Whipping boys of local derbies Lions out to break hoodoo at the Sharks

The Lions' best chance to break their hoodoo against South African franchises will be on Saturday when they host the Sharks at Ellis Park (3pm) for a United Rugby Championship (URC) encounter. 

The Johannesburg-based side last won a match against an SA side in the URC in December 2021 against the Stormers. Since then, they have been the whipping boys of the local derbies. The Lions have been on the receiving end of some heavy results and often go into hiding when playing rivals. 

Reasons such as the Lions having a rebuild, having young players and a mental block have been raised in an attempt to comprehend why the team is bad against the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers. Lions mentor Ivan van Rooyen brought up another view during a virtual press conference ahead of the match against the Sharks, saying they lack Springboks. 

“With the local teams, you play against five to 12 Springboks currently and we don’t have current Springboks yet, I do think they make a bit of a difference,” said Van Rooyen.

“The Irish teams and SA teams are the most completed in terms of that they can damage you on the attack, defence, their kicking game and set-piece. It shows against the SA teams that we are not 100% yet in those areas; we are starting to get there.

“It is important for us on the attack to make momentum and then in defence, we have to stop that momentum as soon as possible,” he said. 

The Sharks' Boks contingent of Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Jaden Hendrikse, Makazole Mapimpi, Lukhanyo Am, Retshegofaditswe Nche and Thomas du Toit will be rested for the weekend match.

This should serve as encouragement for the Lions as the Sharks often fall short without their regular internationals. In the last two matches the Durban side played without most of their key players, they won 22-19 away at Edinburg and then lost 46-19 to the Stormers at home. 

Van Rooyen, who is affectionately known as “Cash”, said they have to be on top of the Sharks if they show any fragilities without their Springboks. “Having guys like Siya, Eben, Lukhanyo and all of them available will lift any team,” he said. 

“Also having said that, it’s an opportunity for us to go head-to-head against a team which is slight of confidence, it’s important for us to capitalise and if they are not then we have to find a way to squeeze them and try to force our game plan on them,” Van Rooyen told the media.