The Lions put in a massive defensive display in the second half to beat Zebre 10-9 in their United Rugby Championship match in horrible conditions in Parma, Italy on Saturday.
The halftime score was 7-6 to the visitors.
With the win, the Lions temporarily moved to second on the URC log with 18 points after continuing their unbeaten start to the new campaign. They followed up their wins against Ulster, Edinburgh and the Dragons with a workman-like display against the Italian side.
Springbok wing Edwill van der Merwe scored the only try of the match with a brilliant finish on the left wing. Flyhalf Sanele Nohamba added five points with the boot, including a penalty and conversion.
Marius Louw's flighted pass helps Edwill van der Merwe take off 🚀@Vodacom #URC | #ZEBvLIO pic.twitter.com/tqNVRVjq4C
— Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) (@URCOfficial_RSA) October 19, 2024
Zebre had taken a 6-0 lead in the 21st minute after flyhalf Giovanni Montemauri slotted two penalties for the home team.
However, the Lions hit back in the 27th minute of the match when Van der Merwe finished smartly on the left. He used his trademark footwork to give himself a little bit of space, before diving over the line to score.
Nohamba then slotted an important conversion, and the South Africans managed to go into the break with a one-point lead.
Nohamba slotted penalty two minutes after the break to give the Lions bit of a cushion as the rain continued to belt down.
Montemauri kicked his third penalty in the 46th minute to get Zebre back to one point behind.
Zebre threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Lions in the last quarter of the match, but the South Africans put in a top defensive effort to keep their unbeaten start to the season in tact.
Point-scorers
Zebre - Penalties: Giovanni Montemauri (3).
Lions - Try: Edwill van der Merwe. Conversion: Sanele Nohamba. Penalty: Nohamba.