Missed chances prove costly for Lions in loss to Bulls

The Lions rued a number of missed chances in their disappointing 35-22 United Rugby Championship (URC) cross-Jukskei defeat against the Bulls at Ellis Park over the past weekend.

It was a vitally important game for the Lions, especially considering their lofty ambitions of finishing in the URC top four this season, but after a decent first half in which they led their Highveld rivals by a point, they fell apart in the second half to fall to a comfortable defeat.

It, however, could have been completely different if they had taken a couple of guilt edged chances just before halftime that would have left them in a much better position at the break.

First, with a couple of minutes remaining in the first 40, Lions captain Francke Horn was stopped just centimetres short of the line, with the Bulls desperately holding out and pushing the Lions back.

The hosts then had a final chance to edge further ahead with a kickable penalty on the halftime hooter, only for flyhalf Sam Francis to push his kick wide, leaving them with a tight 11-10 lead to take into the second half.

Big difference

“It’s (the difference) probably 10, 13 points (over the game after Francis missed a second half penalty as well). The difference is if you go in half-time 20-11. I think the difference on how they want to play is probably bigger than how we wanted to play,” explained Van Rooyen.

“I think in stages we allowed them to play their way, and if you’re going to give their big bodies momentum and quick ball, they’re tough to stop. At some stages we managed to play the way we wanted to play, and you could feel that we put them under stress.

“So, I think it’s almost more about getting them out of how they want to play instead of us changing that much if we got the 10 points (going into halftime).”

Errors

In all it was a number of frustrating errors over the game, especially in the second half when the Bulls experienced bench entered the frame and came in clutch as they put the Lions under huge pressure, that also cost them in the end.

“Obviously it’s a little disappointing. At one stage in the second half, we felt we managed to turn the momentum,” said Van Rooyen.

“We scored, we were ahead, but then frustrating errors from our side, (mistakes at) two kick-offs (receives). I think we stopped for a moment when we thought the ball was going to go out directly, and they tapped it in and that almost put us under pressure to try and play a little bit differently.

“We were good enough for some stages, but it’s not (an) 85 (minute performance) yet.”