AUDIO: Where it went wrong for Lions
REACTION: The Lions’ head coach, Ivan van Rooyen, acknowledges that the Glasgow Warriors were simply on a different level at Scotstoun on Saturday.
The United Rugby Championship titleholders Glasgow made the Lions look like rank amateurs with a 42-0 whitewash in the Round 14 clash.
Franco Smith’s men played with a powerful wind, gusting at about 80 kilometres per hour, at their backs in the first half – during which they scored all their points.
The Lions, in contrast, struggled and even with the wind at their backs in the second half, simply could not muster up a threatening attack.
In an effort to dissect where it all went wrong, Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen revealed that the conditions played a vital role in his team’s failure.
“It has been the most difficult weather conditions we have ever played or trained in. The wind, at some stages, was over 50 miles per hour.
“We obviously couldn’t use it to our advantage in the second half while they used it well in the first half,” Van Rooyen said.
“We weren’t accurate enough on defense, and they [Glasgow] put on an attacking masterclass that we couldn’t deal with.
“We didn’t adapt quickly enough. And as in the first half, when you give them the ball for free, they are good at keeping it and will punish you.
He added: “Glasgow’s attack is the best we have faced this year.
“They outplayed us.”
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No room for failure
It does not get any easier for the Lions, who will take on Edinburgh in the European Challenge Cup Round 16 on Friday before returning home for four URC fixtures.
With a URC play-off spot on the line, the Johannesburg-based franchise can’t afford to produce another stinker like Saturday.
They are 14th on the log with 30 points and will host Benetton, Connacht, Scarlets, and Ospreys at Ellis Park.
“The last four games are non-negotiable,” Van Rooyen added.
“The log is really congested, and 16 points might get you there, but 20 will get you there.”
“So we are clear about what needs to happen back home.”
In terms of Friday’s Challenge Cup encounter, he urged his team to ‘adapt and regroup quickly.’
“We are on our way to Edinburgh with a slightly different mindset,” Van Rooyend said.
“A win is enough to progress. They’ve got a similar X-factor to Glasgow, so it’s important for us to learn the lessons. Scottish teams attack in a certain way, so we need to be ready.
“We can’t take as long to adapt in the next game.”
Van Rooyen added: “Hopefully, the weather will be slightly better; there are sunny predictions.
“It’s a knockout game in Scotland, a big week for us to prepare. We always say a week in rugby is a long time, so we need to regroup and move forward.”
