Lions’ URC qualifying path full of obstacles

While the Bulls and the Stormers were the talk of the town last weekend the Lions quietly played themselves back into play-off contention with their stunning 40-10 win over the Sharks at Ellis Park.

Apart from arresting the slide that saw them crash to four consecutive defeats since the start of the year, the win over the Sharks and the manner in which it was achieved, would have imbued them with confidence.

The victory placed them back in the scrap for a top-eight finish and thus a place in the play-offs.

The Lions who are 11th are part of a midfield log jam with just five points separating them from fourth-placed Edinburgh.

Having finished 12th in the inaugural tournament and ninth last year, the Lions are hoping to qualify for the play-offs for the first time. They will however face a string of tough matches over the next month or so.

In their remaining seven matches, only Cardiff is placed lower on the points table.

When they return to action later this month they will be away to Connacht and Ospreys before returning home. Next month they face stern Irish opposition in Leinster and Munster at Ellis Park. Cardiff are due to play at the same venue before highflying Glasgow Warriors do the same. The Lions round off their league commitments away to the Stormers on June 1.

They cannot afford another slump like the one they suffered at the start of the year.

Given the log standings at the completion of the league stages in the previous two instalments of the competition the average number of points to get into the top eight is 49.

Glasgow Warriors registered 50 two years ago, while the Sharks held on to the last qualifying spot with 48 points last year.

The Lions have amassed just 29 points thus far which means they will have to win five of their remaining seven matches to get into the top eight.

Four wins might get them into the mix but they will also require a rich bonus harvest to get close to the 49-point mark.

The Lions are certainly capable of scoring tries. The log position belies their ability to breach defences. Only Leinster, the Bulls and Glasgow Warriors have scored more tries than the Lions.

They have conceded as many tries as the Stormers, while three other teams above them on the points table have conceded more.

Though they won handsomely against the Sharks it will be their game management in tight matches that will come under intense scrutiny before the league phase is concluded.

Before they resume URC hostilities on March 23 against Connacht, the Lions have friendly matches against SA U20 and the Pumas.