EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - APRIL 04: Darcy Graham of Edinburgh Rugby and SJ Kotze of Emirates Lions during the EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16 match between Edinburgh Rugby and Emirates Lions at Hive Stadium - Edinburgh Rugby Stadium on April 04, 2025 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Euan Cherry/Getty Images)
The Lions are banking on better adaptability and improved accuracy to aid them in their quest to pick up an important away win in their United Rugby Championship (URC) clash against Ospreys at the Brewery Field in Bridgend, Wales on Friday night (kick-off 9:45pm).
Conditions in the UK and Europe are currently completely different to what is experienced in South Africa at this time, and in fact the extreme conditions are something that the SA teams only really experience when they tour overseas.
The Lions were given a good test of those credentials over the past weekend when in very cold, wet and windy conditions they battled to a credible draw in the Champions Cup against Perpignan in France.
But it was also a match they could consider an opportunity lost, after the Lions took a 20-10 lead going into the final 15 minutes, before falling into a stalemate, and Lions prop SJ Kotze says they knew where they went wrong and can improve.
“Coming from Joburg, the weather has been quite a big difference. It’s definitely a lot colder. The 4G pitches are also a bit quicker, and that’s the main thing to adapt to. It’s rainy and cold, but we’re enjoying it. The vibe is good in the group, and training has been going well,” said Kotze.
“If you look at last week’s game (against Perpignan), you can see how important it is to be accurate. We had a set-piece driven mindset. The kicking game and the set-piece are all in the moment.”
Challenge Cup disappointment
The draw against Perpignan disappointingly ended the Lions Challenge Cup campaign in the pool stage for the first time, and they will now be motivated to try and get over that disappointment by making the URC playoffs for the first time.
The Lions are currently seventh on the log, but are only just ahead of a large group of sides bunched up behind them, including Ospreys, who are in ninth place and can jump ahead of them with a win.
So it is a vitally important match for the Lions to get a win to try and cut the gap to the top six teams, while securing their place in the top eight, and build some momentum into a big Highveld derby against the Bulls back at Ellis Park next weekend.
“We are quite disappointed not making the (Challenge Cup) playoffs. But after the game we (the players) came together and said we are only in one competition now and it is all about the URC. So we are definitely working towards something,” explained Kotze.
“Obviously making the URC playoffs is the goal. But to get there we are going to take it game by game and weekend by weekend.
“Definitely a win (over Ospreys) will give us a good confidence boost. So we need to get the job done this weekend before going back home.”
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