Lions will ‘fight for Cash’

The Lions have heard the calls from fans for changes in the coaching setup, but Springbok scrumhalf Morne van den Berg says the team stands firmly behind head coach Ivan van Rooyen.

Despite the 42-31 loss to Benetton at Ellis Park, Van den Berg remains hopeful of the Lions reaching the playoffs. Currently 14th on the URC log with 31 points and three rounds to go. While still in contention mathematically, their path to the playoffs is a tough one, even with maximum points from their remaining fixtures.

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“Things aren’t going our way, and the noise filters through,” Van den Berg said on Tuesday. “We know what’s happening inside the camp. I know what kind of man Cash is. I’m willing to fight for him and every coach. The beautiful thing is that they are also willing to fight for us.

“There is always noise and right now it is loud, but on the inside we are tight, strong and willing to fight for each other. That is the most important thing.

“A few months ago we would have thought at this point we would be peaking. That isn’t the situation, we haven’t played well enough. It’s time to stop speaking and act on it.”

Adding to the challenge is uncertainty around captain Francke Horn, who left the field early against Benetton with a knee injury. Depending on the severity, Horn could be out for up to six months. The influential No 8 has been one of the Lions’ standout players this season and attended his first Springbok alignment camp in March.

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“All we know is he won’t be available this weekend,” said scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys. “It’s a big blow, but it’s also a chance for someone else to step up.

Next up, the Lions welcome Connacht to Ellis Park on Saturday. The Irish side, beaten 34-29 by the Stormers last week, will remember last season’s heavy 38-14 defeat to the Pride in Galway.

“We have spoken a lot about pressure over the past few weeks,” Redelinghuys added. “Pressure can numb you. It can make you retreat into yourself, or you can use it as a privilege.

“We are playing the game we love and working with people we care for. This sport isn’t played to be fun or nice, it’s played to be won and make the playoffs. We want to make that big step up collectively and we believe our best rugby is yet to be played.

“After the Stormers game it looks like Connacht are playing their best rugby. They were unfortunate with that final obstruction call. They have great structure, a good attack that will put our defence under pressure and a strong kicking game. We are expecting a lot of energy and effort.”

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