Arno Botha has urged his Lyon teammates not to become fixated on the Ellis Park altitude ahead of Saturday’s EPCR Challenge Cup clash against the Lions.
With Lyon set to face one of the toughest road assignments in the competition, the former Bulls and Springbok loose forward believes overthinking the conditions could do more harm than good.
“I had a bit of a chat with the guys,” Botha told Netwerk24. “I told them there’s no point waiting for the altitude to catch us out. It’s going to happen. At the end of the day, we have to stick to our plan, on attack and defence.”
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The former Loftus stalwart, who knows Ellis Park and Highveld conditions intimately, stressed that discipline and clarity will matter far more than oxygen levels once the game gets going.
“We must stick to that and not tamper with our strengths,” he said. “Of course, you look at what the Lions do and how their approach differs from other opponents.”
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Botha believes Lyon’s weekly grind in the Top 14 has prepared them well for the physical challenge that awaits in Johannesburg.
“We play against good teams every weekend in France,” he added. “The only difference now is the altitude above sea level and, of course, the heat.”
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