The Lions expect freezing conditions, a 4G pitch and a “hungry” Ospreys side to pose a stern test in Swansea on Friday night.
The Lions are seventh on the Vodacom URC log but a win for the Ospreys would see them leapfrog Ivan van Rooyen’s side.
“Coming from Joburg, the weather has been quite a big difference. It’s definitely a bit colder,” said Lions prop SJ Kotze. “The 4G pitches are also a bit quicker, and that’s the main thing to adapt to.
“It’s rainy and cold, but we’re enjoying it,” he added. “The vibe is good in the group and training has been going well.”
Forwards coach Wessel Roux agreed the conditions will shape the contest, but not define it.
“The Ospreys understand the weather and are playing at home,” Roux said. “It’s colder, wet and windy. We haven’t played on the pitch before, so conditions are obviously more difficult and different. But they are a quality side.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty in Welsh rugby at the moment,” he added, referring to reports that the Ospreys are set to be the Welsh URC club cut by the Welsh Rugby Union. “I think everybody wants to fight and put their best foot forward. They’ll be an absolutely hungry side to make a statement.”
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Set-piece accuracy remains central to the Lions’ approach, particularly after the conditions-driven arm-wrestle in Perpignan.
“If you look at last week’s [EPCR Challenge Cup] game, you can see how important it is to be accurate,” Kotze said. “We had a set-piece driven mindset. The kicking game and the set-piece are all in the moment.”
That clarity, Roux believes, must carry into Swansea.
“If we get 22m entries and we can have a possible maul, to either score a try or get a penalty, the pack must be up for that,” he said. “The kickers get a feel for the wind, but our role is to make sure the pack is ready when those opportunities come.”
“We try not to look at permutations. It’s energy sapping. We had a big review of Perpignan and a big focus on the Ospreys. It’s an important game for us this week.”
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Photo: Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images
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