Johannesburg - GWK Griquas built up enough of a lead in the first half and then produced an inspired defensive effort in the second to beat the Xerox Lions 23-19 (half-time 20-7) in their Absa Currie Cup Premier Division match on Friday night.

The Lions made a wretched start to the game and were trailing 10-0 after 12 minutes as Griquas showed that their position atop the Currie Cup log is no fluke:

They have the tight forwards, an astute flyhalf with a solid boot and a couple of dangerous runners in the back three to threaten the big boys.

Flyhalf Naas Olivier was top of the tree when it came to tactical kingpins for Griquas and, having bombarded Lions fullback Earl Rose with a series of steepling kicks, he then grabbed the opening try in the ninth minute.

Griquas launched a top-class counter-attack from their own half and Olivier put a grubber in and then had a second kick at the ball as opposite number Herkie Kruger failed to clear, eventually reclaiming the ball in the in-goal area.

Olivier then added a penalty and the home side were up against it. Turnovers stalled what little momentum they had and Griquas outmuscled them in the lineouts, heaping pressure on a Lions side that found the first half one big struggle.

But the Lions did get on the scoreboard in the 22nd minute, even though they were pinned deep in their half at the time. Rose latched on to a stray pass from Olivier and sprinted clear and, even though he was caught before the tryline, his slick pass put outside centre Alwyn Hollenbach over for the try. Kruger was on target with the conversion.

But Griquas were back on the scoreboard just four minutes later, increasing their lead to 17-7 as eighthman Jonathan Mokuena linked brilliantly with centre Barry Geel for a pleasing try. Olivier added the conversion and was then called on to add a penalty before half-time.

But the visitors were unable to relax with their 20-7 half-time lead as the Lions began to get some flow to their game and Griquas were immersed in pressure for most of the second half.

Kruger kicked four penalties for the Lions and fullback Riaan Viljoen added just one for Griquas as the log-leaders were forced to hang on for dear life.

The Griquas forwards began to get isolated and the Lions kicked into space far more effectively than they had in the first half and Kruger kicked two penalties in the first seven minutes after the restart to haul them back to 20-13.

But their chances of snatching victory looked remote when centre Rouan Cloete was yellow-carded for a late charge in the 54th minute.

But the Lions successfully slowed the game down, ramping up the pressure on Griquas with well-placed kicks, and the visitors also began to fall foul of the referee.

Another Kruger penalty, for killing the ball on the ground, gave Griquas another scare, closing the gap to 20-16 heading into the last ten minutes, but the next batch of penalties were shared one each by Viljoen and Kruger as the Kimberley team held on for their fourth straight win.

For Griquas, fullback Viljoen and wing Bjorn Basson had fun sparking counter-attacks, while Olivier and lock Jacques Lombaard were also impressive.

Wing Dusty Noble stood out again for the Lions, while Hollenbach did well considering how the Gautengers struggled to get any front-foot ball for half the game. Eighthman Willem Alberts was a powerful force, both in terms of stopping Griquas' momentum with his fierce defence and his own efforts to get go-forward ball.

Scorers

Lions: Try: Alwyn Hollenbach. Conversion: Herkie Kruger. Penalties: Kruger (4).

GWK Griquas: Tries: Naas Olivier, Barry Geel. Conversions: Olivier (2). Penalties: Olivier (2), Riaan Viljoen.