Krappie: The spark Lions were missing?

SPOTLIGHT: The struggling Lions could turn their United Rugby Championship campaign around with a new halfback partnership against Benetton this weekend.

Following two consecutive defeats to Cardiff and Zebre, the Johannesburg-based outfit is currently languishing in 13th position on the URC table.

The 2025/26 season is still in its baby shoes, and if anything, the Lions of all teams will know that a good start doesn’t necessarily mean a strong finish.

During the 2024/25 season, the Lions won their first four matches before enduring an inconsistent run and missing out on the play-offs once more.

The Lions could turn their fortunes around with Springbok Morné van den Berg returning to the side alongside Chris Smith.

The experienced duo could be the halfback combination against Benetton, which might just be what the Lions need to turn their fortunes around.

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Lions forwards coach Barend Pieterse expressed his joy to be able to call upon the services of the Bok No.9 for this weekend and what he brings to the team.

“Krappie [Morné van den Berg] is here with us,” Pieterse said.

“He was actually here before we even arrived [in Treviso], so he is well rested.

“He brings a lot of energy and new ideas to the team that he would’ve learned at the Boks.

“It’s great to have him here.”

Flyhalf Smith, who made his Lions debut at URC level against Zebre last weekend, brings a wealth of experience with his time at the Pumas, Bulls and Oyonnax.

He has also played in two URC Finals with the Bulls.

Smith shared his thoughts on his new team’s slow start, saying that the URC is a marathon and that two losses won’t define their season at this point in the tournament.

He also spoke about the difficulty of playing away from home, but kept a positive outlook ahead of their upcoming clash against Benetton.

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“It’s definitely something that’s been going through my mind and something we as a group need to realise,” Smith said.

“It is a marathon and a long competition. It’s not an easy competition.

“The reality is that winning away from home is difficult.

“It’s not an easy task. You just don’t travel and pick up a victory.

“We know that we need to be better; we all know that.

“However, we are creating good pictures, which is keeping the group positive.

“We are close, and we will get there, and hopefully this weekend will be the turning point where we can start building some momentum.”

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