Morne van den Berg says the Lions accept their loss in Glasgow was ‘unacceptable’, as Jaque Fourie stresses the need to improve for Friday’s must-win EPCR Challenge Cup clash.

Ivan van Rooyen’s Pride were thrashed 42-0 by the defending Vodacom URC champions last week, following a tour-opening defeat to Cardiff, and now face a round-of-16 knockout against Edinburgh at Hive Stadium.

“The loss to Glasgow felt personal for every guy in the squad, whether you played or not,” Van den Berg said in a teleconference from Scotland today. “We all have had to take a hard look at ourselves and reflect where you are mentally, what it means to play for the Lions, and what playing every game means to you.”

“We all accept that the result was unacceptable. It’s a mindset. We can’t go from a good team a few weeks ago, beating the Sharks, to now being a very, very bad team after the losses to Glasgow and Cardiff. We know we are better than that.

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“The reaction this week has been strong, and we are ready to put in the work.”

The Lions’ inconsistency has been a concern, with lapses in concentration costing them crucial moments in matches.

“We all have to take personal responsibility. [Skipper] Francke Horn spoke well about focus and how the best players in the world never lose it,” Van den Berg said.

“This season, we’ve switched off at the wrong times, conceding soft tries and letting momentum slip. We have to stay in the moment, be disciplined, and respond properly to what’s asked of us.”

The Springbok scrumhalf is back in the mix after a three-week injury lay-off, last featuring in his Man of the Match performance against the Sharks at the beginning of March.

“I was very disappointed to miss games, but you have to take the positives,” Van den Berg said. “I’ve had three good weeks to prepare, freshen up and work with the coaches. I feel great, and I’m confident heading into this match.”

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He praised Nico Steyn, who stepped in during his absence: “Nico is a brilliant player, and he did really well. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the results, but as a unit, we’ve identified what we need to fix.”

Fourie, meanwhile, knows the Lions must make a statement this week, and expects a response against an Edinburgh side that thrives on attacking rugby.

“We have to be better in all areas,” the defence coach said. “Edinburgh are dangerous with the ball in hand, so we need to play heads-up rugby.

“A week is a long time in rugby. We have a chance to reset and put things right in this knockout match. It’s a massive game for us, and we have to perform at our best.

“We’ve learned our lessons. In these competitions, there are no easy games,” Fourie added. “Look at Zebre’s performances this season — it shows how much teams have improved.

“We cannot underestimate anyone. We need to be at our best on Friday night.”

This article first appeared on SA Rugby magazine.

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