Lions assistant coach Ricardo Loubscher.
Image: Patrick Bolger/Independent Media
The Lions have not shied away from the painful memory of their last meeting with the Glasgow Warriors – a bruising 42-0 defeat that exposed just how dangerous the Scottish side can be when allowed to dictate terms.
As they prepare for Saturday’s United Rugby Championship clash in Johannesburg (kick-off 4pm), that result has sharpened their focus on one clear objective: wrestle back control of the tempo. Assistant coach Ricardo Loubscher was candid in reflecting on that loss, pointing to Glasgow’s high-speed approach as the defining factor.
“In that first half they just played us off our feet,” he said. “It’s part of their DNA — they want to play with a lot of tempo, speed things up and go for quick rucks.”
That, in essence, is the battleground.
Glasgow, the URC log leaders, arrive still hurting from a narrow Investec Champions Cup defeat to Toulon. But Loubscher does not expect any deviation from their blueprint.
“They’re not going to go away from their DNA,” he said. “We expect them to come here and try to play with tempo again. So you’ve got to be there for 80-plus minutes, be in the moment and alert, because they want to speed up the game.”
For the Lions, avoiding another demolition starts with stopping that momentum before it builds.
“At halftime in that last game we spoke about stopping their momentum, and the second half was a lot better from us,” Loubscher noted. “So for us it’s really about momentum – stopping theirs, and making sure we get momentum on attack.”
Central to that plan is the breakdown, an area Loubscher identified as decisive after studying Glasgow’s recent outing against Toulon.
“If you don’t slow down their ball at the breakdown, you’re going to struggle,” he said. “They want quick ball on attack and to give you slow ball on defence. From our side, we need to flip that — get quick ball ourselves and slow theirs down.”
It’s an assessment shared by Lions prop SJ Kotze, who still bears the scars from that encounter.
“It is a type of rugby I had never experienced in my life, how fast they play,” he said. “Stopping momentum and making positive space is what is going to help us make their ball slow.
“We will force our game onto them. They are coming to Ellis Park and they need to adapt to us. They are a dangerous team, but they will have to adapt to the way we play.”
The contest at the ruck will place added emphasis on the Lions’ loose forward trio, with Siba Mahashe, Renzo du Plessis and JC Pretorius expected to play a key role in disrupting Glasgow’s rhythm.
“It’s an area where we feel we can get purchase,” Loubscher said. “We’re excited about what our loosies can bring there.”
Equally important is the Lions’ commitment to imposing their own game rather than becoming reactive.
“We need to force our strengths onto them and take their strengths away,” Loubscher said. “That’s the challenge.”
While the playoff race is tightening – the Lions sit fifth on 43 points, 12 behind the leaders with four matches left – Loubscher insists there is no room for distraction.
“The focus is on Glasgow and our processes,” he said. “Once you start thinking about needing a certain number of points, you lose sight of what’s in front of you.”
Kickoff at Ellis Park is at 4pm on Saturday.