The Lions edged Leinster 27-26 in a hard-fought showdown at Ellis Park on Saturday, thanks to a second-half fightback sparked by a stern halftime team talk, coach Ivan van Rooyen said. The Lions trailed 19-17 at halftime in an opening round United Rugby Championship showdown which kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final whistle in Johannesburg.
Van Rooyen attributed his team's poor first-half performance to being "in two minds defensively". He said part of that was due to the team's ineffectiveness, while some of it was also down to Leinster's decent attack. The coach noted that Leinster's momentum was difficult to stop, but the Lions managed to do so in the second half, allowing them to apply pressure differently.
The Lions' bench and flanker Siba Qoma provided the much-needed spark for the team's comeback, according to Van Rooyen. He emphasized the importance of the bench in beating a team like Leinster, saying "you will never beat Leinster with 15 guys [you need the bench] because they are too good an outfit". The front row, including SJ Kotze, Morné Brandon, and RF Schoeman, also made a significant difference.
Van Rooyen was pleased with the performances of the Lions' debutants, including Hyron Andrews, Boeta Chamberlain, and Boan Venter. He noted that Andrews strengthens the team's lineout, while Chamberlain covers both 10 and 15 and is deceptively quick. Venter, meanwhile, strengthens the team's set-piece.
Lions captain Francke Horn praised his team for sticking to the task against the Irish visitors. He said the team was relieved to have secured the win, despite moments of poor performance. Horn emphasized the importance of the team's character in getting the job done, saying "I am proud of the guys sticking it out and making sure we got the win".
The win sets the stage for the Lions' second-round clash against Welsh outfit the Ospreys at Ellis Park on Saturday. Van Rooyen will be keen for his team to take their winning momentum into the match. The team's physicality was put to the test in the match against Leinster, with several players left with sore bodies.
This week's United Rugby Championship fixtures include Edinburgh vs Stormers on Friday, and Lions vs Ospreys, Sharks vs Leinster, and Munster vs Bulls on Saturday. The Lions will look to build on their momentum from the win against Leinster as they take on the Ospreys.
Key points
- Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen attributed his team's second-half fightback to a stern halftime team talk.
- The Lions' bench and flanker Siba Qoma provided the much-needed spark for the team's comeback.
- The win sets the stage for the Lions' second-round clash against Welsh outfit the Ospreys at Ellis Park on Saturday.
