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Lions close ... but no cigar

Pieter Jordaan

Johannesburg – Lions coach Dick Muir is seeing his side improve every week, but the results are not yet going in their favour.

On Saturday, Muir almost tasted victory in a match that saw the Lions’ deliver best performance of the year. They lost 28-32, but the scoreline does not tell the story of how enthusiastically they had set about chasing victory against the Sharks.

Muir would also have been delighted with a tactical move that paid off handsomely.

His decision to pick Herkie Kruger at fly-half was a big success, with Kruger probably playing his best Super rugby game to date.

Carlos Spencer was picked at fullback and Michael Killian on the wing. Both played well, with Killian especially deadly on the wing.

“We wanted to play different tactically and kick the ball in the corners. We got some reward with that approach,” he said.

“I think we created plenty of opportunities on attack. It’s just a pity that the rolling mauls from the lineouts were handled poorly by the match officials. Our jumpers’ legs were taken away before the ball was even on the ground. You expect better (from referees) at this level.”
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