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MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)
Assistant referees: Jon Healy (England), Joe James (England)
TMO: Dean Richards (England)
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Benetton: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Tommaso Menoncello, 13 Ignacio Brex, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Onisi Ratave, 10 Jacob Umaga, 9 Alessandro Garbisi, 8 Toa Halafihi, 7 Sebastian Negri, 6 Alessandro Izekor, 5 Eli Snyman (captain), 4 Niccolò Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 1 Thomas Gallo
Replacements: 16 Bautista Bernasconi, 17 Mirco Spagnolo, 18 Giosué Zilocchi, 19 Federico Ruzza, 20 Henry Time-Stowers, 21 Lorenzo Cannone, 22 Andy Uren, 23 Tomas Albornoz
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Lions: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Stean Pienaar, 13 Erich Cronje, 12 Zander du Plessis, 11 Rabz Maxwane, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Hanru Sirgel, 7 Emmanuel Tshituka, 6 JC Pretorius, 5 Darrien Landsberg, 4 Willem Alberts, 3 Conraad van Vuuren, 2. Jaco Visagie (captain), 1 Morgan Naude.
Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 Ruan Dreyer, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Ruan Delport, 20 Izan Esterhuizen, 21 Francke Horn, 22 Nico Steyn, 23 Manny Rass.
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Welcome to our coverage of the Challenge Cup Round of 16 match between Benetton and the Lions from Treviso.
1'
KICK OFF: Umaga kicks off deep, the Lions exit isn't in touch but they are able to win a penalty. Hendrikse kicks long and to touch just outside the Benetton 22.
2'
Benetton infringe after disturbing the Lions lineout. The Lions go to the corner.
3'
TRY, LIONS, VISAGIE, 0-5:
The Lions have mauled over and the TMO cannot see a reason to overturn the try call.
4'
CONVERSION, LIONS, HENDRIKSE, 0-7:
Hendrikse converts the try to give the Lions a dream start.
5'
Off the restart, Van den Berg finds touch ten from halfway. The Lions steal the lineout but backpedaling they send a kick long.
6'
The Lions get pinned by a late call for a high tackle that allows Benetton to set up an attacking lineout in the Lions 22.
7'
The Lions infringe again inside their own 22 and Benetton will try again from the lineout
9'
TRY, BENETTON, GALLO, 5-7:
That is Benetton rugby at its finest with a break from a counterattack after they were sent backpedaling.
10'
CONVERSION, BENETTON, UMAGA, 7-7:
Umaga levels the scores.
11'
Cronje thinks he is in to score but there was a knock on from his Lions' teammates off the restart.
13'
Benetton get the scrum penalty and switch play to the ten inside the Lions half where they also secure the lineout for an attacking set.
14'
The Lions get a penalty going their way and Hendrikse boots it over the ten inside the Bentton half.
15'
The Lions get sloppy in possession and Benetton have scrum ten inside their own half.
16'
A Lions player gets in the way of a pass and the crowd don't like it but the referee just awards a scrum to Benetton.
18'
Benetton have the Lions in trouble but then throw a pass into touch that allows the Lions a letoff. Hendrikse finds a good touch after the Lions secure the ball.
20'
Decision time for the Lions as they win the penalty 40 metres out. Hendrikse will call for the tee.
22'
Hendrikse makes a poor contact and his kick flies well wide of the posts. Benetton restart with a 22 dropout.
24'
The Lions game is plagued by errors and they now give away a scrum after a skew lineout feed. Benetton can attack from just inside their half and in fact they get a scrum penalty.
26'
Benetton try to maul over but they are stopped short and the Lions win a scrum feed.
27'
The Lions find a decent touch but Benetton have the lineout.
28'
DROP GOAL, BENETTON, SMITH, 10-7:
Smith unleashes a huge drop goal out of nowhere to give his side the lead.
29'
The Lions spill the ball in attack and that brings out a big cheer and is another lift for Benetton who were under pressure there.
31'
Benetton attack with advantage after Du Plessis tackles a player while he was on the deck. Benetton cannot uise the advantage and come back for the kick which they use to set up another attacking lineout in the Lions 22.
34'
TRY, BENETTON, RATAVE, 15-7:
Ratave does well to make up for a bouncing pass as he powers into the corner to score.
35'
CONVERSION, BENETTON, UMAGA, 17-7:
Umaga slots the conversion.
37'
Benetton knock on off the restart and the Lions have an attacking scrum in their 22. The scrum will have to be reset.
38'
PENALTY, LIONS, HENDRIKSE, 17-10:
Hendrikse closes the gap with the three.
38'
The scrum goes down again and Hendrikse motions for the kicking tee.
40'
HALF TIME: BENETTON 17-10 LIONS
The Lions didn't make the most of their bright start. Scrum penalties also proved costly for the Lions while Benetton have looked inspired on attack at times.
40'
Hendrikse pushes his kick past the posts and that will end the half.
40'
Benetton's enterprise could cost them as they try a quick lineout and get caught. They concede a penalty and Hendrikse will have a long pop at goal.
41'
The Lions kick off deep and Benetton gather and carry towards their 22.
43'
The kick ahead from the Lions rolls into touch when they wanted it to stay in and Benetton can feed a lineout.
45'
The Lions maul is stopped short but they keep sending waves of attackers at the Benetton defence.
45'
RED CARD, BENETTON, NICOTERA:
Nicotera will get his marching orders for that hit on Landsberg after all. The Lions have a penalty on halfway.
45'
Benetton get away with what looks like a shot straight onto the head of a Lions player. Benetton had just kicked to touch in the Lions 22.
46'
TRY, LIONS, HENDRIKSE, 17-15:
Hendrikse wriggles free from a tackle and powers over to score.
48'
CONVERSION, LIONS, HENDRIKSE, 17-17:
Hendrikse levels the scores with the conversion.
50'
Hendrikse gives away a kickable penalty with the Lions in possession in their own 22 and that's poor from the Lions.
52'
TRY, BENETTON, BERNASCONI, 22-17:
Benetton maul over eventually and Bernasconi comes up with the ball.
53'
CONVERSION, BENETTON, UMAGA, 24-17:
Umaga restores the seven-point cushion.
56'
Hendrikse is taken high and the Lions put the penalty down into the Benetton 22. The Lions have the lineout feed.
58'
Benetton get over the ball and win a penalty with the Lions on the surge. Benetton clear their lines with the kick.
59'
The Lions will have a scrum after a wildly skew throw-in from Benetton.
60'
Benetton win the scrum time penalty and they now have all the momentum. Benetton set up an attacking lineout outside the Lions 22.
62'
The Lions muscle Benetton into touch on their 22. The Lions will feed the lineout but need to get back up the other end of the field.
63'
Benetton call for a shot at goal after the Lions kick the ball out of a ruck.
64'
PENALTY, BENETTON, ALBORNOZ, 27-17:
Albornoz slots the kick.
65'
Sloppy play from the Lions will give Benetton a penalty that Smith kicks to touch on the Lions 22.
68'
YELLOW CARD, BENETTON, FEKITOA:
Fekitoa will go to the bin and Hendrikse kicks the penalty up to ten inside the Benetton half.
68'
Fekitoa has hit Cronje with what looks like a shoulder shot and he could be in trouble.
69'
The Lions get in their own way on attack and knock on and Benetton have a scrum just behind the ten in their own half.
71'
The Lions kick the ball away as they run out of ideas on attack and Benetton have the lineout feed on their ten.
72'
Benetton remain in possession in the Lions half but as they try to keep the ball they knock on. The Lions need to score quickly to stay in the game.
74'
Coetzee throws a forward pass as he looks to unleash Maxwane and Benetton have the scrum feed ten inside their own half.
75'
Hendrikse gets up ahead of Brex but he knocks on as he tries to regather the hoist which has troubled the Lions all night. Benetton have another scrum this one about 12 metres inside the Lions half.
78'
A penalty comes the way of Benetton and that should allow them to clinch the game, they opt to go to the lineout instead of running down the clock with a kick at goal.
79'
Benetton knock on at the lineout but there isn't much hope of the Lions pulling this one out of the fire.
80'
FULL TIME: BENETTON 27-17 LIONS
A wasteful Lions team couldn't get themselves back into the contest even with the numbers advantage. Benetton played the better rugby and deserve to progress. The Lions had their chances but discipline and execution let them down.
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