Johannebsurg – To be slightly facetious, the Lions achieved a record this season that neither the Bulls nor the Sharks were able to match: they won all of their recent URC matches on their European tour.
Undoubtedly, Lions supporters can be a bit flippant about the results, but that does not change the reality that it was a remarkable accomplishment by a young team.
The Joburgers began their tour with a 28-27 success over Ospreys, pushed hard for a 31-18 victory over Cardiff, and concluded their three-match tour with a 22-19 victory over Edinburgh on Friday.
The match against Scotland was undoubtedly the Lions’ toughest task abroad, but a cool, composed, and confident Lions team overcame the conditions and their hosts to earn a magnificent victory.
It was again built on the back of their defense, which conceded more than 30 goals but displayed a great deal of spirit and will.
There was a palpable sense of controlled urgency as the Lions tracked back after their line was breached to make that decisive tackle.
Together with their discipline, it wore down Mike Blair’s squad, and when scoring opportunities presented themselves, the Lions generally capitalized.
Obviously, certain elements require improvement.
Their maul defense was again porous, and they will need to tighten up their first-contact tackles.
Their scrum began to buckle in the second half, which is a minor cause for concern despite the impressive image that has emerged. These are minor complaints, however.
In the interim, a number of players
are having a significant influence.
Francke Horn and fellow loose forward Ruan Venter are attracting attention, but Sibusiso Sangweni has been executing dark arts in hidden locations on the field.
Sanele Nohamba’s comeback to the form that drew the attention of the Springboks continues, while Gianni Lombard’s controlled performances have kept the pack moving ahead while attacking and defending with unflappable intent.
Marius Louw and Henco van Wyk have quickly and carelessly filled the vacuum left by Burger Odendaal and Wandisile Simelane, while Andries Coetzee has enjoyed a resurgence at fullback since his return to the Johannesburg-based team.
In the upcoming weeks, coach Ivan van Rooyen and his team’s top priority will be to keep all of these well-oiled moving pieces functioning.
The Lions are currently fifth in the standings after four games (three wins and one defeat), and with five upcoming home games at Ellis Park, they might be celebrating in 2023.
This run begins on Saturday against Ulster, and the matchday 23 that plays could be rotated in order to rest the bodies that will be returning from Europe.
The Irish team, who are now second in the league and are coming off a 47-17 victory over Ospreys over the weekend, will be a formidable opponent in October, despite the altitude and heat of Johannesburg.
The Lions will then face the Glasgow Warriors and the Stormers on consecutive weekends before the international break in November temporarily suspends the URC. The season will conclude with a home game against Stade Francais in the Challenge Cup, after which they will take on the Dragons and Scarlets.
These contests are all winnable. Currently, the Lions have 13 points. They may have as many as 38 by the conclusion of the year, which is only three fewer than they had at the end of the previous season*.