Ackermann keeps the faith
INJURY-FREE: LIONS SQUAD SET TO BE UNCHANGED
Struggling Crusaders could be ripe for the picking.
Such is Lions coach Johan Ackermann’s faith in his charges, that he always believed an upset could be on the cards against the Blues last weekend, despite playing away from home.
After three Super Rugby losses on SA soil, nobody really gave the Lions any chance of doing it overseas, but Ackermann said he also believed the Blues might be vulnerable, having also gone winless.
“I thought if we were ahead or still in with a chance at halftime, we could pull it off because the Blues would then start to get desperate, being under pressure for a win in front of their own people and start taking unnecessary chances,” he said.
It was also almost surreal that the Lions, with so little ball, kicked it away in the first half, while twice flyhalf Elton Jantjies and wing Ruan Combrinck couldn’t find touch from attacking penalty kicks.
“It was an evening game and can be Durban-like in conditions, so we had to have the balance right, I think we had done that for a big part of the Stormers game the previous week and needed to have the same balance against the Blues.
“Although they are dangerous with turnovers, you also can’t just kick as they have big backs who will counter-attack, so we just needed to make good decisions,” he said.
Ackermann announces his team today for the clash against the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday morning.
With no new injuries, Ackermann is set to to retain the same squad, although the powerful performances from the bench from the likes of scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, tighthead prop Ruan Dreyer and hooker Akker van der Merwe will give him much food for thought.
The Crusaders are 14th, having lost twice in three starts.