Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen expects the Vodacom Bulls’ Springboks to play a key role in Saturday’s Jukskei derby.
Having beaten the Bulls 43-33 at Loftus last November, the Lions are seeking a first Vodacom URC win against their Gauteng rivals at Ellis Park in five attempts.
The Lions drew both of their recent tour matches, against Perpignan in the Investec Champions Cup and the Ospreys in the Vodacom URC, while the Bulls claimed narrow away wins against Pau and Edinburgh to regain confidence after a seven-match losing streak.
The Lions are seventh on the URC log, with the Bulls just four points behind in ninth.
“Obviously, they’ll be hurting from the result at Loftus,” Van Rooyen said. “But they’ve got some superstars returning in Kurt-Lee Arendse, Canan Moodie and Marcell Coetzee, and mentally they’ll be a very different team after the two results they got overseas. We’ll have to rise to that emotional level and physical level.”
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Recent Jukskei derby history underlines the Bulls’ Boks’ ability to deliver.
“Last year, we were in front, then Canan and Willie [le Roux] came on,” he said. “Canan took the game away from us in the air, and Willie had two X-factor moments, and they scored two tries. The big-moment players tend to come through for them in tough moments.”
Van Rooyen also reflected on the Lions tour and last weekend’s 24-24 draw with the Ospreys in particular.
“It was extremely tough conditions on tour, it was cold, wet and windy,” he said. “I won’t say I’m content with the draw [in Bridgend], but I think we showed some good fight and good endeavour to get the draw. The question is how do we convert that [into a win]?”
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Van Rooyen bemoaned missed moments late in both tour matches.
“Probably a drop goal in the 79th minute against Perpignan. The call was on, the ball was there, it just didn’t happen,” he said. “Against the Ospreys, our discipline in the last 10 or 15 minutes allowed them to stay in our half. We couldn’t get the ball, we couldn’t really apply pressure.”
Photo: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images
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