The bad news for the Sharks is that the Lions are aiming to be “20% better” when the teams renew battle in Durban on Saturday in a United Rugby Championship fixture, according to fullback Tapiwa Mafura.
The Zimbawean-born Mafura last week came in from the cold to replace hot No 15 Quan Horn in the starting line-up and delivered a commanding performance in his team’s big win over the Durbanites at Ellis Park.
The question for the Lions is how they find a way to play better in the return fixture.
“We have focused on improving in the small areas,” Mafura answered.
“We are looking at the detail on how we execute each play. We want to up the accuracy by 20% in everything we do. We can’t expect the game to be the same as last week, so there is a big emphasis on being better.”
Keep pushing, keep grinding. The work never stops. 💪🦁#ForOurCity#LionsPride🦁 pic.twitter.com/qGQ6xX9QXn
— Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) March 6, 2025
Mafura had not played for some time before last week’s game – a mid-January EPCR Challenge Cup clash against the Dragons – and had the unenviable task of stepping into the boots of injured Horn, who has been superb on the attack.
“In the first 20 I felt a bit rusty and the weather wasn’t great but it is always easy playing with these guys,” the 28-year-old said. “They help so much with how they communicate. Everyone is on the same page and how we are gelling at the moment is amazing.
“It was amazing how we showed up,” Mafura continued. “We were hungrier than the Sharks and rightfully so. We needed to win to stay in the mix for the URC play-offs. It is the same for us this weekend. We must keep on earning log points. We can’t be complacent.”
Mafura was tested early on by the Sharks last week and while he was rock solid, he expects a further aerial bombardment at the Shark Tank.
“It will be the same, maybe more. They will try and isolate me,” he said. “They are big on bombs and pride themselves on putting you under pressure with contestable kicks. We know what is coming and have prepared for it.”