After a difficult fortnight, the Lions face a tough January on the road in Europe as they play two URC matches and two Challenge Cup matches over the next four weeks.
They face their first big test against a telling Munster side at the URC in Ireland on Friday night, before taking on Stade Francais and the Dragons in France and Wales in the Challenge Cup, and then rounding off the month against Connacht at the URC in Ireland. .
The team will have to pick from two disappointing performances against the Sharks and Stormers in the last two weekends of December and will need to brace themselves for a tough European run.
‘It’s hard to lose’
“You don’t like to lose, and it’s hard to lose, I won’t lie, but it’s just a lack of consistency. If you can go back to the game and feel that if you try to come back, you’ll stop,” said Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen about the team’s struggles during the past two matches.
“When you look at the two (SA derby) results, it’s definitely mentally tougher than expected two weeks in a row during this celebration in away games.
“But we travel on Monday morning on a four-week tour, so we have to get used to playing. I think it’s the toughest game to play in South Africa at the moment.
Although the Sharks and Stormers results come as a blow to the Lions, they can take a lot of confidence out of their first tour away in Europe earlier in the URC season when they clinched a three-match winning streak.
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The Lions beat Ospreys, Cardiff and Edinburgh in Wales and Scotland in the three weeks prior to the competition and will need to put in a similar effort if they are to be successful on their four-week tour in January.
‘consistency’
“There is still a lot of confidence in this group, not only playing away but at home. We know we need to be more consistent in attack and defense especially,” said Van Rooyen.
“We spend a lot of time together in Joburg but it’s different, so for us as a group going away for four weeks, it’s a good opportunity to build consistency in preparation and roll with the punches. I’m excited for the tour.
“As rugby players, we’re very competitive and we’re very proud, so every loss hurts, but can we turn it around? We can, and there’s nothing better than a tour where we can come together and get those results.
Lions January schedule
URC v Munster match in Munster on Saturday, January 6
Challenge Cup match against Stade Francais in Paris on Saturday, January 14
Challenge Cup match v Dragons in Newport on Sunday, January 22nd
URC v Connacht match in Connacht on Saturday 28th January