Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen has stated that the Lions are excited for the challenge against a resurgent Bulls team in their United Rugby Championship (URC) clash on Saturday at Ellis Park at 14:30 (SA Time).
The Lions will take confidence from their previous URC match against the Bulls, where they triumphed 43-33 at Loftus Versfeld. However, the Bulls have an imposing record at Ellis Park in the URC, having won all four previous encounters there, outscoring the home side by a significant margin.
Van Rooyen said that his primary focus will be on his team's mental and physical recovery after a tough two-week tour in Europe, which yielded two draws. He emphasised the importance of embracing tough situations to reveal the team's character and toughness.
“It’s been a tough 24-hour trip back. We arrived at 1am on Sunday. There is a mental freshness and physical freshness that we want to drive Monday, Tuesday, and then get up for a really tough game against the Bulls this weekend,” said Van Rooyen.
“This is a big week for us. We are excited to play against a Bulls team that has found a bit of form again,” Van Rooyen said.
He confirmed that the Lions have "a few niggles" on the injury front but is hopeful they are not serious. Lions captain Francke Horn went off injured against the Ospreys, and his fitness is a concern for the match.
“It’s bumps and bruises, and obviously, the travel doesn’t help with that, but we are not foreseeing anything too hectic at this stage.”