Challenge now for Lions is to keep momentum going

Sometimes it takes a moment of adversity for a team to truly click and create something special. And in the six-try massacre in Galway on Saturday, the 14-man Emirates Lions team did exactly that.

Now the challenge for the Lions is to ensure that the heroics of Galway aren’t a one-off and that inconsistency and complacency don’t take over.

Their quest to make the top eight of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship was given a major boost with the massive 38-14 win, one that was achieved against the odds and playing with 14 men when they lost prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye to a red card in the 17th minute.

But the resolve and the determination that was shown by the Lions, combined with the unrelenting ability to not lie down and attack when needed showed just how good things can be for the Joburg franchise when they get it right.

Make no mistake, this could be a rubicon that has been crossed by Ivan van Rooyen’s side who have up to now played in fits and starts, performed admirably at times and disappointed at others just when they need to take the step up.

The Lions' grit and determination have never been in question, but the ability to do it week after week has been what has sometimes hampered them.

Considering no South African franchise had been able to win at the Sportsground in three years of URC rugby, add the loss of Ntlabakanye and a six-two try scoreline and the result is not only impressive but remarkable.

There is no doubt that the Lions exceeded expectations and showed just how well they could play when given the opportunity.

Now with the Ospreys that wait this week in Wales, they need to take another step forward to ensure it was not a fluke win.

The rewards - as Bulls coach Jake White likes to say - are there for the teams that perform in this month - and the Lions, who up to now have not been seen as title contenders, could easily transform that belief if they could go back to back on tour.

It isn’t expecting too much to live up to the standards they have created for themselves and the boost that the victory will give them, whatever the result of Ntlabakanye’s disciplinary hearing this week, should be massive.

The amount of confidence that the win would have instilled cannot be measured, and the biggest task for the coaching team will be to harness that energy to ensure that there isn’t a drop when they head into their next game.

The Lions - bar the Ackermann/De Bruin coaching years - have been the type of team that have impressed, only to let their supporters down a week or two later, and their search for consistency has been a tough one.

That is why this win, against the odds, was so impressive. It wasn’t lost on coach Ivan van Rooyen either.

“It is massive. We knew coming into this two-game URC tour we had to get as many points as possible. The log is so congested at the moment,” an elated Van Rooyen said after the game.

“A win like this also brings a bit of belief, so it will be important for us to enjoy this, reset and then head over to Wales. We have to focus on the next job and get on with it.”

While the red card was a setback, the fight that the Lions showed was something that would make any coach proud.

“To be honest we were trying to work out whether to take a forward off or a back off. With Connacht’s attacking style and their backline, we felt they would get too big of an advantage there,” he explained.

“So we made the decision to bring off a forward and unfortunately Emmanuel Tshituka was the guy to come off.

“But to see the fight, work rate and effort of the guys was great. We spoke about it in the week, how proud Connacht is as a team in terms of work rate and fight. So to see even in the 80th minute guys having a crack and go was awesome to see.

“I felt from the beginning we were in the game. We had some good momentum and one or two offloads sticking. So the message was for the guys to just keep on going.”

Now the biggest challenge will be to ensure that momentum isn’t stunted and the points continue to flow.

And if it does, the Lions can find themselves in a very different place on the log to where they were when the tour started.