Lions content with loss to Leinster second-stringers

The Emirates Lions were patting themselves on the back after running a second-string Leinster close this past weekend in Dublin, marking another situation where they seemed happy to be on the losing side in a Vodacom United Rugby Championship game.

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Similar to the way they reacted after the Bulls beat them with a bonus point at Loftus Versfeld a few weeks ago, coach Ivan van Rooyen sang the praises of Leinster’s second-stringers - the side had a dozen players on Six Nations duty - as the Lions came closer than expected.

The fact the team was happy with a losing performance, even though it was away from home, perhaps underlines the mentality that separates the Lions from the other South African teams at the moment.

Simply happy to be in the contest is not a long-term strategy for a team from South Africa’s biggest city, but it is something that is happening right now.

The praise heaped on the log leaders by Ivan van Rooyen after their defeat was perhaps understandable, but it exposes the lack of ambition and the reality that the Lions, while playing bravely, are happy at not being able to beat a second-string Leinster side.

Van Rooyen called the game “a massive learning curve” for the Lions, against a side that was playing more than a handful of Academy players and second-string back-ups. What they would have done against the first choice Leinster side is anyone’s guess.

And while the Sharks and Bulls have set their sights on emulating Leinster in the competition, the Lions once again are happy to “take the positives” from the contest and seem quite chuffed they weren’t on the receiving end of a hiding.

“We are very proud of our physicality at set-piece and we showed that in the match,” said Van Rooyen.

“We came here with a clear plan of how we wanted to play and put Leinster under pressure, and I think in a lot of patches in the game, we managed to do that.

“So I am proud of the character and proud of the way we fought for 80 minutes, but I think they still won the small moments which in the end counted against us.”

Captain Jaco Kriel put it in perspective, saying they were caught off guard by the speed of the lineouts - which begs the question of how much homework was done on the side before the game.

“If you look at Leinster, coming out of Super Rugby you could compare them to a Crusaders side that likes to speed it up. Those first lineouts, they caught us off guard and showed us how they want to play,” Kriel said.

“Afterwards I spoke to the vice-captain and I told him it’s a massive step up because we are used to the huddles before the lineouts and slowing it down going into the lineout in South Africa, and this is just a whole next level.

“But it’s good, the guys have to experience it and you have to adapt, you have to react quicker. So playing against a world-class team like Leinster was a massive learning curve for all of the guys.”

The Lions now return home and will concentrate on getting continuity at altitude against the overseas opposition. And while they have a spoilers role to play in the URC in the coming weeks, hopefully, there will be more ambition from the side going ahead.