AUDIO: Lions don't enjoy those 'black eyes'

CURRIE CUP INTERVIEW: There will be no repeat of the hammering the Golden Lions suffered at the hands of the Western Province last week.

That is the undertaking of Cape Town-bound hooker Corne Fourie.

Speaking ahead of his team’s trip to Durban – for a Round Six encounter with the Sharks – Fourie said the hiding they received from Province last week is still hurting the Johannesburg-based outfit.

“No one wants to walk around with two black eyes,” Fourie said of the 38-65 loss to the defending champions – a team he will join after the completion of the season.

The result left WP and the Sharks as the only remaining unbeaten sides.

The Lions can still finish first on the standings, but then they must avoid being bullied this week by a team perhaps even more physical than WP.

“The Lions don’t [often] get bullied in their own backyard,” Fourie said of what turned out to be the second biggest defeat he suffered in his Lions career.

He added that the young players must take those painful lessons to heart.

“We must fix it before we play the Sharks,” Fourie said, adding: “They are very physical and they pride themselves on their scrumming and their line-outs.

“They are very good. We will have to take them on up front.

“They’re very physical‚ especially with the Du Preez brothers [Jean-Luc and Dan] in the pack. The match will be decided up front.”

Fourie carefully sidestepped the issue of his pending departure to Cape Town.

“My priorities are with the Lions at the moment‚” he said.

“[Those are] to get them to the semifinal and the Final.

“They opened a lot of doors for me.

“During the course of your career doors open and some close and that’s the way it is.

“There is a new chapter I am looking forward to.”

Fourie, 30, who was converted from a prop to a hooker, said he was still comfortable at both positions, and the dual role brought more energy to his career.

“It’s a new challenge. I enjoy the freedom and give credit to Malcolm [Marx] and Robbie [Coetzee] who helped me a lot.”

@rugby365com

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