Fresh from the festive break, the Emirates Lions are hard at work on their preparations ahead of their first Vodacom United Rugby Championship (VURC) fixture later this month against the Cell C Sharks.

“There’s a buzz in the Lions camp after our victory against the DHL Stormers in our final game of 2021,” says the Emirates Lions’ backline and attack guru.

Reflecting on that trip down to Cape Town, Laubscher credits his side’s discipline on defence and the determination to score tries.

“We showed massive character in that game against a very good Stormers side. Our defence was outstanding and to score four times against a watertight defence speaks volumes about our intent.”

“However, it’s vital for us to start from zero again and earn the right to put in good performances,” cautions Laubscher.

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The former Stade Français assistant coach is a big advocate of a collective effort which will ultimately reap results for an Emirates Lions side that has displayed passages of positive play in the VURC.

“It’s essential for every individual in our setup to have a team first mindset,” explains the former Springbok fullback. He further goes on to stress the importance of astute preparation and alignment around the master plan designed by the coaching group.

“The fundamentals of the game will never change. The point of difference is how teams use certain aspects of their play to either score points or apply pressure.”

Laubscher views the VURC as a competition that presents different challenges to teams but the way he sees it is simple:

“Adapt, be flexible and stick to your DNA as a team, ” he concluded.

The Emirates Lions host the Cell C Sharks on 22 January at Emirates Airline Park in Round 8 of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship.

???? Mark those calendars, cause 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣2️⃣ is going to be filled with @Vodacom #URC & Carling @TheCurrieCup action!#LionsPride pic.twitter.com/IIVcUCJnjx

— Emirates Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) December 29, 2021