The British and Irish Lions battled their way past the Free State Cheetahs on Saturday, winning 26-24 in the third game of a 10-match tour of South Africa.
The Lions remain unbeaten after earlier getting the better of a Royal XV and the Golden Lions. They next face Super 14 powerhouse kwaZulu-Natal Sharks in Durban on Wednesday.
The Lions, showing several changes to the team that beat the Golden Lions 74-10 during the week, had to dig deep to secure their win and had luck been on the Cheetahs? side, the team which finished the Super 14 in last place may just have got the better of far more illustrious opponents.
Replacement fly-half Louis Strydom failed to convert a drop goal attempt in the dying minutes which could have snatched a win for his team, while starting No 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter failed with several penalty kicks at goal.
British and Irish Lions fly-half, Welshman James Hook, was the hero for his team, knocking over four penalties and two conversions.
After Hook had opened the scoring with his first penalty after seven minutes, the tourists knocked the wind out of the Cheetahs with two quick tries by man-of-the-match Stephen Ferris and young centre Keith Earls.
Ferris? try was a real gift after Cheetahs scrum-half Tewis de Bruyn was caught napping behind his pack. When the ball squirted out, De Bruyn failed to see it, allowing Ferris to pick up and run in.
Minutes later Earls gathered a perfectly weighted chip kick by Hook to score under the posts and, after 21 minutes, the tourists were 20-0 up after a further penalty by Hook.
As good as he was, Ferris also cost his team dearly as the Cheetahs ran in two converted tries while he spent 10 minutes in the 'sin bin'.
Wing Danwel Demas rounded off a good move by his backs, then prop Wian du Preez burst through Lee Byrne from close range to get his side back in the contest.
Hook?s third penalty on the stroke of half-time made it 23-14 to the visitors at the interval, but Cheetahs closed the gap to just six points two minutes after the restart when Potgieter slotted a penalty.
Hook then edged his side nine points clear with his fourth penalty, but the Cheetahs ensured there would be a thrilling end to the game when centre Corne Uys intercepted a Shane Williams pass deep inside Cheetahs territory and ran in his team?s third try on 72 minutes.
Strydom converted to get his side within two points of the visitors.
Copyright 2009 AFP Global Edition
