Connacht know the scenario: Beat the Lions or season is bust

Connacht have no qualms about their task at Emirates Airline Park this weekend - win or you’re virtually out of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship.

The Irish side have had a strange season, losing their coach before the South African tour and then putting up an inspired performance to almost steal the match from the DHL Stormers in Cape Town last weekend.

But now, ahead of their final outing in SA this season against the Emirates Lions, they know a victory is needed.

Three rounds are left in the URC and the Irish side are in 12th spot, four points ahead of the Lions and five behind the elusive eighth spot. This weekend’s game couldn’t be more crucial for their hopes of the top eight.

The Lions are just as desperate, although their hopes rely on a string of results going their way. Crucially for them though, talk on the future of coach Ivan van Rooyen may just bond the side together temporarily for this weekend’s game.

But for the Irish team, they know they have to front up physically against the Lions if they are to steal a win in Johannesburg.

"We are in the land of physicality so we have to front up here," interim head coach Cullie Tucker said ahead of the clash at altitude.

"The nature of the URC this season is that there are a lot of teams of quality and they have been beating each other in the rounds. Before we flew out to South Africa, there were six points separating us and sixth place.

"So I think with this quality, there has been an advantage for those playing at home rather than the away team."

SETPIECE THREAT 

Tucker is wary of the Lions, and their setpiece, which is the biggest threat to Connacht’s hopes this weekend.

“They have a strong set piece, good maul, strong scrum and very good breakdown threats as well – JC Pretorius is one of the top poachers in the league.

‘They’ve got some fantastic individual rugby players, like Morne van den Berg at nine and Quan Horn at 15. Asenathi Ntlabakanye at prop is a brilliant rugby player as well. They’ll stretch us, they’ll test us, and then we’ve got the altitude on top of that.”

Yet, Connacht have shown that, if anything, they can come back from a big setback as they did in Cape Town and will be hoping they have the better of the early exchanges against a Lions team that is desperate.

Connacht will name their side for the clash on Friday.