Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen stated that his team will have to significantly raise their level of play when they meet the Bulls in the upcoming Saturday derby at Loftus Versfeld.
Lions secured their second consecutive win in the URC, defeating Osprey 35-19 at Ellis Park stadium on Saturday. This victory followed a dramatic win against defending champions Leinster with a score of 27-26 in the first round.
Nevertheless, van Rooyen did not want the team to relax after overcoming a poor first half and scoring five points after the break. He emphasized: 'Today's game will be insufficient against the Bulls next week. It is a typical derby, so having tactical preparation and high physical power will be of huge importance.'
He added that the Bulls showed a desire to play more actively, which makes them dangerous, but there are also opportunities for the Lions.
In the first half, the Lions trailed Osprey 12-10, but then they reacted decisively. The forwards took control of the match, which helped change the tide in their favor. Captain Frankie Horn noted that the players decided during the break that they needed to 'roll up their sleeves' and succeed against Osprey.
Horn said: 'We went into the break and said: 'Listen, we aren't able to attack down the flanks today,' and sometimes that happens. The forwards said we need to roll up our sleeves and secure maul tries. If we have to go into scrum, penalty, kick out, maul, penalty, kick out again, and then score from the maul, we will do it. And that's how we started the second half.'
Van Rooyen was particularly pleased with how his players adapted after an disorganized first forty minutes. He noted: 'Osprey is a strong team, they are very tough, they have great character, and they will keep coming back and pushing forward if you are inaccurate. We were not accurate enough. We lost some early out lines, and then it's impossible to gain momentum and execute our plans.'
He continued: 'At halftime, we really simplified the task and just said: 'Find a way.' We believe there is a small gap, let's go there and see if we can use it. The second half was much better, and I am very proud of the guys for finding a way.'
'The Lions can draw confidence from their victory over the Bulls in Pretoria last season with a score of 43-33, but van Rooyen expects a completely different challenge this time. He explained: 'Last year, when we played there, it was part of their transition period. I think this year everything will be very different. They have real speed on the flanks, they have a good pack of forwards, and power up front. I think it will be a completely different test.'
He concluded: 'There is one or two things we can take from past experience, but we won't be blind to the fact that this is a new week, a new opportunity, and a different game.'
Furthermore, the Lions may have two returning Springboks players in the starting lineup—midfielder Morne van den Berg and versatile back-rower Juan Horn, both of whom participated in the second half against Osprey. Van Rooyen said he would not be surprised if both feature in the starting fifteen against the Bulls.
These returns create healthy competition for spots in the team, especially after Boeta Chamberlain and Nico Steyn impressed in the first two Lions matches. Van Rooyen noted: 'I think Boeta has been a breath of fresh air for us; I think he was exceptional in two games, and he can play several positions for us. Nico is probably playing the best game of his life too, so that's good, healthy competition for us.'
Despite the Lions starting the campaign perfectly, earning nine points in the first two matches, van Rooyen knows that the next match will show much more about his team's standing. He repeated: 'Accuracy will be of huge importance. It is a typical derby, so tactical preparation and high physical power will be of huge importance. We will take five points, but we must improve because next week will demand it.'
