Lions aim to clean up the basics against Ospreys

After starting their United Rugby Championship (URC) season with a disappointing loss against the Bulls, the Lions are looking to hit back in their first match of a three-game tour when they take on Ospreys in Swansea, Wales on Saturday.

Against the Bulls, the Lions made a number of handling errors and mistakes in the match, and new inside centre Marius Louw, who made his debut on Saturday, admits that the team is focused on cleaning up the basics going into this weekend’s clash.

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“I don’t know if it was rustiness, but the excitement was there, and our handling and basics was definitely a drawback in our game against the Bulls,” said Louw.

“So I think it’s now about having outstanding basics. That’s something we are really focusing on this week, having outstanding basics, and we are looking forward to fixing those errors coming into this weekend’s match.”

Settling in

Louw is settling in well at the union after his move from the Sharks in the off season, and he is enjoying the comradery with the players and coaches.

He is happy to be at a team that really wanted him, and will be looking to repay the faith shown in him with some big performances, while he believes that the team is building something special.

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“It has been a tough preseason and I think there were a lot of learnings that we took out of it. Fitting in has been very easy. The coaches and the players have been very welcoming and I have learnt a lot in these last few weeks,” said Louw.

“For me personally the opportunity to join the Lions was a really good one. It’s a great franchise and they really wanted me to join the team, and I think it was a case of me wanting to come to a place that really wanted me, so it was an easy decision.

“I think coming here has proven it so far. The coaches and players have all backed each other and that is the most important thing, if we back each other I think we can go a long way.”