Lions edge Benetton to stay in playoff hunt

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The Lions scored three tries in 10 minutes, overturning a 15-point deficit in Treviso to beat Benetton and stay in contention for the Vodacom URC Top 8.

The visitors revived late in the second half to scalp Benetton and secure a crucial 32-28 bonus-point victory on Saturday.

The Lions’ third successive win keeps them in the hunt for a place in the eight-team playoffs on 38 points with two rounds remaining before the start of the knockout stage of the competition.

Scrumhalf Sanele Nohamba kicked the only points of the first quarter, but a defensive lapse from the Lions was exploited at the start of the second quarter when Benetton outside centre Joaquin Riera cantered away for the score, before winger Marcus Watson added a second try to make it 14-3.

The Lions struck back before the break with a try from fullback Quan Horn, but Benetton scored last in the first half when hooker Siua Maile crashed over to establish a 21-10 lead.

Nohamba cut that advantage by three points shortly after the restart, but the halfback was then yellow-carded and Benetton made it count when replacement No 8 Henry Time-Stowers dotted down to claim a 15-point lead.

That’s when the Lions roared back to life, tries from flanker Emmanuel Tshituka and winger Rabz Maxwane bringing them to within three points before Tshituka’s second try gave the hosts the lead for the first time since Nohamba’s opening strike.

With the lead secured, the visitors kept an increasingly desperate Benetton at bay in the closing minutes before bundling the ball into touch for the win as the hooter sounded.

Photo: Twitter/@LionsRugbyCo

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