De Bruin set to take the reins at the Lions

THE appointment – and announcement yesterday – of Swys de Bruin as head coach of the Lions will give the players the stability they need going into the Super Rugby playoffs next week, said company CEO Rudolf Straeuli yesterday.

The well-travelled 57-year-old De Bruin will take over from the outgoing Johan Ackermann following the Lions exit from Super Rugby. While they still have a round-robin match to play against the Sharks in Durban this Saturday, last year’s runners-up are already guaranteed a place at home in the quarter-finals next weekend.

Ackermann will leave the Lions once their campaign ends, to take up a position with Gloucester in the English Premiership.

De Bruin, Ackermann’s right-hand man since 2013, has been named as head coach for the Currie Cup as well as next year’s Super Rugby competition. Several senior players have also confirmed they will still run out for the Lions in next year’s newlook 15-team Super Rugby competition.

“We believe it (the appointment of De Bruin) will bring continuity and stability within the different teams in the various competitions that we are taking part in,” said Straeuli yesterday.

“What we wanted to do now with this announcement was to let the players and everyone involved with the Lions know that everything is under control.”

De Bruin, who spent his younger years coaching at the Sharks and heading up their academy before coaching Griquas between 1999 and 2003, said he was thankful for the opportunity to continue working at the Lions.

“I look forward to the challenge, but for now the focus is totally on the Super Rugby campaign.”

Other current members of the senior management team, like defence coach JP Ferreira and conditioning boss Ivan van Rooyen, are expected to stay on under De Bruin, but Ackermann’s departure means the Lions will be looking for a new forwards coach post the Super Rugby campaign.

While the Lions are likely to first look internally for a man to replace Ackermann, it would come as no surprise if they were to consider the likes of Balie Swart – who has helped refine the Lions scrum in recent seasons – and even Russell Winter, a former Lions player and junior coach who is currently with Western Province.

The chosen man would have to fit into the unique culture the Lions have created under Ackermann and De Bruin and also bring something new and different to the coaching team.