The British & Irish Lions overcame spirited opposition to beat the Sharks 71-31 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday and win the third match on their South African tour in a 16-try extravaganza.
PRETORIA, July 10 (Reuters) – The British & Irish Lions overcame spirited opposition to beat the Sharks 71-31 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday and win the third match on their South African tour in a 16-try extravaganza.
After two easy wins, the Lions were given a first-half examination by a Sharks side, playing them for the second time in four days, and were held 26-26 at halftime.
But after Sharks scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse was needlessly sent off early in the second half, the tourists ran away to a handsome win, scoring 11 tries to five in the third highest scoring match in Lions’ history.
Captain Jamie George, Tadhg Beirne and Anthony Watson both scored twice and there were also tries for Chris Harris, Duhan van der Merwe, Jack Conan, Elliot Daly, and Tom Curry with Dan Biggar kicking eight conversions.
The Sharks amassed a five-try haul, with two for fullback Anthony Volmink and one each for Thaakir Abrahams, Hendrikse and Werner Kok.
