The Lions secured a big win on Saturday, but head coach Ivan van Rooyen and captain Francke Horn know there’s still work to be done ahead of their European tour.
The Pride raced to an unprecedented 48-0 half-time lead against Edinburgh at Ellis Park, scoring seven unanswered tries in a dominant first half of the round 3 Vodacom URC clash.
However, the hosts let their intensity drop in the second half, allowing the visitors to score 21 points while Van Rooyen’s charges added just one more try for a 55-21 bonus-point win.
Reflecting on the result post-match, Horn praised the first-half effort but highlighted the need for improvement in closing out games.
“We had a really good week of prep and did really well in the first half, but there are good lessons to be learned. We need to know how to keep the pressure on and close out games when we’re in control,” he said. “We’ll take those lessons into the tour.”
HIGHLIGHTS: Full house for SA teams
Van Rooyen was more positive about the overall performance: “It was a decent start with good intent and discipline. We forced our game on them, but Edinburgh, with all their internationals, were never going to roll over.
“In the second half, we made some skill errors, and they capitalised with set pieces and penalties, but I’m really happy with the five points.”
Looking ahead to their four-match trip, Van Rooyen acknowledged the challenges posed by the Dragons, Zebre, Leinster, and Munster. “The Dragons have improved, and Leinster at the Aviva will be a tough test. But we’re satisfied with the 10 points from our first two games.”
Horn added: “We’re happy with the points at home, but we haven’t won anything yet. Now we aim to take as many points as possible on tour.”
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
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