The Lions' nightmare season just hit another low point with a brutal 15-41 thrashing at the hands of Benetton in Treviso! But here's where it gets controversial—can a team with so much talent really keep stumbling this badly? Stick around to dive into the details of this United Rugby Championship matchup from Saturday, where the Italian side turned in an unforgettable performance. And this is the part most people miss: despite the scoreline, there were glimmers of hope for the Lions that might spark debate about their future.
Let's recap the full action from this Round Three clash. For a live breakdown, you can check out the highlights here: https://rugby365.com/tournaments/united-rugby-championship/live-benetton-v-lions-urc/. Benetton were electric, building on their previous week's triumph over the Glasgow Warriors with a dazzling display of attacking rugby. They crossed the line six times, showcasing their flair and precision.
Wing Louis Lynagh was the star of the show, scoring four of those tries—a feat that left fans in awe. Rhyno Smith and Simone Ferrari chipped in with their own touchdowns, proving the team's depth and coordination.
On the flip side, the Lions couldn't gel as a unit, extending their winless streak to three games. They did salvage some pride with two tries from Asenathi Ntlabakanye and substitute Conraad van Vuuren, but it fell short against the hosts' dominance.
To compound their woes, the Lions lost Springbok scrumhalf Morne van den Berg early on, just 10 minutes into the game. Imagine the disruption that causes in a team trying to build momentum—it's like losing your conductor in the middle of a symphony!
The Lions got off to a promising beginning, edging ahead 3-0 with a penalty kick from Chris Smit. But Benetton quickly flipped the script, controlling the ball and territory. South African fullback Rhyno Smith dove over for their opening try, though Jacob Umaga missed the conversion.
Louis Lynagh soon doubled the advantage, capping off a brilliant counter-attack for Benetton's second score.
The hosts didn't let up, scoring their third try within 20 minutes. Prop Simone Ferrari muscled over from short range, and Umaga's conversion pushed the score to 17-3. For beginners in rugby, a prop is like the powerhouse forward who anchors the scrum—think of them as the engine room of the team, providing stability and strength.
The Lions thought they'd narrowed the gap when winger Angelo Davids appeared to score, but the try was ruled out due to a forward pass while grounding the ball. It's a common rule in rugby: the ball must be placed down without going forward, or it's invalid—a small technicality that can make or break a moment.
Finally, the visitors broke their duck as Asenathi Ntlabakanye powered through for their first try. Smit added the conversion, cutting the deficit to just seven points.
But the celebrations were fleeting. Lynagh grabbed his second try, with Umaga converting to extend Benetton's lead to 24-10.
The Lions pressed hard in the dying moments of the half but couldn't find the space, heading into the break 14 points behind.
Benetton widened the gap further in the second period with Umaga's penalty, making the margin 17 points.
Even with the Italians down to 14 players after a yellow card, the Lions began to click. They pinned Benetton back in their own territory and won a five-metre line-out—a perfect opportunity to attack from close range—but couldn't turn it into points. For those new to the game, a line-out is like a restart from the sidelines after the ball goes out, where players jump to catch the throw-in.
With 10 minutes left, Lynagh secured his hat-trick, and Umaga converted to stretch it to 34-10.
As time ticked down, the Lions showed fighting spirit. Conraad van Vuuren scored after a strong pick-and-go—a move where a player picks the ball up from a ruck and drives forward like a bulldozer, creating space for teammates.
The closing minutes were chaotic, with both sides reduced to 14 men due to yellow cards. Benetton earned a scrum penalty and kept the pressure on deep in the Lions' half, leading to Rhyno Smith and Lynagh linking up for the wing's fourth try. Smith converted to wrap up a decisive 41-15 win.
Man of the match: While South African Rhyno Smith impressed again, the award rightfully went to Louis Lynagh for his phenomenal four-try haul.
The scorers:
For Benetton:
Tries: R. Smith, Lynagh 4, Ferrari
Cons: Umaga 3, R. Smith
Pen: Umaga
For Lions:
Tries: Ntlabakanye, Van Vuuren
Con: C. Smith
Pen: Smith
Yellow cards: Thomas Gallo (Benetton, 52 – off the ball tackle), Rynardt Jonker (Lions, 69 – cynical foul), Giuliano Avaca (Benetton, 79 – deliberate knock on), Quan Horn (Lions, 80 – deliberate knock on)
Teams:
Benetton: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Tommaso Menoncello, 12 Malakai Fekitoa, 11 Ignacio Mendy, 10 Jacob Umaga, 9 Louis Werchon, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Michele Lamaro (captain), 6 Alessandro Izekor, 5 Eli Snyman, 4 Niccolò Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Siua Maile, 1 Mirco Spagnolo
Replacements: 16 Bautista Bernasconi, 17 Thomas Gallo, 18 Giosué Zilocchi, 19 Riccardo Favretto, 20 John Bryant, 21 Andy Uren, 22 Giuliano Avaca, 23 Filippo Drago
Lions: 15 Quan Horn, 14 Eduan Keyter, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Richard Kriel, 11 Angelo Davids, 10 Chris Smith, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn (captain), 7 Ruan Venter, 6 JC Pretorius, 5 Ruan Delport, 4 Etienne Oosthuizen, 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 2 Franco Marais, 1 SJ Kotze
Replacements: 16 Morne Brandon, 17 RF Schoeman, 18 Conraad van Vuuren, 19 Darrien Landsberg, 20 Jarod Cairns, 21 Nico Steyn, 22 Sam Francis, 23 Manuel Rass
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Filipo Russo (Italy) & Luca Bisetto (Italy)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
So, what do you think? Is the Lions' coaching staff to blame for this slump, or is it just a rough patch? And could Benetton's style of play inspire other teams in the URC? Controversially, some might argue that the Lions' early injury to Van den Berg was a turning point—was it really, or were they always outmatched? Share your thoughts in the comments—do you agree with the man of the match choice, or disagree? Let's discuss!
