Vorster and Mapoe have a big test ahead of them

JOHANNESBURG: Johan Ackermann’s Lions take on tricky opponents, the Jaguares, in a round nine Super Rugby match at Ellis Park this evening. It’s the Lions’ last game before they embark on a three-match tour of Australia so boarding the plane in good spirits tomorrow will be key. Here rugby writer JACQUES VAN DER WESTHUYZEN highlights the boxes Ackermann will want ticked tonight.

Keep it physical There’s only one way to take on the men from Argentina – match them for physicality. When the teams last met in Buenos Aires in March it was the home team who bossed the encounter; they played in the faces of the Lions players and roughed them up in the forwards. The Lions need to show the same grunt, led by locks Franco Mostert and Andries Ferreira, they employed against the Stormers last week if they’re to have a chance of bagging all the points on offer. Defend strongly One of the main reasons why Ackermann’s men got up to win at Newlands is because the Lions’ defence was better than that of the Stormers. In fact, the visitors’ tackling was superb all-round, and at home tonight they will have to stand tall again. The Jaguares love spreading the ball wide and playing an up-tempo game and Ackermann will be keen to see his men defend well. Harold Vorster and Lionel Mapoe have a big test ahead of them in the middle of the park. Finish off Let’s be honest, certain teams have an ability to drag others down to their level and the Jaguares are one of those teams, especially when things don’t go their way. They can get niggly and turn matches into messy affairs, but the Lions should not be drawn into a contest of this nature. Like against the niggling Stormers, they must focus on their game and finish off the opportunities they create, as they did at Newlands. Stay injury free The Lions are already without Howard Mnisi, Julian Redelinghuys, Jaco van der Walt, Dylan Smith, Ruan Combrinck and now also Rohan Janse van Rensburg – who’s out for 12 weeks with a knee injury – and coach Ackermann will be desperate to see his men come through the game injury free. There’s still plenty of rugby to be played and going on an away trip with a few rookies in the mix is not what any side would want. The props, Elton Jantjies and the centres are the men Ackermann will want to see finish the game in one piece. Bag all five points With six wins from seven games the Lions have got themselves into a good position as the competition gets closer to the halfway point. A win today to go with a bag full of points on their overseas trip – where they face the Force, Rebels and Brumbies – will set them up nicely for a final push for top spot overall. But they first have to get through today’s tricky encounter and to do so successfully they will hopefully have come down from the high of beating the Stormers.