The Lions will again bank heavily on playing at home in familiar surroundings when they come up against Connacht in a massive United Rugby Championship round 16 match at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The Lions will be desperate to pick up as many log points as possible ahead of their two-match mini tour of Ireland from next week. They face Leinster and Munster away in their final two games before the top eight are confirmed.
As things stand, the Lions are fourth with 48 points. They are being pursued by Ulster (fifth, 47), Munster (sixth, 46), Cardiff (seventh, 46), the Bulls (eighth, 45) and Connacht (ninth, 44).
The Lions have never finished a regular URC season in the top eight to feature in the playoffs.
Five straight home wins
Having beaten Glasgow Warriors last weekend and picked up all the points on offer, Ivan van Rooyen and his men will be keen to do the same against Connacht before their away trip where picking up any points will be a bonus.
The Lions will be confident this weekend having picked up five straight wins at Ellis Park – against Glasgow (54-12), Dragons (42-26), Edinburgh (54-17), the Stormers (24-10) and the Sharks (34-22).
Their last defeat, and only loss at home at Ellis Park this season, was on 31 January, against the Bulls (52-17).
Record against visitors
Earlier in their campaign, the Lions also beat Ulster 49-31 and the Scarlets 29-18 on home soil.
Making Ellis Park something of a fortress was one of the goals of Van Rooyen and the Lions at the start of the season and it appears they have achieved that.
Another win against Connacht, who’re coming off a surprise and good win against the Stormers in Cape Town last weekend, would significantly boost the team ahead of their Ireland trip and hopes of making the knockouts rounds.
The Lions will also take confidence of a decent recent record against the Irishmen into this weekend’s match, having won against them 26-7 at Ellis Park last season as well as 38-14 in Galway the season before.
