The Lions are up against it at the moment and must now face Stade Francais in Paris. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
The Lions have the extremely difficult task of trying to break their poor recent losing streak against high flying Stade Francais when the two teams meet in the Challenge Cup competition at the Stade Jean-Bouin in Paris on Saturday afternoon.
The Lions have had a dismal end to 2022 and start to 2023 with heavy United Rugby Championship (URC) losses against the Sharks 37-10, the Stormers 40-8 and then this past weekend against Munster 33-3, which has seen them tumble down the URC table.
Now switching back to the Challenge Cup competition the Lions have to try and bounce back against an in-form Stade Francais side that has enjoyed three big wins in their last three French Top 14 games, thumping Racing 48-10, Pau 37-7 and beating Castres 26-7 over the past weekend.
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This sees them sitting comfortably in second place on the Top 14 log and in terrific form as they prepare to welcome the Lions.
The Lions did comfortably beat Stade Francais 30-12 in their home Challenge Cup clash in December, but the French outfit essentially sent a ‘B’ team for that match and should put out a much stronger side for their home encounter on Saturday.
Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen admitted the importance of his side trying to break their losing streak and getting a positive result in Paris this weekend.
“It is important for us to prepare well for the match. It is going to be a tough challenge, but hopefully the weather conditions are better so we can play a little bit more,” said Van Rooyen.
“I think it is important for us to pull together as a group and find solutions in preparation and on the field. We said collectively (after the Munster game) that we have to get back on the horse. We have to turn it around. We have to make it count.
“There is an opportunity for us in Paris. It is a four week tour and we have four very tough games to grow as a team and to get better. These are the types of challenges we need to make that step up.”
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It is not a make or break game in the competition for the Lions as having drawn their first game of the competition against the Dragons, picking up three points, and then taken a full house of five points from their game against Stade Francais, they could afford to lose this game.
However, they would then have to beat the Dragons in Newport the following weekend, and having failed to beat them on the Highveld in December that isn’t a foregone conclusion.
The Lions also desperately need to build up some momentum as all three of their recent defeats have been big ones and they have to try and get their season back on track.