Lions boss upbeat despite defeat to Stormers
REACTION: Although the Lions suffered a 27-34 defeat to the Stormers, Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen cut a satisfied and optimistic figure after his side’s United Rugby Championship Round Seven clash at Cape Town Stadium.
Coming off a narrow 10-14 loss to Newcastle Red Bulls in the European Challenge Cup, the Lions arrived in Cape Town determined to respond against the unbeaten Stormers.
They were bolstered by the return of several key players, including Quan Horn, Morne van den Berg, Ruan Venter and Asenathi Ntlabakanye, all of whom were rested the previous weekend.
Van Rooyen’s side dominated the first half and held a 17-10 lead at the break after two tries by Springbok Ruan Venter.
However, the momentum shifted after the interval as the Stormers wrestled control and eventually secured a bonus-point victory.
“I think we played well enough to get the win,” said Van Rooyen.
“One or two moments, the ball bounced back 30 metres off the cricket pitch. That’s the game – it was really small margins.
“I’m really proud of the effort and really proud of the solutions we found.
“We lost two No.5 locks in 20 minutes. We showed great character, great fight.”
Van Rooyen added that marginal calls also played a role in the outcome.
“One or two calls that could’ve gone either way probably didn’t go our way, and I think that was probably the difference.”
Despite the result, the Lions coach believes the performance could prove pivotal for the remainder of the campaign.
“We played against probably the most in-form team in world rugby,” he said.
“After a performance like that, I’d be surprised if we get into a slump. I’m really proud of the effort.”
Captain Francke Horn echoed his coach’s sentiments and urged Lions supporters to remain behind the team.
“I think if you look at the game, we never gave up. With 15 minutes to go, 14 points in it, we really rallied back until the last two minutes,” Horn said.
“There are a lot of positives that we can take forward. Luckily in rugby, there’s a game in the next two weeks again – another SA derby, another opportunity.”
Van Rooyen, meanwhile, revealed that Reinhardt Nothnagel has undergone scans, but the coach believes he will “be fine”.
The Lions will have a break and will return with a match against the Sharks at Kings Park on January 3.
