The head coach of the Lions team, Ivan van Riezen, hopes for a 'miracle' during the match against the All Blacks, which will take place at Ellis Park as part of the final round of the 'Great Rivalry' in cricket sports on Tuesday evening.
The All Blacks team has no losses in their tour of South Africa, having won against the Stormers, Sharks, Bulls, and Springboks in the first test match last Saturday.
In light of this, the Lions have formed an almost full squad of 23 players for the URC Day 2 match. Fullback Quan Horn was released by the Boks team, and prop Boan Venter is preparing to debut for his new franchise.
The team from Joburg also received extra preparation time compared to their local URC rivals, and Van Riezen believes this will definitely play in their favor in this major encounter.
He noted: 'It is such a wonderful event, such a privilege to participate in this game, that obviously we had to adapt a little, and we are happy to adapt.'
In his comment, he added that although they did not have many collisions, the team is very excited about the opportunity not just to play against the All Blacks, but also to test their systems and themselves individually.
Van Riezen admitted that he would be very nervous if the URC started next week, but for this event, they were ready to take the risk. He emphasized that participating in the game is a privilege, and the group is set optimistically, feeling that momentum is building compared to two seasons ago.
The team is gradually getting accustomed to responsibility, accountability, and experience, and new players are making a significant contribution. He concluded: 'If it is supposed to happen tomorrow night, then a miracle can happen, and it will be an incredible achievement on our part.'
Considering that many young Lions players have never faced opponents from New Zealand in Super Rugby before, the All Blacks will be a serious test due to their skills, speed, and execution.
Nevertheless, Van Riezen believes that the visitors will return to the tactical schemes they used against local franchises, rather than those they faced against the Boks last Saturday at Ellis Park.
He suggested that after analyzing the test match, they developed a certain strategy in the first three games, which they later significantly changed against the Boks. His intuition suggests that the game will be similar to what the Bulls, Sharks, and Stormers experienced. He noted that their play, including tempo and how they want to play, as well as their work in the tackle, is world-class.
Since the All Blacks team is very physical and experienced, the pressure for the Lions will be on physical fitness, pace, and decision-making, but he reiterated that this is a wonderful and exciting opportunity for the team.