The Lions delivered a stunning second-half performance to hand Ulster their first defeat of the United Rugby Championship (URC) season, securing a thrilling 49-31 bonus-point victory at Ellis Park on Saturday....Click to Read More >>➤
The home side overturned a halftime deficit by outscoring the Irish visitors 35-12 after the break, crossing for seven tries in a display of attacking rugby. This impressive win allows the Lions to build on their home form as the URC now heads into an international break.
Ulster arrived in Johannesburg with a perfect record, including notable away wins against South African sides the Bulls and the Sharks. The Lions, conversely, were looking to rebound from a challenging three-match overseas tour and a narrow home victory over Scarlets the previous week.
Proud Coach
Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen expressed immense pride in his team’s effort and execution. He acknowledged the quality of the opposition, which made the five-point haul even more significant.
“We knew we had to lift our game because Ulster had beaten two good South African teams in the Bulls and Sharks, home and away,” Van Rooyen stated after the match. “They showed their class in those games, so for us to get five points, we are happy with that. But I’m more proud of the hard work we put in and how we did it. We can really build on this.”
Van Rooyen highlighted the team’s resilience, particularly in the challenging afternoon heat. “The guys really played hard and put in a lot of effort. The 2pm kick-off was as tough for us as it was for them. I think as the game progressed we got more efficient and our error rate went down. Our exits still put us under a bit of pressure, but we challenged the guys this week and they responded.”
Second Half Surge
Despite controlling much of the first half, the Lions found themselves trailing 19-14 at the interval. Van Rooyen pointed to fine margins that allowed Ulster to lead at the break.
“We were creating the right pictures in that first half. We had unbelievable sets on both defence and attack. If you look at the work that we did in that final defensive set before halftime, and it was inches in the corner, otherwise we could have prevented the try,” Van Rooyen explained.
The halftime team talk focused on technical adjustments rather than a major overhaul. The coach revealed that the belief was always there. “At half-time, we were quite technical in our talk. We were creating the right pictures, and we needed just one or two changes. We knew we could put them under pressure if we were a little more accurate.”
The victory provides a massive confidence boost for the Lions as they look ahead to their next URC fixture, a significant South African derby against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld at the end of November. The team will aim to carry this momentum forward and continue their climb up the URC standings after the international window. This performance solidifies their reputation as a formidable force at home in the URC. ...Click to Read More >>➤
