The Lions are dealing with the heartbreak of the sudden death of teammate Hyron Andrews while on a three week tour.
Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen says the team will be looking to pull together while spending quality time on their URC tour to Scotland where they face Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors. Picture: Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile via Getty Images
It has been an incredibly emotional past few days for the Lions team, and instead of being able to get home to their families after the sudden tragic passing of Hyron Andrews, they have to continue touring for another two weeks.
The Lions are in Scotland where they will be playing their next two United Rugby Championship (URC) games, against Edinburgh on Friday night and against Glasgow Warriors next Friday, before they finally return to South Africa.
The November international break will then give the players a proper opportunity to grieve the unexpected passing of teammate Andrews who had joined them in the off season.
Speaking after the Lions’ Champions Cup defeat to La Rochelle, Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen said that they were hoping the next two weeks of tour would help the team pull together.
“We have two Friday night games against Scottish teams (Edinburgh and Glasgow) who are both in good form,” said Van Rooyen.
“We are looking forward to spending quality time together as a team away from home over the next two weeks.”
Glasgow are usually the team that the Lions would most be worried about as they have been consistent top-eight performers. They also beat the Bulls in Pretoria in the 2023/24 final, before being knocked out in the semis over the last two campaigns, and they are again expected to have a crack at the title this season.
In form Edinburgh
But the in-form team at the moment are Edinburgh, who had a dreadful campaign last season, losing 11 games against seven wins, to finish 12th on the log.
But they have started this season superbly and are currently top of the log on 14 points and are the only team to have won all three games so far, against Ulster and Zebre away, and the Stormers at home.
It is thus set to be an incredibly tough two weeks for the Lions, taking on the top two teams on the log, with Glasgow second after picking up two wins and a draw in their three matches so far.
The Lions will have to try and gain some inspiration from playing in honour of Andrews, as they did over the past weekend in their first ever Champions Cup game against La Rochelle, with them pushing the French giants all the way before they slipped to a 31-14 defeat after a late try.
“I am immensely proud of the character shown (against La Rochelle). The disallowed try in the 72nd minute (to replacement scrumhalf Nico Steyn) would have had us in striking distance at 24-21,” explained Van Rooyen.
“I felt we looked physically better than them at that stage. Unfortunately they didn’t award the try and that took the game away from us.”
