Lions players celebrate with Emmanuel Tshituka after his try against Cardiff Rugby at the weekend. The flanker ended with two tries in the match. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
The good news is the Lions picked up five log points to keep alive their slim hopes of qualifying for the United Rugby Championship playoffs, the bad news is they’re going to need to be much better than they were on Saturday if they’re to win their remaining two regular season games.
For now though the Lions, and their fans, can cheer and heave a sigh of relief because they did what they had to do against Cardiff Rugby (13th) at Ellis Park on Saturday evening. By winning 34-13 they bagged five log points to stay in the hunt for a top eight spot and a place in the quarter-finals.
Ivan van Rooyen’s team are 10th with 44 points, with Connacht ninth (also 44), while Benetton, who beat the Sharks in Durban, are eighth with 48 points.
In seventh are Edinburgh, also with 48, Ulster are sixth with 49 and the Stormers, who beat the Dragons 44-21 on Friday, are fifth with 50.
It looks like for the Lions to qualify they will have to beat table-toppers, Glasgow Warriors, at home this weekend and also beat the Stormers in Cape Town in their final match, and hope a few other results go their way. It is not impossible that they will make it, but even Van Rooyen knows it will take a lot of good fortune.
“(We’re) still alive,” said the Lions coach after Saturday’s nervy win against Cardiff. Victory was secured only late in the game after two tries by replacement loose forward Emmanuel Tshituka.
“We don’t want to drop the ball now. There’s a lot of work ahead, and probably other results have to go our way.”
Van Rooyen bemoaned his team’s second half implosion and lack of accuracy throughout the 80 minutes.
“In the second half we lacked accuracy. We weren’t that clinical, and then it is impossible to build tempo and momentum.
“In the last 10 minutes we also missed two or three try-scoring chances.”
It’s a big one for the Lions this weekend when they face the Warriors, who’re coached by Franco Smith and who pushed the Bulls all the way at Loftus Versfeld in the early game Saturday.
“Glasgow are a proud team, and we saw how they came back against the Bulls,” said Van Rooyen. “They showed why they are top of the log. It’s going to take a huge effort from us, but the win today (Saturday) gives us a chance, gives us hope.”
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