The Lions travel to Tyneside this weekend with renewed optimism, seeking to overturn their disappointing EPCR Challenge Cup opener when they face a buoyant Newcastle Falcons side that stunned Lyon in France last weekend.
Head coach Ivan Rooyen’s men suffered a deflating 26-18 home defeat to Benetton at Ellis Park, a result that came just one week after their impressive United Rugby Championship victory over local rivals the Bulls.
Newcastle, meanwhile, announced their Challenge Cup intentions with a stirring 24-13 triumph over Lyon in France. The Red Bulls showed tremendous character to overturn a second-half deficit, with late tries from Tom Christie and Oli Spencer capping a famous away victory that has injected confidence into their European campaign.
Despite the setback against Benetton, Lions assistant coach Barend Pieterse remains bullish about his side’s prospects at Kingston Park. “We really have confidence going into this match. You can see by how the guys have trained that there is a little bit of fresh energy. We have hope and we are positive that it’s going to go the other way this weekend,” Pieterse said.
Rooyen has opted for a fairly fresh-faced side for Round 2, emphasizing squad depth while crucially exposing new players to European conditions and competition. WJ Steenkamp will lead the side as captain, with Siba Qoma returning alongside Renzo du Plessis to complete the backrow trio.
The backline sees Richard Kriel and Manny Rass combine in the centres, while the return of Rabz Maxwane adds pace and experience to the wings. Gianni Lombard occupies the crucial fullback position as the last line of defence.
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Loose forward Jarod Cairns provides valuable experience from the replacements bench and shares his coach’s optimism about the squad’s mindset. The energy surrounding the fresh faces getting opportunities has clearly lifted the entire group as they prepare for this crucial encounter.
The Falcons’ victory over Lyon demonstrated their ability to compete at European level. Trailing at the break, they showed resilience to weather second-half pressure before striking decisively through Christie and Spencer’s late tries. Brett Connon’s reliable kicking and the pack’s driving maul prowess will pose significant threats to the visiting Lions.
