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Johannesburg - Springbok flanker Wikus van Heerden celebrated his return to the Lions with a try to help his former team to a 45-5 victory over defending champions Griquas in a Vodacom Cup North section match played at the Johannesburg Stadium on Friday.
The Golden Lions led 11-0 at half-time.
It was the Lions’ fourth win in five matches and takes them to the top of the North log, although the Blue Bulls have an excellent chance of overtaking them when they play against the winless Valke on Saturday.
It was Griquas’ second loss of the campaign but they nevertheless remain third on the log, behind the Lions and Blue Bulls with two matches remaining in the round-robin stages.
Van Heerden, the 31-year-old former Lions skipper, was released by his UK Premiership club Saracens with immediate effect to help try and restore the Lions’ Super 14 fortunes, and the 14-test veteran wasted no time in reacquainting himself with South African rugby.
In an eventful and highly physical match, Van Heerden made a visit to the blood bin in the first half before capping off a successful turn to his old colours with a try in the 76th minute that put the seal on an impressive win for the Gauteng side.
Flyhalf Herkie Kruger also produced an excellent kicking display that earned him 15 points through three conversions and three penalties.
Van Heerden’s try was one of six scored against a Griquas team who had no answer to their hosts’ aggressive display up front and at the breakdown.
The visitors trailed by 11 points at the break and picked up their only points in the match in the 50th minute when right wing Dewald Pretorius crossed for a good try.
Apart from that, it was all the Lions, although the first half was initially a tight affair that saw three home forwards -- Van Heerden, prop Gert Muller and lock Jannes Labuschagne -- all in the blood bin at various stages.
Griquas weren’t helped in their cause when replacement hooker Frik Venter was red-carded for head-butting on the hour mark, leaving them a man short against opponents who were at that stage closing in for the kill.
But by that stage the game was all but over, and Van Heerden will now in all likelihood join up with his less successful Super 14 colleagues when they return from their overseas tour.
The Golden Lions led 11-0 at half-time.
It was the Lions’ fourth win in five matches and takes them to the top of the North log, although the Blue Bulls have an excellent chance of overtaking them when they play against the winless Valke on Saturday.
It was Griquas’ second loss of the campaign but they nevertheless remain third on the log, behind the Lions and Blue Bulls with two matches remaining in the round-robin stages.
Van Heerden, the 31-year-old former Lions skipper, was released by his UK Premiership club Saracens with immediate effect to help try and restore the Lions’ Super 14 fortunes, and the 14-test veteran wasted no time in reacquainting himself with South African rugby.
In an eventful and highly physical match, Van Heerden made a visit to the blood bin in the first half before capping off a successful turn to his old colours with a try in the 76th minute that put the seal on an impressive win for the Gauteng side.
Flyhalf Herkie Kruger also produced an excellent kicking display that earned him 15 points through three conversions and three penalties.
Van Heerden’s try was one of six scored against a Griquas team who had no answer to their hosts’ aggressive display up front and at the breakdown.
The visitors trailed by 11 points at the break and picked up their only points in the match in the 50th minute when right wing Dewald Pretorius crossed for a good try.
Apart from that, it was all the Lions, although the first half was initially a tight affair that saw three home forwards -- Van Heerden, prop Gert Muller and lock Jannes Labuschagne -- all in the blood bin at various stages.
Griquas weren’t helped in their cause when replacement hooker Frik Venter was red-carded for head-butting on the hour mark, leaving them a man short against opponents who were at that stage closing in for the kill.
But by that stage the game was all but over, and Van Heerden will now in all likelihood join up with his less successful Super 14 colleagues when they return from their overseas tour.
Scorers:
Lions:
Tries: Pieter Engelbrecht, Jaco Kriel, Gert Muller, Marius Delport, Rouan Cloete, Wikus van Heerden
Conversions: Herkie Kruger (3)
Penalties: Kruger (3)
Griquas:
Try: Dewald Pretorius
