The Lions may have left Limerick in southern Ireland bruised after their defeat to Munster, but coach Ivan van Rooyen believes his side’s historic qualification for the United Rugby Championship (URC) play-offs marks another important step in the franchise’s steady rise. The Johannesburg outfit secured a Top 8 finish for the first time in the URC-era, setting up a daunting quarter-final clash against Irish giants Leinster at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium on May 30.
Van Rooyen admitted to a mixture of pride and relief after navigating a long and demanding campaign to finally achieve one of the squad’s key objectives, after their 24-17 loss to Munster this past Saturday. “Obviously, it was a goal from the beginning,” he said, of finishing in the Top 8. “I think we’ve gradually been getting better. Such a long season with so many challenges and ups and downs. So, to come at the end of the normal season and to be in the top eight is obviously a proud moment for us. Hopefully, we can keep on building momentum and just keep on getting better.”
Overcoming Injury Concerns
The Lions now face an anxious wait over several injury concerns ahead of their return to Dublin. Powerful loose forward Ruan Venter appears unlikely to feature again this season after suffering what Van Rooyen described as a potentially serious knee injury, while prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye has also been a major loss. “Both of them are part of our momentum givers and momentum stoppers,” Van Rooyen explained. “They’re really special in that regard. So if you lose that kind of player, obviously he does leave a void.”
Preparing For Leinster
Despite the injury concerns, Van Rooyen believes there was significant value in facing two elite Irish sides immediately before the play-offs. “We are talking about quality opposition, tough conditions and quality teams,” Van Rooyen said. “That is definitely Leinster away, Munster away. Like I said, consistently just not good enough for us to capitalise on that, but there is also enough positives to really get excited about that opportunity.” The Lions will need to capitalize on these positives if they are to overcome Leinster, as seen on the Leinster Rugby Wikipedia page.
Here are some key facts about the upcoming match:
- The match will take place on May 30 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
- The Lions will be looking to overcome their injury concerns and put in a strong performance against Leinster.
- Van Rooyen believes that the experience of playing against Munster and Leinster will be beneficial for his team.
