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2020 Super Rugby Unlocked
Round 6
Emirates Lions vs Phakisa Pumas
Emirates Airline Park
Johannesburg, South Africa
Saturday, 14 November 2020
Kick-off is at 16:30
The Emirates Lions will be eyeing a return to winning ways in the
2020 Super Rugby Unlocked season when they host the Phakisa Pumas in Johannesburg on Saturday.
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Defeat to the Vodacom Bulls (25-30) at Emirates Airline Park last weekend was the Lions' third loss in five matches, with their only win in the competition coming against the Tafel Lager Griquas at the end of October.
The result was a bitter pill to swallow for Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen but he was happy with the character on show, despite a few fundamental errors in crucial moments of the game.
"As bad as it is to lose and as much as it hurts, we’re proud of the players’ character and the fight they showed, it was so close yet so far. Despite everything, there are a couple of positives for us," Van Rooyen said in the aftermath.
"There were one or two moments when our decision-making wasn’t ideal, the positive is we can fix it, the negative is it might be recurring. The closer we can get to an 80-minute game, the results will go our way. At the moment, there are 10 to 15 minutes that we lose momentum and confidence and that’s costly.
"There were one of two system errors on our side, that were expensive. At lineout defence and at defensive scrums we went out of system slightly. As long as we learn from that we can get past it but if we’re not gonna learn from that then we need to get real honest and real harsh."
The Lions were dealt a further blow with news that utility back Gianni Lombard will be ruled out of action for the next nine months after he ruptured his right anterior cruciate ligament.
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The Pumas have also managed just the solitary win from their allotted fixtures this season and head into this weekend's round of matches on the back of a bye. That victory came away to the Griquas in round two.
Emirates Lions vs Phakisa Pumas head-to-head statistics (last 10 matches):
This will be the first Super Rugby meeting between the two teams.
Weekend Fixtures, round 6:
Friday 13 November
19:00 -
Tafel Lager Griquas vs Cell C Sharks
Saturday 14 November
16:30 -
Emirates Lions vs Phakisa Pumas
19:00 -
DHL Stormers vs Toyota Cheetahs
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