Ntlabakanye urges SA teams to use URC to conquer EPCR openers

SPRINGBOK prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye says it is crucial that the Lions back up their recent United Rugby Championship victories over Ulster and the Bulls, with a defeat of Benetton this weekend in the opening round of the EPCR Challenge Cup. Kickoff is at 3pm on Saturday.

- MIKE GREENAWAY

The big prop, who has a hearing in a week or so for a complicated positive test for a performance-enhancing medication he took for weight-loss, says last week's big win at Loftus Versfeld confirmed that the Joburg team have turned a corner.

"It was good to see the hard work pay off. To win at Loftus for the first time since 2023 was massive," he said. "But we can't be a one-performance team. We have to prove we can go back-to-back."

Ntlabakanye was called up to the recent Springbok tour as cover for injured Ox Nche, and he says he has brought back important knowledge to the Lions.

"Every time I come back from the Boks, I bring back things I have learned. We have to aspire to those (Springbok) standards."