Battle-hardened Lions ready to roar in URC opener against Cardiff

As far as preparations go, the Lions are probably the one South African team who can hit the ground running when the United Rugby Championship kicks off this weekend.

The Johannesburg side start their campaign in Wales on Saturday when they take on Cardiff at Cardiff Arms Park (8.45pm kick-off). They should be battle-ready, having used the majority of their squad in the recently concluded Currie Cup.

The Lions made it all the way to the final before losing to Griquas in a nail-biting finish at Ellis Park. It was just the sort of preparation they needed to get minutes in the legs while playing in a competitive environment.

Unfortunately, those competitive matches were also a bit of a double-edged sword, as they suffered key injuries, especially in the front row where Morgan Naudé and Heiko Pohlmann came off the field in a match against Western Province.

“We obviously used a couple of games in the Currie Cup as our pre-season. So most of the squad has played, whether it was early Currie Cup or later Currie Cup,” Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen said this week.

“So, in terms of preparation we should be game-ready, definitely. Obviously, we also have a couple of challenges. We have unfortunately picked up a handful of serious injuries in the Currie Cup. That is a challenge for us, losing a couple of props and hookers.”

The Lions also lost a few key players, with wing Edwill van der Merwe moving to the Sharks and influential centre Marius Louw deciding to go abroad and join Sale Sharks in England. However, they also have plenty of new faces in the squad, which Van Rooyen hopes will bring some new energy into the group.

“There is excitement with some of our recruitment. Sebastian (Lombard) has grown a lot this pre-season, Chris (Smith) unfortunately got concussed over the weekend, but has already made a massive difference for us with his calmness and game management,” said Van Rooyen.

“Dylan Sjoblom has played a lot of Currie Cup, to get used to the system and how we play, and I am really happy with his progress. Unfortunately, Eduan Keyter picked up a niggle after his first outing, so he isn’t 100% ready yet.

“So in terms of new recruits it’s nice to get some fresh faces in the team room. I am really excited about all of them and the difference they can make for us.”

The Lions will announce their team for the Cardiff clash on Friday.