The Lions emerged from their battle with now United Rugby Championship (URC) log leaders Leinster with heads held high in Dublin on Friday.

They slipped to their fifth straight defeat but kept the champion team in check and were 21-13 down when the final whistle arrived.

Coach Ivan van Rooyen said he was proud of his young team who stood up to the four-time European Champion Cup winners.

Spurred on by excellent scrumhalf Morne van den Berg the Lions showed great resolve in defence and went toe-to-toe with Leinster in the collisions. Apart from a wonky line-out they acquitted themselves well at set piece.

Going into break just 7-6 down the Lions conceded two tries early in the second half as the momentum shifted distinctly in the home team's favour. There would have been the expectation that the Lions would drop their bundle but they continued to contest feverishly while holding their defensive lines.

They had a 90% tackle completion rate while their discipline was again exemplary. “We conceded just eight penalties,” said Van Rooyen. “I think our average is nine per game and that is what we strive for. I think our attitude in defence was self evident,” said Van Rooyen.

Rising to the challenge

What pleased the coach most was the manner in which the young players in the group rose to the challenge. “We finished the game with a lot of young players. Seeing how they responded in a game played at that pace was encouraging for us.”

The coach lamented missed penalty opportunities at goal while Leinster's early try in the context of the match was to prove a significant sucker punch.

Perhaps equally deflating were the injuries suffered by prop Morgan Naude and centre Burger Odendaal. The extent of their injuries are not yet known but Van Rooyen believes Naude's injury is more severe.

On the whole though the coach was pleased with his team's performance and believes it is part of a general upward for SA teams in the URC. “This is a snap shot of what is possible,” said Van Rooyen.

Captain Jaco Kriel can also feel a shifting tide. “You could feel the enthusiasm and energy,” said Kriel. “It is never nice to lose and I felt we were in it. It was a massive learning curve for all of us.”

Kriel then noted the challenge is to build on Friday's performance but he had a caveat: “We must believe we are good enough.”