Lions happy with statement win over Dragons: ‘It was a great reaction,’ says coach

The Lions were thrilled with their big statement win over the Dragons on Saturday, which saw them progress to the last 16 of the Challenge Cup and they will be hoping to have turned a corner and gotten their season back on track.

After the Lions started their campaign in the United Rugby Championship (URC) like a house on fire, winning their opening four games, they then went on to lose five of their next six, in both the URC and Challenge Cup.

All five of their losses came away from home against Leinster, Munster and the Stormers in the URC and against Ospreys and Montpellier in the Challenge Cup, while their sole win among that carnage was a Challenge Cup home win against French side Section Paloise.

‘Make it count at home’

They were thus desperate to get back on track and their huge 60-10 win over the Dragons will have been the perfect tonic, as they look to go on a winning run in the URC.

“We spoke about it the last three weeks to be honest. We know we had been traveling and away a lot. But eventually we would get back home and when we do we have to make it count,” explained Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen after the win.

“Obviously we weren’t happy with our performance against Montpellier (a week earlier). I don’t think that was true to who we are and want to be. So there were one or two harsh words on Monday and Tuesday in an attempt to get the reaction and game that we want to play.

“So well done to the players. It was a great reaction. But we still have a lot to fix for the next game and going forward.”

Edinburgh up

The Lions will now face Scottish side Edinburgh in the last 16 over the weekend of 4,5 and 6 of April, and the hosts will be eyeing some revenge after they heavily went down to the Johannesburg side 55-21 in their URC match at Ellis Park in October.

After the game Van Rooyen did not know who they would be facing in the next round, but admitted they would be gunning for the win as the match falls during their two week URC tour, where they face Cardiff in Wales, and Glasgow Warriors in Scotland, before staying in the country to take on Edinburgh.

“If I am correct that is probably the weekend after our two week tour. Depending where it is and how the travel schedule looks, we will have been in Europe for two weeks anyway and hopefully we can make it four (weeks in Europe, progressing to the Challenge Cup quarters),” said Van Rooyen.

The Lions now turn their sites to a huge URC Jukskei derby against their Highveld rivals the Bulls this coming weekend at Ellis Park, followed by a two week break before they host the Stormers.