Sense of injustice will drive Lions in Dublin

If there is anything fuelling the Fidelity Securedrive Lions ahead of their massive Vodacom United Rugby Championship quarterfinal against defending champions Leinster in Dublin this coming weekend, it could be a sense of injustice.

Not only were they disappointed in losing their way during the final two games of the URC regular season, but they feel they have certainly not got the rub of the green in their games in Ireland.

Against Leinster, for instance, they had what looked like a legitimate try by Siba Mahashe chalked off on a technicality, and it is still not clear what the Lions did wrong? They still believe Erich Cronje’s turnover was legal and they should have been awarded the try.

And then to make matters worse, from the penalty against them, Leinster scored a try that still has not been confirmed. Leinster’s Tom Clarkson looked to have gone over short, but was awarded the try by referee Hollie Davidson despite the fact that replays showed no evidence of it being on or over the line. In fact, one replay looked like he had planted it on the arm of a Lions’ player and Clarkson’s own actions - to shovel the ball back to be recycled, could be termed an indication that he had not scored.

That 12-point turnaround was a massive blow for the Lions in a contest they were in, and they let themselves down a week later in Limerick in a feisty game against Munster.

The Lions were in the game until the end, but were particularly horrified by an allegation that one of their players had spat at a Munster player.

While the five minute search during the game yielded no results, the citing officer’s further search could find nothing either, and has left the Lions wondering if it was part of a sustained effort to disrupt them.

Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen sidestepped a question on whether the Lions were owed an apology by Munster, especially as there was no evidence at all against Mahashe following the allegation.

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“We are thankful, and we know it isn’t in his character.It's not us, it's not anyone in our team,” Van Rooyen said.

“I don't think we would do something like that on purpose. Luckily he's innocent. You can write whether he should get an apology or not.

“But we're thankful that it is what it is, and the outcome is what it is. I'll answer it like this, but I think it would have been a shame if he got anything, because he was innocent.”

The unhappiness about the incident may have died down as rugby moves on to the next game, but the Lions, without some of their big stars now due to injury, will need to dig deep if they are to upset Leinster.

The Irish team is expected to be tough this weekend following their mauling at the hands of Bordeaux in Saturday’s Champions’ Cup final, and the Lions will either be able to exploit that, or will face the backlash from that defeat.

Either way they know they need to be ready, and they have some fuel driving them in Ireland to upset the odds.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to them that not many people give them a chance this weekend, but that makes them all the more dangerous.

It's simply about whether their desire, and the grievance fuel will be enough to get them in with a shout.