‘There’s work to be done,’ says Lions captain Horn ahead of Bulls showdown

Lions captain Francke Horn has acknowledged that there is still significant work to be done as the team looks to build on their promising start to the season, as they prepare to face the Bulls in the cross-Jukskei derby at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. The Lions have earned nine points from their opening two matches in the United Rugby Championship (URC), with victories over defending champions Leinster and Ospreys.

However, Horn noted that both of these wins were achieved after trailing at the half-time interval. He emphasized that the team's first-half performance will need significant improvement, particularly ahead of the upcoming match against the Bulls. "We need to sharpen up in the first half," Horn stated. "The forwards showed tremendous effort in the second half, with strong scrums, mauls, and good work from the players coming off the bench."

Horn also commended the defensive efforts, stating that they have been solid in the latter stages of the matches. Following the Bulls' game, the Lions will travel to France to take on La Rochelle in their first Champions Cup match, aiming to continue their winning streak.