Lions’ Loftus upset fuels confidence ahead of EPCR Clash

The Lions were beaten 41–15 in Treviso in October, their second match on tour.

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Redelinghuys says the team has evolved since that outing and will need a far more varied attacking approach than the one used in last week’s derby win over the Bulls.

"They have a lot of test players and they are sending their strong side. They play a test rugby type of style. It's for us to have the patience - they don't force things and wait for opportunities and that is where we got caught the last time. So yah lots of lessons, having played them the last time, we have an advantage preparation wise. We look to get stuck into this EPCR," said Redelinghuys.

The Lions head into the Challenge Cup with renewed confidence after their surprise 43–33 victory over the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld, a match where their dominant scrum laid the platform for the upset in Pretoria.

Redelinghuys, a former Lions and Springbok prop, says the side produced a gutsy performance built on the hard work they put in during the four-week international break.

That derby win was the Lions’ third successive URC victory, following earlier successes over the Scarlets and Ulster, lifting them to seventh on the log and dropping the Bulls to eighth.

Redelinghuys says head coach Ivan van Rooyen has been clear about the team’s objectives in the EPCR Challenge Cup.

"You need to finish high in your pool, and that's our ambition. If you finish high, you progress to the quarterfinals. We have two away games and two home games. So the four games will decide where we end on the log, we need to show up and finish top of the log to give ourselves a great chance," added Redelinghuys.

With only four pool matches deciding Challenge Cup playoff qualification, Redelinghuys says every fixture carries knockout-level importance. 

"So all of them are massive, hey - because there are only four teams - so it is an eight game competition. If you don't perform well in one you will miss your chance, so these are important games for us," he expressed.