Cardiff hold off Lions for first win of 2025

Cardiff claimed a first home league win since November

United Rugby Championship

Cardiff (10) 20

Tries: Donnell, Millard Cons: Sheedy 2 Pens: Sheedy 2

Lions (7) 17

Tries: Ntlabakanye, F Horn Cons: Lombard 2 Pen: Lombard

A late try-line defensive stand helped Cardiff beat Lions to claim their first win of the year.

Victory helped them move up to fifth in the United Rugby Championship (URC) on head coach Matt Sherratt's return from the Wales interim job.

Ben Donnell finished a slick move in the first half before Harry Millard raced half the length of the pitch for his seventh league try of the season.

Lions twice led through forwards Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Francke Horn from close range as the result went down to the wire.

But the visitors - who ended the game with 14 men after Gianni Lombard's yellow card - were twice held up over the line in the final 60 seconds as Cardiff ended a run of four games without a win.

Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt said: "That was massive for us to hold out at the end. We've been on the wrong end of a couple of late defeats so it was great to win.

"You feared the worse when Lions were five metres out but you saw what it meant to the boys to hold them up twice.

"This was a pivotal game when you look at the table and it really keeps us in the mix."

He added: "The first day back[from Wales] was difficult after the intensity of the Six Nations but the experience will make me a better coach."

Lions were boosted by the return of Springboks Ruan Venter and Quan Horn and utterly dominated possession and territory in the first half.

But despite a hat-full of tricks, feints and miss-moves, they rarely threatened the line and were comfortably contained by Cardiff's defence.

The hosts had been led out by Seb Davies on his 150th appearance for his hometown club but were hampered themselves from the start by indiscipline.

They conceded six penalties in the opening quarter alone, which allowed prop Ntlabakanye to crash over for the opening score.

But moments later, the tight-head - one of the heaviest players on the pitch - was sent reeling back by Cardiff scrum-half Johan Mulder - one of the smallest - as the hosts levelled through Donnell.

Cardiff, somehow, led 10-7 at half-time and still led by three as a nip-and-tuck game entered the final exchanges.

That was after Gabriel Hamer-Webb's blunder, kicking the ball out on the full after calling a mark, ended with Lions number eight Horn barging over between the posts.

But when the game opened up, Cardiff came to the fore.

Marius Louw's rash pass was picked off by Millard just inside his own half and the wing just managed to reach the line despite his legs threatening to give way after a 55-metre run.

Sheedy converted superbly from the touchline and Cardiff should have finished the game five minutes from time, but blew a line-out call five metres out from the line.

That allowed Lions a final attempt but Cardiff's defence held out for a first win over the Johannesburg side.

Cardiff: Cam Winnett; Gabriel Hamer-Webb, Rey Lee-Lo, Rory Jennings, Harri Millard; Callum Sheedy, Johan Mulder; Danny Southworth, Liam Belcher (capt), Rhys Litterick, Josh McNally, Seb Davies, Ben Donnell, Alex Mann, Alun Lawrence.

Replacements: Efan Daniel, Corey Domachowski, Keiron Assiratti, Teddy Williams, James Botham, Thomas Young, Ellis Bevan, Tinus de Beer.

Lions: Quan Horn; Richard Kriel, Manuel Rass, Marius Louw, Edwill van der Merwe; Gianni Lombard, Nico Steyn; Juan Schoeman, PJ Botha, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Ruben Schoeman, Darrien Landsberg, JC Pretorius, Ruan Venter, Francke Horn (capt).

Replacements: Franco Marais, SJ Kotze, RF Schoeman, Ruan Delport, Siba Qoma, Layton Horn, Jarod Cairns, Henco van Wyk.

Sin bin: Lombard (73)

Referee: Federico Vedovelli (FIR)

Assistant referees: Adam Jones & Aaron Parry (WRU)

TMO: Stefano Roscini (FIR)