We’ll match their fire, Lions vow as they aim to tame Bulls

The Lions' strongman, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, has declared that his forwards will fight fire with fire when they scrum down against the formidable Bulls in a United Rugby Champions showdown in Pretoria this Saturday.

Last week, the Bulls suffered a surprising defeat to the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld. Although they demonstrated their prowess in set scrums, ultimately, it was not enough to secure victory. Meanwhile, the Lions managed to break a four-game losing streak, triumphing over the Stormers at Ellis Park.

Ntlabakanye expressed confidence in the Lions pack ahead of the clash.

“We are very excited to face the best scrummaging pack in the competition,” the 25-year-old said. “We look forward to challenging ourselves against guys who have played at the highest level.”

He acknowledged the challenge posed by the Bulls' scrum, stating, “The Bulls scrum has set the standards and when you go up against them, you know it’s going to be a tough day. We are well aware of what is coming and are refining our set piece.”

However, the robust front-rower emphasised that the Lions do not intend to be on the defensive in the tight exchanges.

“We know it’s their strong point, but it’s also one of ours. We are proud of it and we have been very focused on that. As a unit, they operate well at the scrum.

“We have to nullify that, stick to our systems, and do what we are good at. Hopefully, we can more than match them.”

The Bulls were heavy favourites heading into their encounter against the Sharks, which ultimately resulted in a shocking loss. Ntlabakanye is wary of the expected backlash from the home side.

“We know what Loftus means to the Bulls,” he said.

“It’s their home ground and a tough place to play, regardless of their result against the Sharks. We don’t see them as vulnerable. The Bulls are on the back of a loss and we expect a reaction. They want to rectify matters by beating us.

“We have to be at our best. We must play our brand of rugby and strive to be better than last week.”

Furthermore, Ntlabakanye has once again been invited to the Springbok alignment camp on March 9, and he is thrilled to be among eight Lions representatives selected. “It’s a good thing to be recognised,” he noted.

“If we do well as a team, individuals will get rewarded with invitations to such camps. I’m looking forward to it. I went to my first one last year and learned plenty. I’m excited to go back and grow some more.”

While his ambition lies in representing the Springboks, Ntlabakanye maintains that his primary focus is on contributing to the Lions’ success.

“For me, it’s about doing well for the Lions first but my goal is to play for the Springboks. Hopefully, as a team, we can succeed and that will allow individuals to go and fly the country’s flag high.”

He added that the players motivate one another to strive for excellence and earn higher honours.

“We drive each other. Last year, there were three or four guys in the Bok set-up. That motivated us to do better as individuals and achieve what the invited players had achieved.

“To have more guys in the camp is great for the group, and next time we want to have more as we keep getting better as a team.”