Bruised but not beaten: Lions target strong finish at home in URC

Yes, if you were wondering, when the Lions returned to South Africa last week, their egos were quite bruised after a disappointing tour of Wales and Scotland — just ask Asenathi Ntlabakanye.

It is that negative sentiment the burly prop and his teammates are hoping to convert into positive energy in the coming weeks, as they look to restore pride in their United Rugby Championship campaign and reignite belief among their supporters.

It has been an underwhelming month for the Joburgers. A lacklustre 24–12 defeat to Edinburgh in the last 16 of the EPCR Challenge Cup compounded a miserable 42–0 capitulation to Glasgow and a frustrating 20–17 loss to Cardiff.

It has seen the Lions' chances of winning silverware in the former evaporate, and their top-eight ambitions in the latter threatened. They find themselves in 14th spot in the URC on 30 points, and if not for a logjam stretching all the way to fifth-placed Munster — with 39 points — they could be staring down the barrel of another season of unfulfilled promise and potential.

Many pundits will insist they already are.

Nevertheless, the Lions still have an opportunity to progress to the play-offs. It will take a full harvest of points from their four remaining matches — all at home, starting with Benetton on Saturday (kick-off 13.45pm) — a bit of luck, and perhaps some mathematical witchcraft, but they still have much to play for.

On Thursday, with Johannesburg finally enjoying some sunlight after a miserable month of constant rain, Ntlabakanye was frank about the team's recent performance abroad.

Said the prop: “As a pack, we came back hurt.

“As a South African pack,” he added, “we pride ourselves on physicality. What Glasgow did to us was quite embarrassing. A week later, against Edinburgh, we knew exactly what we were going to face.

“The set-piece was a lot better, but overall their forwards really outmuscled us. It wasn’t good enough from our side, but we are back home and looking forward to facing Benetton.”

Murmurs suggest that Benetton — seventh in the standings on 36 points and currently touring South Africa, with a visit to the Stormers to follow — have arrived on these shores stacked with intent, unleashing matchday 23s filled with Test players.

They are an unpredictable side who can thrive off any loose play — much like their hosts — so this weekend’s encounter could develop into an exciting contest.

During their tour abroad, the Lions were unable to dictate place or pace, often allowing their opponents to control the tempo. Ntlabakanye insists that the reason for this was a lack of physicality from the pack in recent weeks.

That was especially true in Scotland, and it is an aspect of their game that the prop revealed the squad has been working on this past week to rectify.

“We can’t wait for teams to attack — we have to be the ones who initiate that,” said Ntlabakanye.

“We do it very well at home, but away from home we haven’t been good this season. Our attacking rugby hasn’t really shone in difficult conditions overseas, but that is no excuse.

“Going on tour and scoring three tries in three weeks is not good enough. We pride ourselves on scoring tries.

“Anything good in rugby starts up front,” he added. “Our forward play has to be a lot better — and it will be a lot better this weekend...

“Our focus in these last four games will be to really put pressure on teams up front and take their legs out so that guys like Edwill (van der Merwe) and Quan (Horn) can flourish,” he concluded.