No more excuses: Ellis Park run must power Lions’ URC playoff charge

Six consecutive home games, no European distractions and a squad at near full strength just in time for a decisive push.

If there was ever a season where the Lions and their supporters could look at the United Rugby Championship (URC) table and say, “This is ours to grab,” that time is now.

They find themselves staring at a genuine opportunity to reach the URC playoffs for the first time since joining the tournament. The road to the knockouts has opened up in front of them — and this year it runs straight through Ellis Park.

Six matches on the Highveld, in front of their home supporters, present the chance to build meaningful momentum.

There are six opportunities to prove that, as a group, they have grown beyond the flashes of promise shown in previous seasons — seasons in which they ultimately finished as nearly men in their pursuit of a playoff berth and Investec Champions Cup qualification.

Looking at the fixtures ahead, the timing could not be better to rectify those missed opportunities.

With no Challenge Cup commitments forcing rotation, the focus over the coming months should be solely on the URC. Their energy can be channelled into one clear objective: finishing in the top eight. Without the demands of European rugby, combinations can settle.

Selection headaches could become the welcome kind for head coach Ivan van Rooyen and his assistants, especially with injured players such as fetcher JC Pretorius filtering back into contention.

The road to a potential playoff place begins this weekend against the Sharks, and the Lions must embrace this opportunity to break into the top eight.

On paper, this is exactly the type of fixture that must be banked. The coastal side arrives without several frontline Springboks. Despite carrying winning momentum, they are vulnerable and there for the taking. Ellis Park, when the Lions are accurate and disciplined, remains a difficult venue for any side — particularly one missing key personnel.

Two points from this clash would see the Lions leapfrog both the Bulls and Ospreys. More importantly, a statement victory would inject belief — belief that they can build sustained momentum for the run-in.

However, should they stumble against a weakened Sharks outfit, uncomfortable questions will surface quickly.

Two other fixtures in this home stretch will not be straightforward. The Stormers and Glasgow Warriors both travel to Johannesburg, and neither will offer charity. Both are former champions and sit near the top of the log, hunting victories to secure home playoff advantage.

Yet even those matches are not unwinnable. If the Lions apply themselves properly to these home challenges, they can beat anyone at Ellis Park.

This is arguably the strongest position the Lions have been in when it comes to pushing for a top-eight finish. The table is congested, they have a match in hand over most of their rivals, and they have the platform to build valuable momentum starting this weekend.

But they must execute.

The equation is simple: their fate is in their own hands from this point, and they must seize the opportunity.