Johannesburg - There are many noticeable similarities between the Emirates Lions and Irish outfit Connacht, whom the Joburgers host this weekend in the United Rugby Championship (URC).
Both sides find themselves dwelling just below the Top 8, having been frustrated after 15-odd games with a similar number of victories, defeats and point difference.
Both sides still have a mathematical chance of making the play-offs, but it is more likely that they will be cursed to mill around just outside the knockout spots by season’s end.
It has been a frustrating season for both sides, who have been victims of their own inconsistencies – Connacht defensive frailties exposing them to defeat, while the Lions have also been guilty of lapses of concentration earlier this year that ultimately saw their chances evaporate.
Motivating the respective squads will, therefore, be just as important as any training this past week.
“We talked about it the last few days, about bouncing back,” said the Lions’ Ricardo Loubscher earlier this week. “The important thing is that we want to win every single game, so it is not about the last few games, or going through the motions ...
“The energy has been good and everyone is excited to finish on a high the last few games at home … The first thing to take care of now is obviously Connacht.”
With home ground advantage and a fair autumn afternoon expected at Emirates Airline Park tomorrow (kick-off 4pm), the Lions can certainly exploit the weaknesses of their visitors. Connacht have made a whopping 2 079 tackles this season, but are only 10th in their success-rate.
Moving the contact point at speed, while relying on the workrate of their loosies, especially Vincent Tshituka, at the breakdown, could swing the encounter the way of the Lions. Moreover, the hosts will have to negate the errors that cost them in their loss to the Sharks, and be far more clinical in their execution in both attack and defence.
For Connacht, the objective has been revealed as completing a cleansweep in their two-match tour – first against the Lions and then a week later against the Sharks. They have a powerful 28-man squad to select from, even though the majority of the players within it received a thumping defeat this past weekend to Leinster in a European Champions Cup encounter.
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Nevertheless, it is a squad that includes international experience in Finlay Bealham, Paul Boyle, Leva Fifita and Dave Heffernan amongst the forwards; and Bundee Aki, Caolin Blade, captain Jack Carty, Mack Hansen and Tiernan O’Halloran in the backline.
Connacht have also not lost to SA opposition in their last eight matches, having last suffered defeat to the Cheetahs in 2018.
“Our message coming over here is, ‘let’s be the first team to have a clean sweep against the South African sides’,” said Connacht head coach Andy Friend on the team’s website yesterday.
“I know no-one has done it to date. We have had a good win against the Bulls and a good win against the Stormers. It’s going to be very tough because there have been 16 games played over here by the opposition and only one has been won.
“It’s a tall task,” the Australian continued, ”but we’re not coming over here just to fulfill two fixtures. We need to keep winning. It’s what we always intend to do, to keep ourselves in the hunt.
“We need to prove to ourselves that we are worthy of victory and the game style that we have got, can actually get us wins ..."
Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen names his matchday 23 for the clash today.
@FreemanZAR