‘New’ Lions on the hunt? You better believe it

quizzed about the goals for the season. “All we’ve looked to do is build on what the team did last year and the years before that.

“The right word to use is evolving ... we want to keep growing. We’ve started well this year and are on the right track, but we’re far from perfect. If we can keep improving and being a better team than the week before then we’re doing well. It’s a long season still ahead of us, and it’s going to be crucial to peak at the right time.”

One of the standout players in the three wins so far this year has been wing Sylvain Mahuza (pictured), a player who has found it difficult to stay in the starting team in recent seasons, mainly because of the exploits of Springboks Ruan Combrinck and Courtnall Skosan.

He, too,believes the Lions’ decision to stick to the same plans that worked for them when Johan Ackermann was in charge is the reason why they’re again playing attractive, winning rugby.

“I’ve been here at the Lions for four seasons now and nothing much has changed in the approach to the game. There are obviously a few slight adjustments that have been made because of the new coaches coming in ... Joey, Neil and Philip, who’re new in the system, but their approach is the same as what we were used to last year.

“And, coach Swys has been here all along ... and he’s always been the attack coach. We miss coach Ackies; he’s a different guy, an amazing human being, but coach Swys is also different and amazing in other ways.

“We’ve always wanted to play an attacking game and that hasn’t changed. We might have changed a few coaches, but we’re still the same Lions.” Indeed.

This weekend the Lions host the Blues from Auckland.