The Lions secured a thrilling 43-33 win over the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, marking their first victory in Pretoria in recent years and ending a long-standing drought in this high-stakes Jukskei derby.
Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen credited the victory to a deliberate focus on elevating the team's competitive edge, describing it as a "breakthrough" moment that sets the tone for the URC's second half.
"The Lions' 43-33 win against the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus was the result of a month-long drive to reach a new competitive leve."
"I am really proud of the effort. We really worked hard over the last month to get to a level where we can compete."
"The last win in Pretoria was in 2023 with a very special performance from Sanele Nohamba, so I am really happy for the win and happy for the guys who have worked really hard."
He highlighted how the three-week buildup allowed the squad to refine their "identity," blending fresh talent with core leaders despite absences like Springboks Morne van den Berg and Asenathi Ntlabathi.
Van Rooyen praised the defensive grit, noting near-misses like a crucial first-half stand that prevented a Bulls score. Much of the Lions’ preparation focused on matching the Bulls in the contest up front.
"We had unbelievable sets on both defence and attack. That shows how hard we are working"
"If you’re not physically up against the Bulls or your set-piece is not functioning, they’ll probably tear you apart. A big focus point for us was physicality and set-piece."
"Our general defence and work rate were good, but conceding four first-phase tries isn’t good enough. That’s something we need to fix."
When questioned which of the URC or EPCR competitions the Lions will be prioritising, van Rooyen hinted that they are targeting both.
"I think you can prioritise two competitions, and obviously, it puts a bit of stress on our squad."
"The challenge is to go to Newcastle, where two weeks ago it was already frozen with snow. To what extent do you want to put travel stress on the players, and to what extent do you want to go from 25°C to -5°C?"
"To what extent do you want to expose players and then come back and play the Stormers away?"
"I think four out of our six games coming up are away from home, and that obviously brings stress as well, so it’s important for us to manage bodies and to manage loads."
"That’s why we had a big three weeks leading up to the Bulls game, because the next time we can tweak a little bit in terms of volume is only in February."
"I think we have shown in the past that we use the squad a little bit in the EPCR, and we do believe the squad is better prepared this year than last year."
"At home, we will want to keep momentum and build something special there and see if we can find a way to get wins in Newcastle and Perpignan."