‘It’s going to take time’ for Lions to click into gear

JOHANNESBURG: Don’t expect the Lions to play champagne rugby from the get-go, cautioned captain Warren Whiteley yesterday.

Last year’s finalists, who won over plenty of fans with their attack-minded and adventurous style of rugby, open their 2017 Super Rugby campaign with an away match against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein tomorrow.

But while fans of the Lions will want to see their team kick on from what they produced last season, Whiteley yesterday said his players would probably take a few weeks to again click into gear.

“It’s going to take time. There are so many variables in the first game of the new year,” he said, referring to new players, the opposition and weather conditions.

“But there’s definitely an exciting, nervous feeling in the squad. We’ll know more about where we are as a team after a week or two. But we’re all certainly hungry to play.”

Coach Johan Ackermann, too, said he wasn’t quite sure what to expect from his charges first-up. “There are familiar faces in the team, with a few new ones, but everyone needs to find form again … and that could take a while. Things won’t just happen again. Everyone’s going to have to try and get to their best form as quickly as possible,” he said.

“What happened last year is history. The fans and the media might expect certain things from us but we don’t have any expectations of ourselves. We’ll take it week by week and try and do what we’ve done over the last three years. The reality is you need to scrum well, do well in the line-outs and defend well. We want to do the basics well, starting from this weekend, and the rest will take care of itself.”

The only surprise in the Lions team is the selection of Lionel Mapoe on the right wing, in place of the injured Ruan Combrinck, who’s only due back from a shoulder injury in April. Last year’s regular centre will wear the No 14 on his back with Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Howard Mnisi in midfield.

“Lionel’s a quality player with lots of skill and he can play left and right wing, inside and outside centre,” explained Ackermann. “He’s a hard worker and your wings need to be hard workers … I think 14 is a good fit for him.”

Elsewhere, Ruan Ackermann will play blindside flank with Ruan Dreyer packing down at tighthead prop. On the bench, new recruit from Border, Johannes Jonker, and Sevens star Kwagga Smith will hope to make a big impact.

l The Cheetahs meanwhile will be lead by hooker Torsten van Jaarsveld, who’ll fulfil the duties in regular skipper Francois Venter’s absence. Fred Zeilinga will be at flyhalf and the loose-trio of Paul Schoeman, Oupa Mohoje and Uzair Cassiem will test themselves against the formidable Lions back-row.