Strong start key for Lions in second URC derby against Sharks

The Lions know exactly how important a strong start will be if they are to follow up their stunning win over the Sharks at Ellis Park last Saturday, with a second win over the Durban-based side in the return derby at Kings Park on Saturday afternoon.

It was a fast start to the game on their home turf that set the Lions on their way to a fantastic 38-14 bonus point win, but things should be completely different this time round as the hosts will be desperate to bounce back and will be out for blood after their humbling on the Highveld.

In the past weekend’s match the Lions tore into a 14-0 lead within the first 15 minutes, before crucially adding tries just before and straight after halftime, giving them a 24-0 lead after 42 minutes.

Healthy lead

That gave them a healthy lead and allowed them to play with a lot of freedom in the second half, which saw them add two more tries, before they went to sleep in the final minutes that allowed the Sharks in twice to make the score look more respectable than it should have.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Lions assistant coach Ricardo Loubscher said that they wanted to produce a similar start, and that the first quarter of the game would be absolutely crucial, especially on the Sharks’ home ground in tricky conditions.

“The Sharks will be a different animal, and we have to prepare accordingly. It is all about the first 20 minutes. They are going to be extremely physical, and we have to be ready for that,” explained Loubscher.

“Kings Park can be a difficult place to play, especially at this time of the year when it is so hot and humid. You can’t let the Sharks get on top of you.”

Possible returns

Despite having a number of injuries, the Sharks were able to name a match 23 featuring nine current Springboks and an additional three former Boks, for the game on the Highveld, and it will be interesting to see if any more players make their return.

Bok superstar Eben Etzebeth and arguably the world’s best prop, Ox Nche, have both been on the sidelines for a while now and if they were to make their comeback it would add even more firepower to an already dangerous team, so the Lions will need to bring something new to the table.

“If you go through their team, they have experienced players, good coaches and game-breakers that can turn opportunities into points,” said Loubscher,

“So we need a new energy and a different mindset, while polishing the things that worked for us last week and fixing a few things we can do better.

“But we also need to be adaptable. The humidity makes the ball slippery, so while we pride ourselves on playing to our DNA, we have to take into account the conditions. Going back-to-back is tough, because you have to come up with new plans, and that is what we will do.”