Connacht coach hails Lions poacher

Connacht interim coach Cullie Tucker has identified four Lions dangermen ahead of Saturday’s Vodacom URC match at Ellis Park.

The Irish club were unlucky to lose 34-29 to the Stormers at Cape Town Stadium last weekend after a last-minute, potentially match-winning try was chalked off due to obstruction.

Still, Connacht came away with two bonus points and are just five points outside the playoffs with three rounds of the league stage remaining.

The Lions’ quarter-final hopes are hanging by a thread after a 42-31 defeat to Benetton at Ellis Park, but Tucker expects them to provide his side with an “incredibly tough test” on the Highveld.

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“They’re another very physical team,” he said. “As I’ve said, we’re in the land of physicality. [They have a] very strong set piece, good maul, strong scrum and very good breakdown threats as well – [flank] JC Pretorius is one of the top poachers in the league.

‘They’ve got some fantastic individual rugby players, like [Morne] van den Berg at nine and Quan Horn at 15. [Asenathi] Ntlabakanye at prop is a brilliant rugby player as well.

“They’ll stretch us, they’ll test us, and then we’ve got the altitude on top of that.”

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Tucker said Connacht had enjoyed their time in Cape Town and used the tour as a chance to bond as a team.

“When you’re on, you’re training and reviewing, but when you’re off, it’s important to spend time together, not talking about rugby.

“There’s a fantastic boardwalk [Sea Point Promenade] here and plenty of places for the boys to have their coffees. And there’s Saunders’ Rocks [Beach], which is a nice place to have a dip.

“So it’s been a great environment for us and a brilliant tour.”

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