Latest news with #JulianRedelinghuys
The Citizen
17-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Lions hunting comeback win over ‘bogey' team Ospreys
The Lions have lost their last three games against Ospreys and are desperate to end their season on a high against the Welsh challengers. The Lions in action against Scarlets during their URC match at Ellis Park over the past weekend. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images Although disappointment from missing out on the United Rugby Championship (URC) playoffs for the fourth straight season will be fresh for the Lions, they will still have plenty of motivation when they close out their campaign against Ospreys at Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon (5:15pm). It is a dead rubber season ending game for both teams, with neither able to make the top eight to qualify for the URC knockouts, but the hosts will arguably be the hungrier team to close out with what would be a morale boosting win. Having struggled immensely down the back straight of the URC, including suffering damaging home defeats against Benetton a few weeks ago and Scarlets last weekend, the Lions will be eager to rectify that with a big win in front of their home fans. Ospreys have also been a bogey team of the Lions over the past couple of seasons, with them suffering three straight defeats against the Welsh side across the Challenge Cup and URC. Earlier this season in December a second string Lions team was comfortably beaten 30-14 by Ospreys in their Challenge Cup opener in Swansea. Last season they were stunned by Ospreys 38-28 in their Challenge Cup pool match in January, while they comfortably went down 36-21 to the hosts in their URC encounter in Wales. Back to winning ways The Lions will now want to arrest that slide of defeats and get back to winning ways against a team they should be confident of beating more often than not. 'It has been spoken about in the team this week. Osprey's have almost been like a bogey team for us, so it will be a bit of a consolation for us if we do well against them this weekend,' admitted Lions scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys at a press conference during the week. 'They are a good team. If you watched the game against the Sharks this past weekend, even though the scoreline doesn't reflect it, they are really tough at the breakdown. 'They are a good physical team and they have a good kicking game. That's where we felt we fell short against them previously. We have those past experiences and if we can correct them this weekend it will be a positive for us amongst all the negative.' Ospreys also edged the Lions in the fight for the top eight last season, with both teams ending on 50 points, but the Welsh side snuck into the playoffs due to having won a game more than the Johannesburg side who had to settle for ninth place, so a bit of revenge will be in order. 'They played their last game against Cardiff and we needed them to keep them out and not let them get five points. We got on the plane in Cape Town (after playing the Stormers) and landed (in Johannesburg) to hear we had been knocked out,' said Redelinghuys. 'We don't blame them for that, we only blame ourselves for not doing enough to make it through, and that is the same for us this season.'
The Citizen
15-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Lions want to finish URC campaign on a high: 'It's about honour and the badge'
The Lions want to end their URC campaign on a positive note against Welsh side Ospreys in their final game of the season on Saturday. Lions scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys says the team is eager to end a disappointing season on a high when they take on Ospreys at Ellis Park on Saturday. Picture: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images A disappointed Lions team will be giving it their all to finish their season on a high when they take on Ospreys in their final match of the United Rugby Championship (URC) season at Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon. The Lions were eliminated from the playoff hunt over the past weekend, before their poor home loss against Scarlets, and if they are beaten by another Welsh side in their final match, it could see them register their worst ever finish in the URC. Lions scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys said the team was dissatisfied with their season, and that they had not lived up to the expectations and goals they had set for themselves at the start of the campaign. 'We are under no illusions of what the expectations are for us as a team and we have to admit that we are very disappointed in how the season turned out,' said Redelinghuys. 'Especially after our (strong) start, we were four (wins) out of four, (including) two (wins) on tour and I just think inconsistency and not looking after the small things killed us. 'I still have no doubt of the potential of this group. I believe these players are machines. We just weren't consistent enough individually, collectively and as a team. Then we can't expect to be in the playoffs.' Lay platform Despite this being the first time since their inaugural URC campaign that the Lions head into the final pool match without a chance of making the playoffs, Redelinghuys believes the team are fired up to end their season on the best possible note and lay a platform for next season. 'It is very disappointing. We would have liked to sit here already qualified, we have the potential to do that, but because of our inconsistency we did not manage to do that,' explained Redelinghuys. 'Now we are sitting here without a chance, but saying that I have no doubt that the guys will want to finish off on a high note and play for honour and the badge this weekend. It could also give them a good platform to play off ahead of next season.' The Lions have also lost their last two games against Ospreys, 38-28 in the URC in Swansea last season, while they also were beaten 36-21 in last season's Challenge Cup competition at Ellis Park. So a win over them would be a particularly sweet way to end their campaign and also get some revenge on a side that has had their number in recent times.
IOL News
15-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Lions look for comeuppance against 'bogey' team Ospreys
Lions prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye has been included in the Springboks' second alignment camp later this month. Photo: Backpagepix Image: Backpagepix When the Lions look back at their 2024/25 season, they will note with exasperation a number of matches that torpedoed their United Rugby Championship (URC) campaign. Flying high at the start of the tournament with victories over Ulster, Edinburgh, Dragons and Zebre, there was a sense that something special was brewing at the Joburg-based outfit. Losses were expected, everyone agreed, but they would be quickly forgotten – the team now having enough experience and wherewithal to bounce back and mount a successful push for the Top 8. That charisma was certainly on display when they dispatched a Springbok-laden Sharks team at the beginning of March this year, winning 38–14; the match was proof positive of what this Lions team is capable of. It's unfortunate the URC saw so little of that version of the Lions. On the other side of the coin, damaging losses to Munster (17–10), the Bulls twice (35–22 and 31–19), Cardiff (20–17), Benetton (42–31) and Scarlets (32–19) will no doubt haunt the team when they reflect on their URC campaign. One could also include a December defeat to the Ospreys in the opening round of the EPCR Challenge Cup. The Lions were flat-footed and disjointed in that clash, with signs that their bubble had already burst after away defeats to Leinster and Munster on the preceding weekends. The latter was particularly disappointing – the Red Army were battling coaching upheaval and injuries, and were there for the taking, but the Lions failed to capitalise. They fielded a second-string side a week later against the Ospreys and, while they started with confidence, they were nonetheless outplayed 30–14. Although squad rotation was necessary and forgivable, the performance did little to instil confidence in the fringe players. Truth be told, the Welsh outfit have been something of a nemesis for the Lions in recent seasons. They were denied a Top 8 finish last season after the Ospreys narrowly beat Cardiff in the final round to snatch eighth place away from them. Both teams ended the regular season on 50 points, but the Ospreys had one more win. Moreover, the Lions have not beaten the Ospreys in their last three encounters, including a 38–28 loss at Ellis Park two seasons ago. Although the upcoming fixture is a low-stakes encounter, the Lions will be desperate to defeat the visitors for a measure of comeuppance, while also ending the season on a positive note as they look to the upcoming Currie Cup for redemption. 'The Ospreys have been like a bogey team for us,' Lions assistant coach Julian Redelinghuys admitted earlier this week. 'It will be a little bit of a consolation to do well this weekend. 'They are a good team,' he added. 'If you watched the game against the Sharks this past weekend – even though the scoreline doesn't reflect it – they are really tough at the breakdown. 'They are a physical team and they have a good kicking game. That's where we felt we fell short against them previously. We have those past experiences and will look to correct them this weekend.' The Lions will be further buoyed – and relieved – ahead of their final URC clash by the inclusion of several players in Rassie Erasmus' second Springbok alignment camp later this month. That list includes Renzo du Plessis, Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Quan Horn, Morne van den Berg and Edwill van der Merwe. Kick-off for the match against the Ospreys on Saturday is 5.15pm.
The Citizen
24-04-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Up to the players to lift themselves for final three games, says Lions coach
Scrum boss says coaching team are looking for a good response after last weekend's loss to Benetton. Despite suffering five defeats in a row and being on the brink of United Rugby Championship elimination, the coaching staff at the Lions won't need to do any motivating to get the players up for their remaining three matches. That will come down to the players themselves, says former Springbok prop and current Lions scrum coach Julian Redelinghuys. The Lions have suffered a late season slump and find themselves in 14th position on the URC points table. They only have a mathematical chance of making the top eight and featuring in the quarter-finals, with just three regular season games remaining. 'Internal motivation' The Joburg side's last defeat was at home last Saturday when they crashed to Italian side Benetton. This Saturday they're up against Irish team Connacht and then finish their season, at home, with matches against Scarlets and Ospreys. Redelinghuys said this week it would be up to the players to get themselves up for a strong finish to the competition. 'The big thing about a professional rugby player is that he is motivated by himself, it's internal motivation,' said Redelinghuys this week. 'As coaches it's not up to us to get players motivated; it is our job to get them prepped. Naturally for the team, after a not so good performance, there can be an influence on confidence and motivation … but we drive the fact that guys must be ready themselves. 'Of course, when a team loses there is always work to be done … but we've got a good bunch of guys here and they are motivated by themselves.' 'Best we can be' Redelinghuys added he and his coaching team were 'looking for a good response' this weekend. 'We all saw how Connacht played against the Stormers … they're playing better and better as the season is going on. It could have been a win for them (in Cape Town) and they're sure to be targeting us this game. 'They're a good attacking team, they've got good structure, good defence, a decent kicking game. They're also in the running for the playoffs … so we're looking to be the best we can be (on Saturday). Maybe our best rugby is in front of us.' Head coach Ivan van Rooyen is not expected to make too many changes to the team that played against Benetton last weekend, but one person who won't feature is captain Francke Horn, who left the field early last week with an undisclosed injury. 'I'm not sure of the extent of the injury,' said Redelinghuys, 'but Francke's not available for this weekend's match. It's an opportunity though for someone else now to come in and play.'
