Lions, Stormers in must-win mode ahead of Joburg clash

In what is now a battle for survival, the Lions and the Stormers will clash at Ellis Park this weekend with the aim of staying alive in the Rainbow Cup SA competition.

Both teams are winless after two rounds, with the Lions going down 34-26 to the Sharks in Durban at the weekend, while the Stormers’ 20-16 defeat to the Bulls was their second straight home defeat.

Lions coach Cash van Rooyen said their slow starts had cost them for the second week, although both their defeats had come away from home.

“What is disappointing is that we were good enough to win the game and that’s what hurts the most,” said Van Rooyen about the defeat to the Sharks.

While both teams scored four tries, the Lions’ fourth by flank Vincent Tshituka on the stroke of full time served as a consolation to at least earn them their first point of the competition.

“The guys really got stuck in and in the second half, especially the last 10 minutes, we really looked desperate,” added the Lions coach.

ALSO READ: White full of praise for veteran Steyn after Bulls win

Van Rooyen said however they had about seven senior players who picked up niggles in the last two weeks and were unavailable.

“So now we have a bunch of them who could come back,” he said, looking forward to the Stormers game.

Sharks coach Sean Everitt said their win over the Lions had been a better performance than the previous week against the Stormers, but said poor discipline was still holding them back.

“Every week is vitally important and the pressure is on. In a short competition like this, you cannot really afford to drop any points,” said Everitt.

“So to be unbeaten after two games and getting maximum points is pleasing for us, but the big test will be this coming week at Loftus,” he said.

“In the first round we only have one home game but then it levels out later on,” Everitt pointed out.