Mike Greenaway
The Lions started promisingly against the Ospreys at the weekend but ultimately the 30-14 defeat to the Ospreys in a deserted Swansea Stadium was a failure for a second-string Lions team that had so much to prove,
Coach Ivan van Rooyen expected more from rising stars who had been given their opportunities and the mountain of errors would have depressed him.
The Lions had been good against Munster in the United Rugby Championship in Limerick the week before, and faced with hosting French side Pau at home they sent a host of top players home to prepare for the game, while challenging the next tier of players to show what they could do, but the result was disappointing.
“That’s a big part of the disappointment of this performance. A lot of guys got opportunities, but didn’t take them,” Van Rooyen admitted.
“I told them before the game that it wasn’t to see if they were good enough (to play at this level). We know they are. But it was a chance for them to perform on this stage under pressure and they struggled.”
Van Rooyen said the main group was now under big pressure to beat Pau on Saturday. There are just four pool stage games in the Challenge Cup before the teams move into the knockout phase, and a second defeat could end the Lions challenge.
“This puts a big emphasis on our game at home against Pau. We only arrive (back in SA) on Tuesday, so we always knew we were going to have to use the full squad over these two games,” said Van Rooyen.
“Also coming from minus conditions to the heat of 35-36°C, you can’t expect the same group that flew to Europe to fly back and get the best performance out of those same 25 players.”
Against the Ospreys, the Lions burst out of the blocks but penalty misses from flyhalf Sam Francis cost them dearly. The Ospreys scored two quick tries after half-time to put the Lions in serious trouble.
“I think it was a combination of things that went wrong. Our decision-making under pressure is an area of growth that we have been talking about. Our execution of possessional skill also wasn’t good enough,” said Van Rooyen.
“The wind and conditions were tough. But if you don’t take your receiving kick-off that puts you under pressure. In the second half, I think we lost every single contestable kick they sent at us.
“So, that puts your decision-making under pressure. But to sum it up I think we made something like 30 errors, and you can never think you will win a game by making that many mistakes and it cost us.”
The Free State Cheetahs, meanwhile, host Cardiff on Saturday after drawing 20-20 against Perpignan.