The Lions played out their second consecutive stalemate on Friday night, drawing 24-all with Ospreys in their ninth-round Vodacom United Rugby Championship encounter in Bridgend.
Whilst last week’s 20-all draw in Perpignan knocked them out of the EPCR Challenge Cup, this result in driving rain proved more productive. The Lions secured three points, two for the draw and one for a try-scoring bonus, after an extraordinary finish that nearly delivered all five points.
Angelo Davids almost snatched victory at the death. With the clock deep in the red, flyhalf Chris Smith broke through the Ospreys defence and kicked ahead for the former Blitzbok to chase. Davids won the race to the ball but knocked on as he attempted to ground it, cutting a forlorn figure as the referee blew for full-time.
Moments earlier, Ospreys flyhalf Dan Edwards had missed a penalty from normally comfortable range, hampered by wind and rain, before pushing a drop-goal attempt wide. Unlike the Challenge Cup fixture six days earlier, when the Lions pressed for a late winner, this time the Welsh side applied the pressure.
Four tries apiece told the story of an entertaining encounter despite the conditions. The Lions drew first blood in the ninth minute when slick passing from the back row created space for captain Francke Horn to squeeze over spectacularly in the right corner.
However, the Ospreys seized control playing with the wind behind them, scoring through James Ratti, Iestyn Hopkins and Morgan Morris to establish a commanding 19-5 lead by the 39th minute. Horn crashed over for his second try after the hooter to make the half-time score 19-12.
The Lions struck eight minutes into the second half when PJ Botha sniped over from a maul, then reclaimed the lead when fullback Quan Horn scored their fourth try. Chris Smith’s conversion made it 24-19 with the wind behind them going into the final quarter.
Daniel Kasende’s 63rd-minute try levelled the scores and proved the last points of a pulsating contest.
A major talking point will surely be Wales captain Dewi Lake’s yellow card for a shoulder-to-chin hit on prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye. Under modern tackle interpretations, that could easily have been red.
The result lifts the Lions to seventh on the log with 24 points, whilst the Ospreys sit eighth with 21 points. On balance, the draw proved fair, with both sides showing unwavering commitment in difficult circumstances.
