Lions won’t change their ways

The Lions will stay true to the methods that got them into the knockout phases of the Challenge Cup when they meet Racing 92 in a round of 16 match at Ellis Park on Saturday.

They will not yield to the pressure of knockout rugby by altering their playing style that has met more success than failure in recent weeks.

“You want to play to your strengths,” reaffirmed attack and backline coach Ricardo Loubscher. “I think the biggest mistake you can make is to move away from your strengths. We are going to stick to what worked for us the last few games. If it is ball-in-hand it comes down to decision making. If they put us under pressure with great defence then our kicking game comes into play,” said the former Bok backliner.

You’d think with backline players such as Gael Fickou, Finn Russell, Juan Imhoff and Warrick Gelant and rangy forwards like Cameron Woki and Wenceslas Lauret, Racing would not place such heavy accent on kicking. That’s of course if the Parisians opt to send their big guns on assignment as their focus will be to improve their seventh position in the Top 14.

“You can definitely see the French national team’s style of play filtering down to their clubs,” said Loubscher about Racing’s penchant for kicking for tactical gain.

“They are a dangerous side and we will expect the unexpected but also a massive kicking game. I almost want to say they are willing to run from their own 22. It is hard to prepare for that but we have to prepare for the running game and the kicking game.”

Loubscher stressed that the Lions should look inward instead of focusing too much on the opposition or the do-or-bust tightrope of knockout rugby.

Lions No 8 Francke Horn who has helped bring more thrust to the Lions loose trio since returning from injury shares the view the Lions should not be inhibited by the guillotine that comes with knockout rugby.

“I don't believe there is pressure on players. Obviously it is a knockout game. We are taking it like every game. The preparation is the same. We are just glad to be back at Ellis Park.”

He too holds the view the Lions need to hold precious what works for them. “We believe the scrum can be a weapon. You can launch attacks or relieve pressure. We are going to back our set piece to create pressure.

“Set piece dominance will get you in the right areas of the field. From there you have to take your opportunities which I think in the last few matches we took,” said Horn.