Lions boss calls for big response after Bulls defeat: ‘We’ve got to get back on the horse’

The Lions have developed a worrying habit of falling apart occasionally this year, with them conceding 50 points on three different occasions. The Lions have to become more consistent, and stamp out their penchant for falling apart, if they are to become a genuine regular top eight team in the United Rugby Championship (URC). Over the past weekend the Lions were hammered 57-15 by the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld, which is the third time they have shipped 50 points in the URC over the past year, while they have also scored 50 points twice themselves. Last season, earlier this year in January, the Bulls crushed the Lions 52-17 at Ellis Park, and then in the URC quarterfinals in May the Lions were blown away 59-10 by Leinster in Dublin. But in March and April the Lions showed their class by smashing Scottish sides Edinburgh 54-17, and Glasgow Warriors 54-12 at home. The difference, however, is that the Lions were crushed in all three games while playing close to their strongest team, while in their matches against Edinburgh and Glasgow they were up against weakened outfits without most of their internationals. Now the Lions have to get off the floor and dust themselves off from their disastrous performance against the Bulls and put in a much improved effort, or they could easily concede another half century of points with a tough first ever Champions Cup game against French giants La Rochelle. French sojourn The match is also being played in France, which adds to the difficulty, and Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen admitted after the Bulls loss that the players would have to pull together. “It’s our first game in the Champions Cup, so we’d like to start that strong. Then we’ve got Edinburgh and Glasgow (in Scotland in the URC), and it seems to be wet and cold already on that surface. We know it’s going to be quick and a bit of a different game,” said Van Rooyen. “We’ve got a big three weeks ahead of us. We need to respond well. It’s up to us to make a decision. We can really sulk about this (Bulls result), or we can collectively pull in. “There’s no decision to be made, it’s just to get collectively back on the horse, jump on the plane and go fight that battle. We lost this one today [the Bulls match]. Now it’s up to us to see what we can do in the next three.” Despite being disappointed with the performance, Lions captain Francke Horn fully believes his team will bounce back from the heavy loss and stand up and be counted over the rest of the campaign. “It would be a shame if this one result determines the whole of the next seven months. Knowing the team and knowing the guys that we have, it won’t happen,” said Horn. “We just need to be more focused, more clinical, and if things go a bit bad, just calm down and get cool heads and don’t try harder, if that makes sense.”