Following the 24-all draw against the Ospreys on 23 January 2026, Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen expressed pride in his team's toughness and resilience in difficult conditions, despite disappointment at not securing a win. He highlighted discipline and the high penalty count in the second half as key issues.
“We’ll take the three points. We wanted four, and we scored four tries, so it could have been five, so we are disappointed in that sense.”
Van Rooyen noted the extreme weather played a big role in the result but said he was "really proud of the effort" and "toughness" his team showed, which he felt "reveals who you are.”
“The on-field temperature was -5°C, and the wind was blowing 60km/h in that second half. However, we spoke about embracing the tough times and conditions.”
“In circumstances like that, you can actually reveal who you are and what you are. So really proud of the effort, proud of the toughness.”
He identified the second-half penalty count as the difference between getting three log points (for the draw and four tries) and a full five-point win, stating the Ospreys are adept at using penalties to their advantage.
“I think that the difference between three points and five points was the discipline in the second half. Too many penalties, which is the Ospreys’ strength, is to trap you and to catch you off guard,” van Rooyen said.