The Lions will be in a confident mood going into their Challenge Cup quarter-final against Glasgow Warriors after beating Racing 92 last weekend. Picture: Gordon Arons/Gallo Images
The Lions will do well to remember what they did the last time they squared off with the Glasgow Warriors when they meet again on Saturday in the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup.
On 25 February at Ellis Park, in a United Rugby Championship match, the Lions beat the men from Scotland 35-24 to snap a five-game losing streak.
The Lions went on to win their next two URC games as well, against the Bulls (29-25) and Benetton (32-28), both away from home.
And then last weekend, when back on home soil at Ellis Park, the Lions made it four wins in a row in all Europe-based competitions when they knocked out Racing 92 in a last-16 Challenge Cup match with a stunning 51-28 victory.
The Lions will thus be a confident bunch going to Scotstoun for their quarter-final on Saturday, but Glasgow Warriors are on an even better run of results. They have lost only once (that Ellis Park defeat) in their last 14 matches.
Under former Springbok assistant coach Franco Smith, the Warriors have become a real force in the URC and Challenge Cup competitions this season.
Glasgow beat the Welsh Dragons 73-33 in their last-16 match last weekend, a result that hasn’t slipped the mind of Lions defence coach Jaque Fourie.
“Glasgow have been playing some great rugby and with Franco (Smith) there we know he’ll come with something different. He’s an interesting character and he’s always got a few tricks (up his sleeve),” said Fourie.
“It’s important that we stay within our structure though and play the same way as what’s been working for us the last few weeks.”
Fourie made it clear the Lions were thinking of a semi-final spot and weren’t going to Scotland to make up the numbers.
“This is knockout rugby … we’re not going to Glasgow to compete, we’re going there to win,” said Fourie.
“That’s our mindset. We’ve also got two URC games left (before the playoffs), and we want to finish the season on a high.”
The Lions will be without key loose forward Emmanual Tshituka, who’s copped a three-week ban for dangerous play, but it is expected that veteran Jaco Kriel will step in for this weekend’s match.
Kick-off on Saturday is 9pm.