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Lions break Sharks' hearts with last-gasp victory

Johannesburg - Ruan Combrinck kicked a monster late penalty for the Lions as they scraped into the Super Rugby semi-finals Saturday with a 23-21 win over the Sharks in Johannesburg.

As it happened: Lions v Sharks

The wing slotted the angled 58-metre kick at Ellis Park under massive pressure to settle an all-South African quarter-final that proved much closer than expected.

Lions' reward is a home semi-final next Saturday against the defending champions Hurricanes of New Zealand, who beat the Brumbies of Australia 35-16 in Canberra on Friday.

The Sharks, dismissed as no-hopers after a 17-point regular-season home loss to the Lions last weekend, built a 14-3 half-time lead and were one point ahead when Combrinck struck. 

Converting the penalty was a huge relief for the Springbok, who missed the June Test series against France due to injury, as he missed an easier earlier shot at goal.

On a bad afternoon for Lions' goal-kickers, flyhalf Elton Jantjies succeeded with only two of six attempts before being substituted.

The Sharks suffered severely from the harsh yellow-carding of lock Stephan Lewies for offside six minutes into the second half with the Lions scoring two tries while numerically advantaged.

Lions also had a second rower, Springbok Franco Mostert, sent to the sin bin, for intentionally collapsing a maul.

His 10 minutes off the field also proved costly as No 8 Daniel du Preez scored a try which flyhalf Curwin Bosch converted to put the Sharks 21-20 ahead with 13 minutes left.

The Durban outfit retained the narrow advantage until Combrinck showed once again what a superb long-distance goal-kicker he is. 

But when Sharks fullback Lwazi Mvovo watches replays of the lead-up to the crucial kick, he will be bitterly disappointed.

Comfortably gathering a long kick inside his half and under no pressure, he opted to run the ball and was dispossessed in midfield.

He then drifted into an offside position and the resultant penalty gave Combrinck the opportunity to win the match.

After Jantjies slotted a 10th-minute penalty, the Sharks took control and punished a midfield muddle by the home team to score a try through winger Kobus van Wyk.

Bosch booted a drop goal to stretch the lead to 8-3 and kicked two penalties in the final five minutes of the half for an 11-point advantage by the break.

With Lewies in the sin bin, Mostert and skipper and flank Jaco Kriel scored unconverted tries while the kicking woes of Jantjies continued.    

After the Sharks were restored to 15 men, the Lions took a 20-14 lead with a quick tap penalty by Harold Vorster leading to fellow centre Lionel Mapoe scoring and Jantjies converting.

The Sharks went ahead again just after Mostert was yellow-carded with Du Preez, one of two sons of Sharks coach Robert in the back row, barging over and Bosch converting.

Record seven-time champions, the Crusaders of New Zealand host compatriots the Chiefs or the Stormers of South Africa in the other semi-final next weekend.

Teams

Lions

15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Ruan Combrinck, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Harold Vorster, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Ruan Ackermann, 7 Kwagga Smith, 6  Jaco Kriel (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Andries Ferreira, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Jacques van Rooyen

Substitutes: 16. Akker vd Merwe, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Johannes Jonker, 19 Lourens Erasmus, 20 Cyle Brink, 21 Faf de Klerk, 22 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 23 Sylvian Mahuza

Sharks

15 Lwazi Mvovo, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 S’busiso Nkosi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Philip van der Walt (captain), 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Thomas du Toit
 
Substitutes: 16. Franco Marais, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Lourens Adriaanse, 19 Jean Droste, 20 Tera Mtembu, 21 Michael Claassens, 22 Garth April, 23 Jeremy Ward

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