After a gritty overseas tour filled with more draws than a sketch artist at a park, the Lions are limbering up for the Jukskei derby. This Saturday, the stage is set at Ellis Park where they'll clash with the Vodacom Bulls, their archnemesis enjoying a bit of a resurgence. It's back from a challenging stint that saw them tying up the scores in Perpignan and against the Ospreys in the URC, making their immediate focus recovery and mental rejuvenation.
Coach Ivan van Rooyen, who could probably do a TED Talk on managing jet lag by now, shared, "It’s been a tough 24-hour travel back. We arrived this morning at 1 o’clock. There is a mental freshness and physical freshness that we want to drive today, Monday, Tuesday and then get up for a really tough game against the Bulls this weekend." Clearly, the Lions are not just battling opponents but also the clock and the calendar.
"We’ll take the three points. We wanted four and we scored four tries so it could have been five, so we are disappointed in that sense,"
The Lions did manage to scrape together three log points in Bridgend, keeping them seventh on the log, but Van Rooyen's frustration was palpable, especially given the penalty count in the latter half against Ospreys, who were more than happy to capitalize on the Lions' slip-ups.
Despite the setbacks, the coach maintained a stiff upper lip, praising the squad's resilience: "It’s obviously been a tough two weeks in terms of travel and weather but as a squad we want to embrace the tough times," Van Rooyen said. "In circumstances like that, you can actually reveal who you are and what you are. So really proud of the effort, proud of the toughness."
"This is a big week for us. We are excited to play against a Bulls team that has found a bit of form again,"
On the medical front, the Lions are nursing a few niggles post-tour. Van Rooyen remains hopeful, noting, "Hopefully not too serious. We’ll know more about Francke [Horn, who left the field in the second half] on Monday afternoon. But we’ve not foreseen anything too hectic at this stage."
With the Bulls charging in hot from consecutive victories in Europe, the Lions have little time to lick their wounds. It's shaping up to be a blockbuster weekend at Ellis Park, where old rivalries are renewed and both teams fight to prove their mettle.
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After a gritty overseas tour filled with more draws than a sketch artist at a park, the Lions are limbering up for the Jukskei derby. This Saturday, the stage is set at Ellis Park where they'll clash with the Vodacom Bulls, their archnemesis enjoying a bit of a resurgence. It's back from a challenging stint that saw them tying up the scores in Perpignan and against the Ospreys in the URC, making their immediate focus recovery and mental rejuvenation.
Coach Ivan van Rooyen, who could probably do a TED Talk on managing jet lag by now, shared, "It’s been a tough 24-hour travel back. We arrived this morning at 1 o’clock. There is a mental freshness and physical freshness that we want to drive today, Monday, Tuesday and then get up for a really tough game against the Bulls this weekend." Clearly, the Lions are not just battling opponents but also the clock and the calendar.
"We’ll take the three points. We wanted four and we scored four tries so it could have been five, so we are disappointed in that sense,"
The Lions did manage to scrape together three log points in Bridgend, keeping them seventh on the log, but Van Rooyen's frustration was palpable, especially given the penalty count in the latter half against Ospreys, who were more than happy to capitalize on the Lions' slip-ups.
Despite the setbacks, the coach maintained a stiff upper lip, praising the squad's resilience: "It’s obviously been a tough two weeks in terms of travel and weather but as a squad we want to embrace the tough times," Van Rooyen said. "In circumstances like that, you can actually reveal who you are and what you are. So really proud of the effort, proud of the toughness."
"This is a big week for us. We are excited to play against a Bulls team that has found a bit of form again,"
On the medical front, the Lions are nursing a few niggles post-tour. Van Rooyen remains hopeful, noting, "Hopefully not too serious. We’ll know more about Francke [Horn, who left the field in the second half] on Monday afternoon. But we’ve not foreseen anything too hectic at this stage."
With the Bulls charging in hot from consecutive victories in Europe, the Lions have little time to lick their wounds. It's shaping up to be a blockbuster weekend at Ellis Park, where old rivalries are renewed and both teams fight to prove their mettle.