Lions are hard at work on their preparations ahead of their first Vodacom United Rugby Championship fixture later this month against the Sharks.

“There’s a buzz in the Lions camp after our victory against the Stormers in our final game of 2021,” says Ricardo Laubscher, the Lions’ backline and attack guru.

Reflecting on that trip down to Cape Town, Laubscher credits his side’s discipline on defence and the determination to score tries.

“We showed massive character in that game against a very good Stormers side. Our defence was outstanding and to score four times against a watertight defence speaks volumes our intent.”

“However, it’s vital for us to start from zero again and earn the right to put in good performances,” cautions Laubscher.

The former Stade Francais assistant coach is a big advocate of a collective effort which will ultimately reap results for an Lions side that has displayed passages of positive play in the URC.

“It’s essential for every individual in our setup to have a team first mindset,” explains the former Springbok fullback. He further goes on to stress the importance of astute preparation and alignment around the master plan designed by the coaching group.

“The fundamentals of the game will never change. The point of difference is how teams use certain aspects of their play to either score points or apply pressure.”

Laubscher views the URC as a competition that presents different challenges to teams but the way he sees it is simple: “Adapt, be flexible and stick to your DNA as a team,” he concluded.

The Lions host the Sharks at Ellis Park on 22 January in round 8 of the URC.