Match Centre: United Rugby Championship: Lions 55-21 Edinburgh

Lions 55-21 Edinburgh, Emirates Airline Park

The Lions registered their second consecutive win in the United Rugby Championship (URC) season, delivering a crushing 55-21 defeat to Edinburgh at Ellis Park on Saturday.

The South African side put on a masterful first-half display, scoring seven tries to take an unassailable 48-0 lead into the break.

The home team’s dominance was apparent from the outset as Kade Wolhuter opened the scoring with an early penalty. Just minutes later, the Lions ran in their first try courtesy of Quan Horn, following a strong run by captain Francke Horne. This set the tone for a high-octane attacking performance by the Lions.

Rabz Maxwane and Edwill van der Merwe Shine

Lions wing Rabz Maxwane had a standout game, scoring a hat-trick of tries, while Springbok wing Edwill van der Merwe crossed the line twice to further demoralize the visitors. The Lions’ second try came in the 14th minute when Maxwane used his blistering pace to get past his marker and touch down.

Despite Edinburgh's efforts to hold possession and build pressure, they struggled with errors and turnovers, leaving gaps for the Lions to exploit. Van der Merwe was quick to capitalize, scoring his first try in the 21st minute after an inch-perfect kick from scrum-half Morne van den Berg.

Lions Secure Bonus Point Before Half-Time

Rynhardt Jonker extended the Lions' lead in the 27th minute, bursting through a fragile Edinburgh defense to secure the bonus-point try. Moments later, Wolhuter showcased his creativity with a searing break that set up Maxwane’s second try, bringing the score to 34-0.

Before the half-time whistle, captain Francke Horne and Van der Merwe added two more tries, taking the score to a staggering 48-0 at the break.

Edinburgh’s Second-Half Response

Edinburgh showed more fight in the second half, scoring three tries to restore some pride. Grant Gilchrist opened their account in the 45th minute, followed by Patrick Harrison’s try six minutes later after sustained pressure inside the Lions’ 22.

The visitors added a third try when Ben Muncaster crashed over after Heiko Pohlmann was shown a yellow card for repeated team infringements.

Maxwane Completes Hat-Trick

Despite Edinburgh’s attempts to close the gap, the Lions had the last word when Maxwane completed his hat-trick in the closing stages, sealing a comprehensive 55-21 victory for the home side. The Lions’ attacking prowess and solid defense ensured their second win of the season, making them a formidable contender in the URC this year.

Team line up:

Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Rabz Maxwane, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Rynhardt Jonker, 11 Edwill van der Merwe, 10 Kade Wolhuter, 9 Morné van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn (captain), 7 Jarod Cairns, 6 Johannes Pretorius, 5 Darrien Landsberg, 4 Reinhard Nothnagel, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 Franco Marais, 1 Juan Schoeman.

Reserves: 16 Jaco Marais, 17 Heiko Pohlmann, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Ruben Schoeman, 20 Renzo du Plessis, 21 Sanele Nohamba, 22 Marius Louw, 23 Henco van Wyk

Edinburgh: 15 Wes Goosen, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Mosese Tuipulotu, 12 Matt Scott, 11 Ross McCann, 10 Ben Healy, 9 Ben Vellacott (co-captain), 8 Magnus Bradbury, 7 Hamish Watson, 6 Jamie Ritchie, 5 Grant Gilchrist (co-captain), 4 Marshall Sykes, 3 Paul Hill, 2 Ewan Ashman, 1 Pierre Schoeman

Reserves: 16 Patrick Harrison, 17 Boan Venter, 18 D’Arcy Rae, 19 Jamie Hodgson, 20 Ben Muncaster, 21 Ali Price, 22 Ross Thompson, 23 Tom Dodd.