With the battle for the last four play-off spots in the United Rugby Championship (URC) intensifying, Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen still believes his side can make it out of the group stage.
The top four teams in the table (Glasgow Warriors, Leinster, Munster, Bulls) have all booked their places in the next phase of the competition. The remaining four spots, though, still have seven teams scurrying to make the final cut inside the top eight.
The Stormers at fifth on 50 points have a far easier task ahead, but the Lions in 10th spot on 44 points can’t afford any slip-ups. Even 11th-placed Ospreys on 40 points are not out of play-off contention just yet with two games remaining in the group phase.
Van Rooyen acknowledged the tough task lying ahead of his charges.
We don’t want to drop the ball
“Still alive! We know it’s probably going to be tough for us, looking at the other results as well. We don’t want to drop the ball and read too much into the other results,” Van Rooyen said.
“We knew that we needed probably 11 points out of the last three games, so yes, there is a lot of work and stuff to be fixed – but that’s five points, and we’re alive and breathing...
Eliminating small mistakes and polishing their play will be the order of the day for the Lions when they host the top-ranked Glasgow Warriors at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The Lions’ 34-13 win over Cardiff over the weekend revealed the areas that Van Rooyen has to focus on.
“It’s probably a little bit of accuracy from our side. It was us not really being that clinical first-up, allowing them to get a turnover or a penalty against us.
“I don’t think it (kicking for poles) necessarily gave Cardiff more self-confidence. If we had been more accurate at first or second phase, it might have been a totally different situation. Still happy with the five points, but we could definitely have been more clinical.”
Taking on the mighty Glasgow will be no simple challenge for the Lions.
“We create chances, but we need to be clinical in the first two or three phases to put real pressure on the opposition. We need to sharpen up our set-pieces as well,” Van Rooyen said.
“We saw what Glasgow could do against the Bulls – how they came back. Proud team, top of the URC log, so we know it’s going to take a really good effort from our side.”