The Lions will be going all-in against Edinburgh on Friday evening (9pm kickoff), looking to make it through to the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup.
After back-to-back losses on tour, the Johannesburg side are under massive pressure to find some winning form.
After the disappointment this past weekend in Glasgow, they will look to leave the Scottish capital with a victory and their trophy hopes still alive.
There is the prospect of possibly playing the Bulls in the quarters next weekend, but that is a thought they’ve banished from their minds, with the duel in Edinburgh their only focus.
Defence coach Jaque Fourie described the 42-0 loss to Glasgow in the United Rugby Championship (URC) as a “horrific loss”, but said the team are ready to make amends.
“We’ve looked at that Glasgow game, and we know we must just play ‘heads-up’ rugby, Edinburgh is also an excellent attacking side,” Fourie said on Tuesday.
Next assignment... EPCR Challenge Cup Round of 16 vs Edinburgh this Friday night.#ForOurCity#LionsPride🦁 pic.twitter.com/O1eRQAzCIb
— Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) April 1, 2025
“The conditions and the wind don’t look too bad for Friday night.
“Glasgow showed us how to play in those conditions. So, hopefully we can go out this weekend and have a good performance.
“A week is a long time in rugby. If we could’ve played today after last week’s performance, we would’ve made right what happened.
“We want to get back to winning ways. No player goes onto the field to play badly.
“We must just hit the reset button. Each coach and player want to do well, so it is a very important game on Friday.”
The Lions have a very good winning record over Edinburgh in the URC, and it’s something they can possibly take comfort in.
But, according to Fourie, it’s a different competition and knockout rugby, so they can’t rely on anything that happened in the past.
WE. ARE. BACK.
— EPCR Challenge Cup (@ChallengeCup_) March 31, 2025
Where will you be watching #ChallengeCupRugby from this weekend? 😍
Here's all you need to know ⬇️
They’ve been unable to play their running style of rugby, but the hope is that the conditions will allow them to express themselves on the field.
Springbok scrumhalf Morné van den Berg rejoined the team after recovering from an injury, and Fourie confirmed there were no casualties from the drubbing in Glasgow.
They will go full tilt at the Hive Stadium to stay in the tournament.
“We’ve learnt our lesson in this competition that you can’t take any side lightly,” Fourie said.
“Even a team like Zebre is very competitive, and you can’t underestimate them. It’s all about pushing the reset button.
“It will also be a different game for Edinburgh, and we need to be at our best on Friday night to beat them.
A cold night in Glasgow, but we bringing the heat. #GLAvLIO #ForOurCity@Vodacom #URC | #HitsDifferent#LionsPride🦁 pic.twitter.com/AZzEZ2jVeH
— Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) March 29, 2025
“We will focus on that. There is no easy team.
“We must get through our plays; we didn’t do that (against Glasgow) on Friday night.
“When we started doing that and got in behind the opposition, we looked like the team we want to be.
“It’s about getting over the advantage line and getting through the phases with our carries.
“And then to get the ball in the hands of guys like Krappie (Van den Berg) and Quan (Horn) so that they can do their magic.
“Defensivel,y we must just stop their momentum and stick to the system to turn the ball around.
“Scoring counter-attack tries is what we are good at. Getting back to stuff that makes the Lions the Lions, that is our main focus this week.”