Cash credits new leader for Lions revival

Lions head coach Ivan van Rooyen says a change in captaincy “made a big difference” as veteran hooker Jaco Visagie helped the Pride pull out of a five-match slump.

A Challenge Cup loss at Edinburgh punctuated four straight Vodacom URC defeats that had severely dented the Lions’ playoff aspirations, but at Ellis Park on Saturday they played with a more measured approach in a 26-7 win against Connacht, and Visagie played a key role.

“We had a good chat with Jaco, the senior guys and the team about being a bit more conservative, ‘just do your job well’, and it paid off,” said Van Rooyen. “We changed captaincy, which I felt made a big difference. The execution was a bit better.”

The Lions dominated most facets of play, securing tries through Renzo du Plessis, JC Pretorius and Edwill van der Merwe, with Kade Wolhuter adding points from the tee. The victory lifted them to 13th position on the URC table with 35 points.

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“The discipline to stick to what we planned, that is the thing that stands out,” added Van Rooyen. “We were really focused around that; it was almost just putting the puzzle together, everyone understanding what we want to do.”

Visagie, deputising for injured skipper Francke Horn, defended his decision-making when opting for penalty kicks rather than pursuing a fourth try that would have secured a bonus point.

“There have been some questions about why you went for poles; at the end of the day you have to win first,” he said. “We were more conservative; we said we are not going to play in our half. We managed that very well.”

Visagie also highlighted the team’s mental state after their losing run: “We make mistakes and we work harder but sometimes it feels like we’re in quicksand. We were more conservative to eliminate errors. 

“Your morale is down so that’s why the win was important also to show that we have what it takes to win matches.”

With two league fixtures remaining against Scarlets and Ospreys, the Lions can still mathematically reach 45 points, though their playoff hopes remain slim when the URC resumes next week.

Photo: Gallo Images