Lions face European heavyweights after Bulls reality check

REACTION: The Lions face a daunting three-week tour that begins with a heavyweight Investec Champions Cup clash against French giants La Rochelle.

Then two challenging Vodacom United Rugby Championship encounters await against Scottish rivals Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors, currently the number one and two in the standings.

The Johannesburg side will head to France on Monday looking to bounce back from a brutal 15-57 defeat to the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld, with coach Ivan van Rooyen admitting his team have plenty of work to do.

However, it will not be a walk in the park. Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle picked up their fourth victory in six matches so far this season and their second away from home, easing to a comfortable 28-16 bonus-point win over Lyon at Stade Gerland to consolidate their early season place in the Top 14’s top six.

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Van Rooyen will be hoping for a quick response from his squad, particularly after the Lions failed to secure even a try-scoring bonus point against the Bulls.

“One of the biggest disappointments today is that we didn’t manage to score four tries to at least get a try-scoring bonus point,” he said.

“Our first game in the Champions Cup is next weekend, so obviously we would like to start that strongly.”

The Lions coach expects a physically demanding opening against La Rochelle before the tour shifts to Scotland, where colder and wetter conditions could present a different challenge.

“We spoke about it today and next week being a really physical test, and then the last two games, we know it’s going to be quick and it’s going to be a little bit of a different game,” Van Rooyen said.

“As I said, we need to respond well. We need to learn quickly on Monday. We need to get on the plane and collectively, we’ve got a big three weeks ahead of us.”

Van Rooyen confirmed that the Lions would take 30 players on tour, with squad rotation likely to play an important role across the three fixtures.

Given the physical demands of the Bulls encounter and the challenges awaiting them in Europe, the coach intends to use his travelling squad effectively and ensure players receive sufficient game time.

“Just by the nature of today, plus the heat, plus what we faced physically, the moment you play two or three consecutive physical games, it does take a bit of a toll,” he said.

Lombard injury concern ahead of La Rochelle clash

Prop Sebastian Lombard is an injury concern after hobbling off with an ankle injury during Saturday’s defeat.

The Lions will assess the extent of the injury before departing for France, with his availability for the Champions Cup opener still uncertain.

Van Rooyen indicated that Lombard was the only immediate injury concern from the Bulls match.

The coach is also hopeful that flyhalf/centre Bronson Mills, lock Etienne Oosthuizen and wing Erich Cronje will be available after injuries earlier in the season.

“Bronny is coming on nicely. We’ll probably use Monday to really assess him,” Van Rooyen said of Mills.

“He is moving a lot better in the last week than what he did. It’s touch and go.”

Oosthuizen and Cronjé also took part in the team’s warm-up before the Bulls match as they continue their recovery.

Van Rooyen said he had yet to discuss their clearance protocols with the medical team but was encouraged by what he saw.

“They seem to be running okay,” he said.

With three demanding fixtures in quick succession, the Lions will need to regroup quickly, manage their resources carefully and address the shortcomings exposed by the Bulls if they are to make a strong impression on their European tour.