If the Lions are to bounce back from a disappointing run of results, then they must call upon their greatest ally to break out of the current siege they find themselves pinned into.
They can rely on their skills, their talent and abstract ideas of DNA that shape belief and confidence.
But arguably their most formidable weapon against Pau, in a second round EPCR Challenge Cup clash this afternoon (5.15pm kick-off), will be Ellis Park.
The heat in Johannesburg has been oppressive this past week, but it has been muggy, too.
Thunderstorms have threatened, creating an ethereal claustrophobia under darkening skies, only to roll away as a tease.
The French Top 14 club, currently 10th in the league and coming off a 32-19 victory over Newcastle Falcons, will not be familiar with these conditions, nor how to pace themselves in the sapping heat and altitude.
Welcome to Jozi 🦁 https://t.co/pIIn0Miy7x
— Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) December 12, 2024
Ellis Park looked the part earlier this week as the Lions ran their drills.
Both Asenathi Ntlabakanye and Erich Cronjé gesticulated at its presence during the media call, and one suspects the team are going to take full advantage of their surroundings.
It has been a disappointing three-match losing streak the Lions currently find themselves in.
The Joburgers have been unable to execute their game-plan to any positive effect in loses to Leinster (24-6), Munster (17-10) and most recently the Ospreys (30-14).
Much of that will have been due to the fact that they played with studs in foreign soil, and just couldn’t adapt.
But, truth be told, they have also been poor at times, unable to hold onto ascendency when in possession of it.
The Lions’ season demands an immediate return to winning ways. You could go so far as to say there will be a desperate attempt to do so.
That means one should expect a fast start from the Lions, and a willingness to attack from deep and on the counter. Pau’s style could well play into that approach.
“It’s nice to play against international players, especially the French,” said prop Ntlabankanye.
“They pride themselves on the set-piece and the physical stuff, but we are in Joburg. It’s a 5.15pm game, and I would have wished it to be a 2pm or 3pm in this weather – but we will take it.
“We are looking forward to the physical battle upfront. It is going to be a really nice one. We pride ourselves on that but a bit of running rugby as well.
“The last few weeks, we have taken a step backwards in our attacking rugby, but hopefully we can bring it back this weekend.
“We know in our DNA what we are capable of here,” the 25-year-old prop added.
“Coming to Ellis Park, guys know it is a difficult place to come and play. It is up to us to make it even more difficult.
“When you look at Edinburgh and Ulster, we made it very difficult for them to adjust. We need to start well and put pressure on them at home.”
It was a sentiment shared by centre Cronjé, who will hope his pack can bully Pau, so that his unit can play off fast, front-foot ball.
“Pau play wherever the space is,” he opined.
“They have good kicks and they get the ball into the edges. We will definitely try to exploit that. There will be a lot of opportunities to counter.”
Cronjé returned after the Ospreys defeat on Tuesday, but will once again be in the cauldron this weekend, due to Henco van Wyk’s injury, while Springbok fullback Quan Horn is also not ready to play yet.
He is hoping the team can learn from the errors that have crept into their play in recent weeks, and rectify them against Section Paloise, as Pau are also known as.
“We have to finish our plans off,” Cronjé explained.
“We are losing a little at the edges. When we get into the goal zone, into the 22, then we don’t leave there with points.
“It’s small stuff we must fix, like focusing on the catching, looking where the ball comes from and just identifying the space.
“If you look at the Ospreys game, there was so much space that we created, but we didn't use the opportunity to go score.
“We can use these conditions to spread the ball again,” he added. “If our forwards can beat them around the corner and get over the gain-line, then our backs can have a feast.”
Lions Team
15 Tapiwa Mafura 14 Rabz Maxwane 13 Erich Cronjé 12 Marius Louw (captain) 11 Edwill van der Merwe 10 Sam Francis 9 Morné van den Berg 8 Francke Horn 7 WJ Steenkamp 6 Jarod Cairns 5 Reinhard Nothnagel 4 Ruben Schoeman 3 Asenathi Ntlabakanye 2 PJ Botha 1 Juan Schoeman.
Bench: 16 Jaco Visagie 17 SJ Kotze 18 RF Schoeman 19 Ruan Delport 20 JC Pretorius 21 Nico Steyn 22 Kade Wolhuter 23 Manny Rass.