Lions expecting bad news on Bok prop

REACTION: Lions head Ivan van Rooyen is expecting to lose one of his key players for a lengthy period.

Springbok prop Ruan Dreyer limped off the field early in the Lions' thrilling 31-31 draw against Dragons in a Round One Challenge Cup clash in Johannesburg on Saturday.

After the match, the Lions coach said the Springbok will need to go for scans and he is not expecting good news.

"We will have to scan first to see the extent," said Van Rooyen.

"Knowing Ruan, he is not the kind of guy who will come off ten minutes into the game if it's not a serious injury.

"We are not expecting a very positive scan.

"The knee is moving - sometimes if you pull a muscle it feels a lot worse than when you tear it off the bone for instance.

"Unfortunately, we will have to scan 48 hours from now, but him leaving that early shows that it is relatively serious."

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Discipline problem

Meanwhile, that performance from the Lions against the Welsh side was a real mixed mag.

The side was scrappy in the first half and they went into the break 17-24 down before momentum swung in their favour in the second half.

Van Rooyen said his team's discipline was a major issue.

"If you are going to give them eight or nine penalties in the first 40 minutes, then you can't put pressure on them tactically.

"If you allow a team in your own 22 seven or eight times in that [first] 40 it is going to be tough.

"There was some good character to get back in the second half.

"We are obviously disappointed with the result.

"We will take the three points for the new competition, but we are obviously disappointed."

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