The Lions are hoping that a fast start will help them upset an in-form Ulster in their URC clash at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Lions assistant coach Jaque Fourie says they will be looking to play high-flying Ulster off their feet, when the two teams collide in their United Rugby Championship (URC) match at Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 1:45pm).
Unbeaten Ulster head into the game in terrific form, having beaten the Sharks in Durban last weekend, while the Lions have also built some momentum and confidence from their first win of the season against Scarlets.
Last season the Lions comfortably beat Ulster at home, but this time play a very different prospect in an in-form team, and Fourie explained that a fast start and high tempo were key to their plans of upsetting the Irish side.
Fast start
“It’s the same as against Scarlets, we want to have a fast start. Before last weekend both teams travelled (from the UK and Italy), so there was going to be a bit of fatigue in the players,” said Fourie.
“But this being our second week (back home) we are all fresh and ready. So we want to play them off their feet, that’s our main goal. Looking at our games, we want to pick up the tempo and play fast. We want to speed up play, especially on our lineouts.
“Last year every time we wanted to do that at every stoppage there were four or five players lying around. We have spoken to Tappe (Henning, head of referees) about that and he has spoken to the refs about it.
“So in that respect we want to pick up the pace in the first 20 or 30 minutes. And then against the Irish sides you have to be physical. You can’t expect to just play this wide expansive game. So I think we have the right plan, we now have to execute it and play for 80 minutes.”
After three straight tour losses, the Lions finally got on the board with their bonus point win over Scarlets, and they will now be desperate to consolidate that with another win over Ulster, especially with the teams heading into the international break.
Confident headspace
Fourie admitted that the team was in a much more confident headspace after the Scarlets result and that they were going into the weekend’s match with plenty of confidence.
“It was tough coming in (to training) after three losses on tour. Even coming in after one loss is tough. Us as management we always have to have that positive mindset and to shift these guys up until Thursday to get them right for Saturday’s game,” explained Fourie.
“But it is a completely different feeling coming in after a Saturday win and seeing that you have got the result that you have been working hard for.
“It’s tough to see these guys putting in the hard work and not getting the result. So it’s a lekker feeling getting into the changeroom after a game knowing that the guys have got the W behind their backs and you could see that this week (in training).”
