{"id":75406,"date":"2024-10-23T17:26:00","date_gmt":"2024-10-23T17:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/lions-have-reason-to-purr-but-talk-down-expectations-ahead-of-leinster-clash"},"modified":"2024-10-23T17:26:00","modified_gmt":"2024-10-23T17:26:00","slug":"lions-have-reason-to-purr-but-talk-down-expectations-ahead-of-leinster-clash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/south-africa\/all-news\/lions-have-reason-to-purr-but-talk-down-expectations-ahead-of-leinster-clash","title":{"rendered":"Lions have reason to purr but talk down expectations ahead of Leinster clash"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – South-Africa. <\/strong><\/span>Lions’ scrumhalf Morne van den Berg is rolling up his sleeves at the prospect of confronting Leinster on their home turf in a United Rugby Championship top of the table clash in Dublin on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Irrespective of the result the Lions are not close enough to shake Leinster from the top of the tree on Saturday but the occasion remains an unfamiliarly gravity-inducing one for the touring team.<\/p>\n

Van den Berg, however, is ready to test his mettle against the competition’s top team, though it is not clear yet whether the hosts will take a \u201cFull Monty\u201d mentality into their selection meeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cI would prefer playing against a full team,\u201d said Van den Berg about the degree of difficulty he wants to face on Saturday. \u201cAs a rugby player, you want to play against the best in the world,\u201d said the scrumhalf.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe feel we\u2019re in a good place at the moment and we really want to go against the best side.\u201d<\/p>\n

Four wins in as many starts have catapulted the Lions into unfamiliar territory and though they last year beat Leinster at Ellis Park and have held their own in Dublin before, there is no escaping that the sense of occasion has now been amplified.<\/p>\n

Back in 2022 the Lions lost 21-13 to a weakened Leinster at the RDS Stadium but this Saturday they’ll run out at the far more fit-for-an-occasion Aviva Stadium against opposition much more likely to assemble their most battle-hardened troops.<\/p>\n

Van den Berg is one of a handful of Lions’ survivors from that clash two years ago, though the assignment is a lot tougher this weekend.<\/p>\n

That it is the Lions who are closest to Leinster on the points table does add to the pre-match theatre, not that you’ll find Van den Berg engaging in pre-kick off hyperbole.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo think of a title is a bit premature, as it\u2019s only been four wins and we\u2019re still far from where we need to be,\u201d Van den Berg said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think there\u2019s anyone in the Lions camp sitting here saying we\u2019re the best team in the competition or we\u2019re going to win the title. We\u2019re taking it game by game, and this weekend\u2019s match is a great test to see where we\u2019re at.\u201d<\/p>\n

If Van den Berg sounds undaunted perhaps he has reason to be. He made his Test debut against Portugal this year and in his latest outing for the Boks he helped the team to an emphatic win in testing conditions in Perth.<\/p>\n

The wet conditions in Perth drew him from his comfort zone but he passed the test. His skill set and ability to remain calm are likely to face stern examination on Saturday. \u201cBeing at the Boks helped me with my composure and doing the right things at the right time.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy time with the Boks made me a better player. I\u2019ve learnt vital lessons on the rugby field. I want to show, at the Lions, that I am a better player though I don\u2019t think I am close to where my potential is,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About South-Africa<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – South-Africa. Lions’ scrumhalf Morne van den Berg is rolling up his sleeves at the prospect of confronting Leinster on their home turf in a United Rugby Championship top of the table clash in Dublin on Saturday. 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