Captain Franke Horn admitted that the Lions team is far from perfect, but the victory over Aspiris, which brought five points, gives the Johannesburg club the necessary momentum before the match in Pretoria.
Although the Lions did not show as brilliant a performance as in the victory over Leinster last week, Captain Franke Horn believes that their triumph with a score of 35:12 over Aspiris at Ellis Park stadium was an important lesson on how to achieve victory, even if it doesn't look brilliant.
In their debut match in the United Rugby Championship, where they stunned Leinster with a score of 27:26 at the same arena, the Lions looked far from their best in the first half, trailing the Welsh visitors by 12:10.
However, after the break, the team transformed, dominating the ball game and scoring four touchdowns, which allowed them to win with bonus points and earn nine points in the first two games.
United Rugby Championship
Horn admitted that the first half was 'very careless,' noting that this is an area the team needs to improve in the future, especially in the upcoming match against the Bulls.
He acknowledged the forwards' efforts in the second half, emphasizing the presence of many quality scrums and powerful mauls, as well as the active participation of the backline. 'It was a hard-fought victory,' he stated. 'We got our five points. It wasn't perfect, but five points count.'
The scrum became a serious weapon for the Lions in the first two matches, and it once again provided the foundation for the team's dominance in the second half against Aspiris. Nevertheless, Horn emphasized that discipline must be as important as strength.
'It is definitely a good weapon in our arsenal at this stage,' he said. 'We just need to show patience and choose our moments, without giving away easy penalties [Aspiris earned two penalties for scrums despite being outnumbered].' He added that 'overall, the forwards put in a huge effort.'
The arrival of scrumhalf Morne van den Berg also helped change the pace after the break due to his crisp passing and confident game management, giving the Lions more control. Horn also thanked the substitute players for bringing extra energy and impetus, noting that the final defensive plays also looked good. He concluded that 'there were many positive moments in the second half. We just need to improve the first half.'
The Lions now have nine points in the table after two opening games and have started the season impressively, aiming to build on last year's quarter-final exit. However, for Horn, early points are just the beginning. He noted that the team wanted to score 10 points in the first two weeks, and having scored nine, there is still work to be done.
Next weekend, the Lions will face a serious increase in intensity when they travel to Pretoria to play the Bulls, after which they will switch to the Champions Cup and a series of European away matches against La Rochelle and Glasgow Warriors. They will then return to Johannesburg for the return URC match against the Bulls on December 5th.
