Lions fall short against Edinburgh in Challenge Cup knockout

For a second weekend in a row in Scotland, the Lions were their own worst enemies with some shaky defending, not protecting their ball possession at the breakdown and getting off to a slow start in their Challenge Cup knockout against Edinburgh.

An early try that caught the visitors napping and a converted try nine minutes before the final whistle were the nail in the coffin of the Johannesburg side as their hosts claimed a 24-12 victory to go through to the quarter-finals.

While the Lions showed plenty of fight in the second half as they looked to get their game going, the damage was already done in the first half as Edinburgh surged to a quickfire lead in the opening stanza.

The home side scored two tries in the first 10 minutes through fullback Wes Goosen and scrumhalf Ben Vellacott. They used their forwards well to get the ball going forward before the backs took the opportunities that came their way. A third try was added to the tally when Lions fullback Quan Horn received a yellow card trying to make a turnover on his try line, but the referee adjudicated him to have not clearly released the tackled player.

That 17-0 lead is the one Edinburgh took into halftime with the attack of the visitors not making any headway but rather just going from side to side without any impetus.

It was a better affair in the second half as the Lions finally found their rhythm when keeping the ball in hand. Captain and eighth man Francke Horn’s score six minutes after the half started was needed.

He powered over for the score and that should’ve been the catalyst for their comeback. And there were decent moments of attacks where they ended in the half of the home side, but errors cost them time and again.

If it was not a breakdown ball stolen by Edinburgh, the ball was ripped in a tackle or lost forward. And that happened too frequently for them to build any momentum. That 71st minute try was the nail in the coffin for the Lions and they will look back on the match thinking what could’ve been if they started playing in the first half. 

They dominated the second forty and that score of 12-7 shows it. But their inability to use their chances cost them again. They now only have the United Rugby Championship left where they will look to qualify in the top eight of the competition to reach the playoffs for the first time and secure a Champions Cup spot.

Points scorers: Edinburgh 24 (17): Tries: Wes Goosen, Ben Vellacott, Jamie Richie, Ali Price. Conversions: Ross Thompson (2). Lions 12 (0): Tries: Francke Horne, Jaco Visagie. Conversion: Nico Steyn.