Lions’ win against Bulls ‘healthy and good for SA rugby’

Their unexpected win over the Bulls was massive, but it will also have broad-ranging benefits for South African rugby, according to jubilant Lions coach Cash van Rooyen.

Using their dominant scrum as a platform, the Lions ended the Bulls’ unbeaten run in the Rainbow Cup SA competition with a surprise 34-33 win at Ellis Park on Saturday.

“It’s healthy and good for the competition. All four teams play an exciting brand of rugby,” said Van Rooyen after their first win of the competition.

Van Rooyen pointed out how the national coaches keep saying that once the SA teams play the overseas teams in the Pro16, one would see the effects of the SA teams’ physicality.

“It’s impressive the way we as local teams defend and put skill-sets under pressure, probably more than any other country,” he said.

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Despite being out-scored by five tries to four, the Lions victory threw the competition wide open, with the Bulls now only four points clear of the Stormers and Sharks, with the Lions a further three behind.

“The margins of all the games have been close, bar one or two, like our first game against the Bulls and their game against the Sharks, but the rest were all pretty tight,” said Van Rooyen.

Mentally the win was big for the Lions after losing their last six cross-Jukskei derbies against the Bulls, who lost captain Duane Vermeulen with 20 minutes left and also missed their veteran flyhalf Morne Steyn.

“It’s big for us and it’s important. It’s good to win at home and, more importantly, against the Bulls who are currently the best team in SA,” added Van Rooyen.

Van Rooyen stressed however, that apart from one or two results, the rest of their games against their near-neighbours had been close and not for a single moment did they think they couldn’t win.

“But we have also seen what a massive effort it takes to a beat a good team like the Bulls,” he said.

After trailing 33-20 early in the second half, the Lions scored 14 un-answered points after Van Rooyen sent a clear message to his charges.

“The biggest message was not to go into our shells. It was instead time for us to be extra brave and not be pushed mentally onto the back foot, which would have kept on the defensive,” said Van Rooyen.