Lions defence coach Jaque Fourie sagely noted in February that it requires “heart and attitude” to hold the line when an opposition attack needs to be snuffed out.
The tone in his voice was of a man somewhat exasperated. The Lions had just been on the receiving end of 34-10 drubbing from the Bulls at home and the forthright Fourie described his team's defence as terrible.
In the Lions' opening URC game of this campaign they again lost to the Bulls at Ellis Park, only this time they responded by maintaining the integrity of their defensive lines.
On their subsequent three-match tour that took in stops in Swansea, Cardiff and Edinburgh the Lions' defence proved robust and co-ordinated.
Head coach Ivan van Rooyen and some of the senior players have put their progress down to greater belief in their systems. Increasingly, there has been buy-in from their players, especially the more senior operators and the juniors have followed.
This was no more evident than in their defence.
Defence is, of course, one of those pursuits in which collective buy-in is non-negotiable. Fourie was a tough-as-teak, no-nonsense operator in the No 13 jersey and similar qualities are now in evidence in Henco van Wyk who wears the same number on his back. Van Wyk is by no means a lone ranger as the cavalry has provided a comforting collective.
They haven't just made crunching tackles, they've shown composure, an element that had not been part of the Lions' makeup since they surged to three consecutive Super Rugby finals between 2016 and 2018.
That team has of course all but disintegrated but slowly but surely the men under Van Rooyen's hand are responding to his coaching ways. In attack, too, they have lately developed a ruthless streak when opportunity beckons.
The thrust provided at halfback by Gianni Lombard and Sanele Nohamba, the strong hand and leg drives of centre Marius Louw, industry of No 8 Francke Horn and quiet, unassuming leadership of serial boxing-ticking lock Reinhard Nothnagel have all helped turn things around for the Lions.
They look resurgent, with their tails up. Whether their roar is fully restored will be revealed, perhaps as early as this weekend when they clash with Ulster, one of the URC's most formidable outfits.
Last season Ulster finished third on the log and were only denied at place in the final by a last-gasp try from Warrick Gelant and a nerveless touchline conversion from Manie Libbok.
The Lions will have altitude and no doubt an energised crowd as allies this weekend but they, like the visitors to Ellis Park, will have to overcome the effects of long-haul travel.
Should they beat Ulster, they will go into the clash with Glasgow Warriors in emboldened mood and their confidence will go into an even higher dimension should they win that ahead of the match against the Stormers at the end of the month.
As much as this weekend's clash will be a litmus test, the derby matchup against the defending champions will provide a more accurate indicator of the advances they've made this season.
The Lions have struggled in derby matches over the last while. Last year they beat the Stormers in Cape Town in the URC but that was their only derby win in six attempts.
They started this campaign with significant ground to make up against the other teams in the SA conference. The Lions finished 12th in the inaugural URC, not just well outside the top eight but some distance off the Stormers, Bulls and Sharks who were ensconced in the top five.
They now have momentum which is a commodity they dare not relinquish against Ulster.
