Lions to 'lay marker' for next season
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Lions’ only mission this Saturday against Zebre is to put down a big statement for next season’s United Rugby Championship.
The Lions are out of running for the URC play-offs after their narrow defeat to Leinster last weekend at Ellis Park.
However, Ivan van Rooyen’s men are harbouring the ambition of finishing strong against Zebre at Loftus Versfeld.
A win will possibly see the Johannesburg side finish ninth on the overall log, just one spot clear of the play-offs zone.
“It has been an up and down season,” Lions flank Francke Horn reflected on his team’s season.
“We really improved in the last two months. I think people can see it in the way we played. Obviously, the highlight would be that first tour where kicked off the season with three wins.
“But we saw this past weekend [against Leinster] that small margins are a big thing in the end and unfortunately we are not going to make play-offs.
“The vibe in the camp is still awesome. The chat was around what could’ve been and the way we want to rectify it is by finishing off the season with a bang and making a statement for next season.”
The Lions prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye shared his teammate’s sentiments, stating it is important to finish on a high for next season.
“It is important to lay a marker for next season,” Ntlabakanye said.
“It will be a nice warning to show how we play and also to try to get people in the stadium.
“In the last seven years, the Lions have played attractive rugby and we are trying to get that back.
“We are scoring amazing tries, but we also conceding a lot and that is something we have to work on towards next season.”
The Lions prop said the team will definitely use the altitude on the Highveld to their advantage against the Zebre, who have yet to record a win this season.
“The pack of forwards are looking forward to the game. I think it’s going to be a fantastic game at Loftus,” Ntlabakanye said.
“Zebre is a very tricky side to navigate.
“But we are mainly focused on ourselves and put a huge emphasis on what we can do better.
“The Bulls gave them quite a scare so they will be coming out guns blazing.”
The Lions will name their team to face Zebre on Friday.
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