Following the Lions' 26-18 loss to Benetton in the EPCR Challenge Cup on Saturday, head coach Ivan van Rooyen expressed “a very big disappointment”, citing a dip in intensity, a high number of errors, and crucial lost set-pieces as key factors in their defeat.
Van Rooyen admitted the result was a major disappointment, especially at home, and that he was struggling for answers as his team has now lost five consecutive games to Benetton.
“It’s a very big disappointment, to be honest. We had to prepare well. We had to take a bit of momentum into the last three games of the year. It’s a frustration. And it’s not just me, it’s not just the players. We have to improve at home.”
“The goal will always be to be in a position to play the round of 16 and the quarter-final at home. The problem now is that you have two roads from here. It’s either win all three matches or two with five points. And then there are two points of difference.”
He noted that the team “looked much sharper” in their previous week's victory over the Bulls and that the “dip in intensity proved costly” against Benetton.
“We were disappointed with the energy. Some of it is execution, some of it is stopping momentum. We were a lot sharper last week. Benetton posed a different threat. Their first seven to eight defenders are probably the best in the competition in terms of stopping momentum.”
The coach highlighted “too many errors” and losing four or five lineouts in the attacking zone consecutively, which allowed Benetton to build pressure and momentum.
“We lost about four or five set-pieces in a row that just swung the momentum back to them,” Van Rooyen said. “We dominated periods, especially after half-time, but then we lost those set-pieces in the attacking zone, and then two penalties for them gave the easy exit, and pressure came back onto us.”
“With the yellow card to Kelly Mpeku and too many errors, we just seemed to be running out of petrol. At home, you need to put on a much better performance.”