Lions keen to avoid derby déjà vu against Stormers

Lions scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys needs no reminding of his team's below par performances in recent derby matches.

The Lions had only one derby win in six starts in the United Rugby Championship (URC) last season, and the trend continued when they lost to the Bulls at the start of this campaign.

Their last derby win was in Cape Town when they downed the Stormers last year.

“We have performed worse against SA teams than against foreign teams,” said Redelinghuys.

“That is what the stats are showing us. That is something we are aware of. We want to correct that and there is no better opportunity than to do it at Ellis Park. It is a chance for us to change that perception.”

To change the tide against the defending champions will take some doing, especially as the Stormers are trying to deliver a response after dropping log points in their last two tour matches.

While Saturday’s visitors will try to shake off the after effects of long haul travel this week, the Lions should be refreshed after their unscheduled break last weekend.

Their match against Glasgow Warriors was postponed due to gastroenteritis in the travelling team.

Upon their return from tour the Lions looked a little laboured in the first half in their narrow defeat to Ulster earlier in October. Lions No 8 Francke Horn doesn’t know whether the Stormers will also be afflicted by travel weariness, but he stressed the Lions can’t afford to drop their guard at the start.

“It is a crucial time just after kickoff and just after halftime. I think most games are won at the start and just after halftime. We’ll have a hard look at it and we know how to fix that.

“We were a little tired against Ulster but that is no excuse for not playing good rugby,” said Horn.

“We don’t know what the Stormers will bring.

“We will be as good as we can be in the first half then take it from there. We know we have the fitness and structure to take us to 80 minutes. For us a big focus is to start well and not play catch up again like we did against Ulster.”

The Stormers will likely be without their upfront Bok bruisers Frans Malherbe, Steven Kitshoff and company, which could level the playing field in the scrums.

It is an area in which the Lions have held their own this season, despite defections. Ruan Dreyer in particular has rolled back the years as he filled the considerable void left by Carlu Sadie.

“That is the thing about rugby, players moving,” Redelinghuys reminded.

“When someone moves someone else fills that gap. He’s got an incredible work rate and he’s a team man,” he said of Dreyer.

“He works extremely hard for the players next to him.

“It is great to see him playing some of the best rugby he’s played. I know he’s played for the Boks before but I believe he is in a good space now. When you are in a better space it allows individuals to rise.”