The Plus500 Brumbies have been beaten 42-24 by the Lions at Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg.
A red card issued to lock Rory Arnold on the hour, swiftly followed by a yellow to fellow lock Sam Carter, left the Brumbies playing with thirteen men and the Lions took full advantage thereafter.
The final score-line was rough on the Brumbies who played with flair and passion throughout running the ball at every opportunity and forcing the South African Conference leaders to dig deep in front of a crowd of around 15,000.
Leading 24-21 at the time of Arnold’s dismissal, the Brumbies couldn’t hold out against a fast finishing home team who ran in three further tries when the visitors were down a man, fully exploiting their numerical advantage.
The Brumbies had shown they were there to play by crossing inside the opening minute of the match, as full-back Tom Banks received the ball from Christian Lealiifano, after a tremendous pick-up from David Pocock, running an arcing line around the Lions cover and into the corner.
Lealiifano added the conversion.
The hosts hit back through a try of their own from Rohan Janse Van Rensburg only for the Brumbies to restore their lead as Tevita Kuridrani, playing his 100th match for the club, bulldozed his way over the line after another excellent build-up, the centre celebrating in trademark fashion.
Rory Arnold was sin-binned in the 29th minute, the victim of persistent infringement close to the line and the Lions rumbled over from the resultant maul off the lineout, Robbie Coetzee awarded the score.
With Elton Jantjies converting it was tit for tat at that stage.
A Lealiifano penalty gave the Brumbies the lead again but the Lions went into the sheds ahead as Ruan Dreyer scored from close range with Jantjies conversion giving the Lions a 21-17 lead at the break.
The Brumbies were in the mood to play and Banks ran in a superb second in the 52nd minute, collecting a sweet inside pass from Lealiifano after some more excellent approach work, Banks racing past a couple of would-be tacklers to score.
After that though, the Brumbies were reduced to fourteen and the Lions swept clear with further tries from Marnus Schoeman, Shaun Reynolds and Lourens Erasmus earning the home team a bonus point and condemning the Brumbies to a tough defeat.
There was something to smile about for the Brumbies however as Ben Alexander was brought on late to win his 150th cap, becoming the only Brumbies player and third in Australian rugby to do so.
The Brumbies will look to regroup for next weeks showdown with the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.
STATISTICS
Lions (21) 42 (T: Janse Van Rensburg, Coetzee, Dreyer, Schoeman, Reynolds, Erasmus, C: Jantjies (6))
Plus500 Brumbies 24 (T: Banks (2), Kuridrani, C: Lealiifano (3), P: Lealiifano)
TEAM
1. Scott SIO (17. Nick MAYHEW 63’),
2. Folau FAINGA’A (16. Leslie LEULUAIALII-MAKIN 77’),
3. Allan ALAALATOA (18. Ben ALEXANDER 63’),
4. Rory ARNOLD,
5. Sam CARTER,
6. Rob VALETINI (19. Blake ENEVER 74’),
7. David POCOCK (21. Tom CUSACK 54’),
8. Isi NAISARANI (20. Lachlan MCCAFFREY 54’),
9. Joe POWELL (22. Matt LUCAS 55’),
10. Christian LEALIIFANO (23. Andrew SMITH 66’),
11. Andrew MUIRHEAD,
12. Kyle GODWIN,
13. Tevita KURIDRANI,
14. Henry SPEIGHT,
15. Tom BANKS
Yellow Cards:4. Rory ARNOLD 29’, 5. Sam CARTER 62’
Red Card: 4. Rory ARNOLD 60’
