Francke Horn says Lions will go “full blast” on tough Ireland tour vs Leinster & Munster, with URC playoff spot still not mathematically secured.
While the Johannesburg-based outfit are currently sitting pretty in third position on the URC table, the tight nature of the top eight battle, combined with two tough away fixtures in Ireland, mean they are still not mathematically assured of qualification.
There are just nine points separating first and eighth on the table, with each team still able to pick up a maximum of 10 points from their remaining fixtures, underlining just how tight the race for playoff places remains at this stage.
The Lions travel to face Leinster and Munster in back-to-back fixtures, with both matches expected to play a major role in shaping the final playoff picture.
Horn underlined both the opportunity and the pressure facing the squad heading into the trip.
“We will be going full blast for it in Ireland,” he told The Herald. “It’s a great challenge to be part of, and we want to see if we can play with the big dogs.”
The Lions captain added that nothing is guaranteed despite their strong position on the table.
“It’s going to be a massive two weeks for us in terms of where we want to end up on the log.
“Mathematically we still haven’t qualified. You will go mad if you try to figure out where you will end up. You can only control what you can control, and those are the two games that are left.
“However, I would be very disappointed if we don’t make it, especially with where we are at the moment. We have worked hard enough and we have played some really good rugby.”
Head coach Ivan van Rooyen echoed that sentiment, pointing to both the scale of the challenge and the importance of maintaining control over their own fate.
“It’s a tough tour – Leinster, then Munster – but as we’ve been saying, at least it’s still up to us,” the coach said.
“There is a sense of relief, yes, but we are not in the playoffs just yet,” van Rooyen cautioned.
