Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen wants another strong shift from his players in the final pool match of the Challenge Cup on Saturday in Perpignan at 19:30 (SA Time). Van Rooyen said that a review of the Lyon match revealed plenty of room for improvement.
“Coming off the weekend win, in the review, we still felt we were sloppy at times, turning the ball over too much. To get a win that kept us alive in the competition was still a highlight.”
“There is a nice flavour to the tour, one week in the Challenge Cup, and one week in the URC, and we can make good ground in both competitions,” Van Rooyen said.
“We have an opportunity this weekend to stay in the EPCR competition. A result against Perpignan is a great opportunity. We don’t want to leave it to other teams and the points difference. We want to get into the round of 16.”
“We are preparing for a massive and physical Perpignan side that thrives on momentum.”
“It is not going to be easy. It is very cold in Europe. At least this week we are in the south of France, where it is a bit warmer, with a maximum of 10 degrees in Perpignan, but in Wales, the real feel is around minus two degrees.”
“This might influence how we play. In terms of the squad, it is nice to get some of the senior guys back. When we arrive in France on Friday, we will do some final checks on how they are feeling.”