Head coach Ivan van Rooyen commended the Lions for trusting the process in the face of adversity to pull off a big win against the Glasgow Warriors on Saturday.
A 14-man Lions outfit kept their Vodacom URC playoff hopes alive with a 44-21 bonus-point victory at Ellis Park. Leading 8-7 at half time, the Lions scored five tries in the second 40 minutes while replacement playmaker Sanele Nohamba banked 16 points in the penultimate-round clash of the league phase in the URC.
The result left Ivan van Rooyen’s charges in ninth position on the overall standings and level on points (49) with eighth-placed Benetton before the last match of this weekend’s action.
Ruan Venter copped a straight red card for a dangerous hit inside the first, after an earlier yellow card for an off-the-ball incident. Skipper Marius Louw was a late injury withdrawal, which saw Jordan Hendrikse start at inside centre, while flanker Emmanuel Tshituka was forced off early following a suspected head knock.
Glasgow, though, failed to make their numerical advantage count, even against 13 men following a yellow card for Lions No 8 Francke Horn before the break.
RECAP: Six-try Lions feast on Warriors
Speaking post-match in Johannesburg, Van Rooyen told reporters: “[Louw’s] knee swelled up on Wednesday and we tried to get him ready for the game.
“We wanted him to play but we knew that we had a good plan with Willem [Alberts as captain] and you can’t ask for any better than that. We knew leadership-wise we were good there.
“Jordan has probably been training 60 to 70 percent at No 12 in the last month anyway.”
“We knew that discipline was one of our focus points during the week,” Van Rooyen added.
“I don’t want to elaborate on the red card, but what I can say is that when our backs are against the wall, we do free up a little bit mentally and we just focus and stick to the process and plan.
“At half time, we felt that we were really in this and when we stuck to the plan, we felt that it was working and we were putting them under pressure.
“It was great character, great fight and great discipline to stick to what we want to do.”
The Lions will have a week’s break before bringing the curtain down on their regular season with a trip to Cape Town on 1 June to face the DHL Stormers.
Photo: Lee Warren/Gallo Images
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