Discipline tops Lions’ to-do list after breaking winless run

The Lions claimed a 29–18 bonus-point victory over Welsh outfit Scarlets at Ellis Park, their first win of the season after three straight away defeats.

Two late tries from replacement hooker Morné Brandon sealed the result, but Van Rooyen admitted his team’s attacking breakdown and penalty count still need attention.

"It's probably one or two individual decisions and again I think it's normally based on pressure, it's normally based on momentum. So, there was a couple, also we thought we failed, we were in there before the breakdown was formed,” van Rooyen said.

“We pride ourselves in discipline and the amount of penalties we wanna concede and the pictures we want to show to the ref, so we've got a clean up needed there."

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The Lions led 5–3 at half-time, but a yellow card to lock Darrien Landsberg and a penalty try awarded to the Scarlets midway through the second half left the game delicately poised at 16–13.

Van Rooyen, affectionately known as “Cash”, says the team showed good attacking intent and managed to build momentum against the Scarlets’ aggressive rush defence, but must be more clinical in the opposition 22.

"At stages we managed to build some nice momentum against an aggressive side. I think probably attacking let us down a little bit to really capitalize on pictures we created, happy with the five points,” he added.

“Still a bit to fix, I think our game management at times is really and again then attacking breakdown, just turn the momentum and give them position and territory back. I think the big thing for me was attacking right down, I think that could have unlocked quite a bit more space and opportunity."