ball forward and collected the kick himself to extend the hosts' lead to 12-3.
The Brumbies bounced back with a try from centre Stirling Mortlock before Pretorius landed a drop goal to give the Lions a five-point lead at half-time.
The Australians moved in front in the 44th minute when lock Mark Chisholm charged down an attempted Pretorius clearance to score.
A 50th-minute Pretorius penalty put the Lions ahead again and with a minute remaining fullback Louis Ludik sealed the win with a try after the Brumbies surrendered possession attempting to run out of their own 22.