A solo try at the death by World Junior Player of the year Haashim Pead secured a dramatic 23-22 victory for the Lions over the Hollywoodbets Sharks in Durban on Saturday.
The win lifts the Lions into seventh position on the overall log and gives them something to smile about after a close loss to the Stormers before the Christmas break.
It was also a relief after they surged to a 15-0 lead, then lost their star playmaker Ruan Venter to a 20-minute red card, and looked on the back foot in the last quarter before their last gasp try attempt hit gold as Pead showed his game-breaking abilities.
The Lions snatch the victory from the Sharks at the death 🤯🦁#VURC | #SSRugby pic.twitter.com/EZ2kcjgOpu
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) January 3, 2026
The Lions have been criticised for playing the Junior Bok star sparingly before this, and even in Durban, he only had 15 minutes of action and showed just his worth in that time.
It settled a highly contested derby that looked set to be the Sharks third straight win under caretaker coach JP Pietersen, especially with Edwill van der Merwe’s pace giving them the lead as they went into the last quarter.
In reality both sides looked a bit devoid of confidence at times and struggled with the Durban humidity and handling wasn’t at its best, but the Sharks will really be kicking themselves for losing this contest. If Jordan Hendrikse’s boot was on song - he succeeded with only one of his four conversions, it may have been a different result.
While the Lions looked good in open play, the Sharks were the more effective side up front, especially when Venter departed and the game swung in their favour.
DOUBLE OVER THE SHARKS
With the win the Lions also completed the double over the Durban side, as they won the Ellis Park encounter earlier in the season rather easily.
Haashim Pead 🏉✨
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) January 3, 2026
Off the bench to win it for the Lions 🦁🔴#SSRugby | #VURC pic.twitter.com/rTenwDzi3i
Still, the Joburg side will be smart when they look back on the review after Venter’s exceptional strikes set up their opening two tries. The Bok flanker looked in devastating form and along with the exceptional Kelly Mpeku seemed to make metres whenever he got the ball.
The first try came from such a break, as Venter burst through two tackles and made 10 metres, with the ball being swung to Mpeku before Etienne Oosthuizen barged his way over to score the opening try.
That came just after Chris Smith had opened their account with a penalty and the Lions went further ahead three minutes later when Venter popped up in the backline and gave his captain Francke Horn a perfect chicken wing pass to go over and score in the corner.
Edwill van der Merwe has some wheels 🤩🦈
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) January 3, 2026
📺 Stream #VURC on DStv: https://t.co/0P0NNhnwKw pic.twitter.com/YstCwGtJrT
The Lions looked particularly vulnerable around the lineouts and not only lost three in the match, but also saw the Sharks surge back into the game with two tries to all but wipe out the deficit.
The first came from a powerful maul that fractured and the second take saw Emmanuel Tshituka go over in a heap of bodies.
Captain Siya Kolisi followed that up a few minutes later when he peeled off the blindside of a lineout maul to go over and put the Sharks into double figures.
Smith added another penalty to keep the Lions ahead.
VENTER RED CARD
Both sides kept going hammer and tongs at each other with the Lions looking more dangerous on the counter - especially when Mpeku and Bronson Mills touched the ball but just as they looked to have stopped a Sharks try, footage emerged of Venter committing foul play on Aphelele Fassi after he took a high ball.
While the incident highlighted again how split second decisions can change games, Venter drove into Fassi as he came down from taking the high ball, and as Fassi was dipping, hit him in the neck/head area prompting a straight yellow which was later turned to red from the bunker.
Venter has a previous red from the game against Glasgow last season and may see his suspension become lengthy because of it.
EXCELLENT EDWILL
In the aftermath it was a break by Edwill van der Merwe that started the try for Jason Jenkins to put the Sharks within one point at the break.
The heartbreak is that replays showed Jenkins losing the ball over the line, but despite that the try stood and the teams entered the break at 18-17 in the Lions favour.
The Sharks should have taken the game by the scruff of the neck early in the second half when Tshituka scored what should have been his second. But the TMO picked up a knock on from Kolisi in the lead-up and the try was chalked off.
The Sharks did take the lead on the hour mark through some individual brilliance as a turnover ball was booted downfield and Van der Merwe showed remarkable pace to beat Angelo Davids in a one-on-one to the corner to score.
The stalemate stayed until the Lions found their moment and with the smallest of spaces, Pead pounced, becoming the hero in a moment that - if he is given chance to show his worth - is likely to happen again and again in Lions colours.
Scorers
Hollywoodbets Sharks - tries: Emmanuel Tshituka, Siya Kolisi, Jason Jenkins, Edwill van der Merwe. Conversion: Jordan Hendrikse.
Lions - tries: Etienne Oosthuizen, Francke Horn, Haashim Pead. Conversion: Chris Smith. Penalties: Smith (2).