Fourteen-man Lions claw fancied Warriors at Ellis Park

The Lions delivered their best half of rugby at home this season when they ran amok after the break against Glasgow Warriors at Ellis Park on Saturday.

What makes their chastening 44-21 United Rugby Championship (URC) defeat of the log leaders before this weekend's action even more remarkable was that it was achieved with just 14 players from the 36th minute.

In fact, they were down to 13 at one point.

The victory sustains the Lions' challenge for a place in the quarterfinals and they will wing their way to Cape Town for their last league match against the Stormers with renewed optimism.

Crucially too, they severely dented the Warriors' ambitions of finishing top of the pile by denying them a bonus point.

Despite the numerical disadvantage the Lions delivered a compelling last half hour.

Two telling turnovers however altered the course of the match.

Lions left wing Edwill van der Merwe scored a sensational try in the 52nd minute as the Lions turned desperate defence into attack.

Three passes to the left gave Van der Merwe space to hare down the East Stand touchline.

When confronted he chipped ahead and gathered almost at full tilt and raced clear to score under the poles.

Substitute Sanele Nohamba added the two points but soon he would do more.

He collected an up-and-under, under duress before smartly offloading to JC Pretorius.

Again slick, crisp passing smoothed the Lions' path past visiting defenders before Pretorius was the recipient of a pass with the tryline unattended.

Nohamba also found the tryline unattended not long after when his intercept from a Duncan Weir pass left him with a long sprint for glory.

Substitute Nohamba again enhanced his Springbok credentials as he stepped off the bench to deliver a commanding performance next the scrumhalf Morne van den Berg who had looked the business all afternoon.

Pretorius' stake is also on the rise and the flanker again spread his influence across the Ellis Park turf.

His work rate and support play helped earn him the man of the match award.

There were promotions for two players featuring in their last match at Ellis Park for the Lions.

With captain Marius Louw injured the armband went to Willem Alberts, while Jordan Hendrikse stepped into the No12 position.

What the Lions may have missed in Louw's gainline bashing qualities were more than made up for by Hendrikse's urgency and thrust as he charged into the Warriors' defence.

He posed a constant threat in possession.

The Warriors rarely looked like the erstwhile log leaders.

At Loftus a week ago they were left to lament a poor first half but this time they were thoroughly beaten to the punch by the Lions in the second.

The Warriors were far from their smart, sensible best and left themselves exposed through misadventure in attack.

They are a side that places a high premium on organisation but despite being a man up for the bulk of the match were caught short in defence when the Lions displayed their claws.

Not that the Lions were blemish free.

Poor goal kicking and ill discipline conspired against them in the first half.

Ruan Venter's straight red card for head contact in the tackle due to poor technique had the potential of ruining their championship prospects.

In the end it didn't and they live to fight another day.

Scorers

Lions (8) 44 - Tries: Rabz Maxwane (2), Edwill van der Merwe, JC Pretorius, Sanele Nohamba, Hanru Sirgel. Conversions: Sanele Nohamba (4). Penalties: Jordan Hendrikse, Nohamba.

Warriors (7) 21 - Tries: Kyle Rowe, Euan Ferrie, Josh McKay. Conversions: George Horne (2), Duncan Weir.