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Marius Louw of the Lions powers through Ashton Hewitt and Max Clark of the Dragons during a Challenge Cup match at Ystrad Mynach, Wales, in 2023. Picture: GALLO IMAGES/GARETH EVERETT
Marius Louw of the Lions powers through Ashton Hewitt and Max Clark of the Dragons during a Challenge Cup match at Ystrad Mynach, Wales, in 2023. Picture: GALLO IMAGES/GARETH EVERETT

There is something morbidly groundhog day-ish about the Lions’ season.

There was initial excitement after three successive wins but they have won just one of their next six matches. They appear trapped in a cycle of underachievement and this is particularly apparent when they are away from home.

Those five matches lost were all away but a pattern not dissimilar to the one that has tracked them since SA rugby put down roots in Europe is again starting to emerge.

Line-out mentor Barend Pieterse was keen to remind that Saturday’s Challenge Cup clash against the Dragons will be one in which they can enjoy home comforts.

“This will be our fourth home game. Time to get some sun at Ellis Park. We owe ourselves and the people out there a much better performance than last weekend,” he said.

Last weekend the Lions suffered a 28-5 away defeat to Montpellier, and it stung. “We were disappointed. We went there with the mindset to get a win. We made errors we don’t normally make,” Pieterse said ruefully.

Inconsistency has dogged the side but that is partly due to a rotation policy in selection that aims to strengthen depth while keeping legs fresh. You need to think on your feet when you fight on two fronts in Europe.

The Lions are 12th on the United Rugby Championship points table and their record in the Challenge Cup has yielded similar results. They lost to the Ospreys, beat Pau but the defeat to pool-topping Montpellier nudged them uncomfortably close to the Challenge Cup’s exit.

“We made it difficult for ourselves to reach the playoffs,” Pieterse conceded. “We need to get five points and we have to start relying on other teams as well. We shot ourselves in the foot. We won’t be downcast about our plight.”

It is an all guns blazing mindset mirrored by loose forward Izan Esterhuizen.

“It can’t be anything else,” said the tyro. “We have to win and chase the bonus point. We have to focus on what we can control now.

“At home, chase them down, make them work and take the bonus point.”

The Dragons are familiar foes but that does not make the Lions’ task easier. Esterhuizen said the Lions had to grind away harder than their opponents.

“Each team is unique. That’s why we review them. The Dragons can be physical. We can also be a lot more physical.

“It will be one thing that we step up. Our tempo and accuracy have to go hand-in-hand with that.”

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