Lions make it six against Kings

Wing Ugo Monye's second-half try and a later penalty try, plus 10 points from the boot of substitute fly-half Ronan O'Gara, saw off the Southern Kings, who had two players sin-binned.

Flanker Mpho Mbiyozo claimed a 73rd-minute try for the home side, while Jaco van der Westhuyzen slotted an early penalty, but two Lions - prop Euan Murray and fly-half James Hook - suffered game-ending injuries.

The Southern Kings were inevitably fired up, and after they took a second-minute lead through Van der Westhuyzen's 40-metre penalty, centre Frikkie Welsh took his opposite number Gordon D'Arcy out late.

O'Gara booted a 27th-minute penalty to level the score, yet the game had little pattern or fluency as errors abounded on both sides and the Irishman nudged the Lions ahead after 44 minutes when he booted a second penalty as the game's feisty nature continued.

O'Gara looked the player most likely to unlock the Southern Kings defence, and he did not disappoint with a sublime piece of skill six minutes later. He had the vision to place a crosskick behind the home side's cover, and Monye pounced for his fourth try of the tour, although it required detailed deliberation from the video referee before it was awarded.

O'Gara rifled over the touchline conversion for a 13-3 lead, suggesting the Lions could at last begin to breathe a little easier.

Referee Nigel Owens awarded the Lions a penalty try for pulling down a scrum, and O'Gara added the extras to take them out of sight at 20-3 clear.

It sparked the Southern Kings into a late revival, and Mbiyozo crashed from close range, cutting the deficit to 12 points.

Time was not on the Southern Kings' side though, and the Lions had done enough to win comfortably their most physically-punishing encounter of the tour so far.