Johannesburg - With reports suggesting fractious relations within the union, and on-field results that have been mostly disheartening, it can be quite laborious to find any positives to grasp and hold onto.
But positives there are, however tenuous, even after the latest defeat at the hands of the Sharks this past week.
The Lions will face Glasgow Warriors on Saturday in a rescheduled United Rugby Championship clash at Ellis Park (4.15pm kick-off).
The match can afford the team – from top to bottom – an opportunity to try and put behind them a tough few weeks, and rise from adversity to show the world their true mettle.
It will be a test of character, one that will show whether the Lions can address their internal woes and return to expressing themselves in joy on the rugby field, as the second half against the Sharks was disastrous.
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The Warriors will be without at least 14 of their first-choice players, who are on duty with Scotland as they build towards a Six Nations clash against France on Sunday.
That includes individuals such as Jamie Bhatti, Fraser Brown, Jack Dempsey, Matt and Zander Fagerson, Richie Grey, George Turner, George Horne, Kyle Steyn and Sione Tuipulotu, who all turned out for the Scots in their record victory over Wales two weekends ago.
In spite of losing 29-7 to the Sharks last weekend, the Joburgers can take heart from the fact that they never submitted to the Durbanites.
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Sure, they seemed to lack belief by the end, but even when the game had reached its result in the final minutes of the match, they tried to engineer chances, albeit frantically.
Their composure, brought on by pressure and expectation, escaped them then, as did their soft skills, but they kept plugging away.
In this regard, Emmanuel Tshituka led from the front, as did Asenathi Ntlabakanye.
Captain Marius Louw also never gave up, and there was some niggle in the likes of Ruan Venter and Quan Horn. Jaco Kriel put his body on the line as well.
Set-piece wise, the line-out was a marked improvement, especially in the first half, before the panic set in during the later stages of the second stanza. The return of Ruben Schoeman in the second row certainly helped in that department.
Previously, the line-out was a lottery, with the Lions more often than not coming down without consistent possession on their side.
On Saturday, they lost only three of their throw-ins, mostly in the second half, and even disrupted the Sharks line-out, stealing four of their opponents’ restarts.
Scrum-wise, the Sharks made no errors for the Lions to exploit as not one scrum was awarded to the hosts – according to Ultimate Rugby. Nevertheless, and once again during the first half, the Lions scrum was solid and managed at least one tighthead against the visitors.
Moreover, the Lions did well to protect their possession at the breakdown, completing a 97% ruck success. The Lions’ discipline was also on point as they conceded only 10 penalties during the match, while they were defensively sound during the first 40 in stunting any attack from the Sharks.
For them to bounce back, they must build on these current strengths. The Lions have the talent and skills to do so, as has been noted on numerous occasions. It is now how they work towards it that will be most telling.
@FreemanZAR