Lions Desperate to Maintain Winning Form in URC

Written By: Karabo Peter

This weekend marks the fifth round of the United Rugby Championship and the Lions will hope to build on their winning momentum after securing a narrow 24-23 victory against the Scarlets in their last outing.

The Johannesburg based side endured a tough start to the season with three narrow losses prior to the win against Scarlets. Despite this dispiriting record, the Lions forwards coach, Barend Pieterse, relies on a comforting prospect that the team’s effort will be rewarded with crucial log points when they face Ulster at Kingspan Stadium on Friday night.

“There have been a few points in each loss and we felt those matches could of gone either way, but the most important thing is that we got points out of the games,” he said. The Lions are currently 12^th on the log standings with only eight points. “If you look on the log those four losing points are like an extra win for us which was very important,” Pieterse added.

“Look the guys are really working hard but the conditions aren’t the easy over here, l mean it’s the same for both teams, we both have to train in the wet, go out early in the dark, come back in the dark but the effort the guys are giving at the moment hopefully will show in the result.”

Their opponents are comfortably in the top half of the table, on the 4^th position with 14 points, tied with Connacht and Benetton.

“Ulster is always a challenge, he said. “They have got a very good forwards back with a lot of depth in the squad, so the mauls and scrums are going to key. We have a got a plan and just need to stick to it and limit mistakes.”

“We’re lucky with our set piece in that we get a good base from the scrums. All the mistakes were of our own doing and not from the opposition outclassing us.”