Lions coach: Win is not definitive
ACKERMANN: MATCH AGAINST JAGUARES WILL BE HUGE
Team waits to hear news of Janse van Rensburg’s injury.
Despite their emphatic 29-16 win over the Stormers at Newlands at the weekend, Lions coach Johan Ackermann didn’t believe it was the defining point in their Super Rugby season.
The Lions, however, are sweating over a knee injury to centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg after he was sent for scans, with the result hopefully known by today after damage to his PCL and LCL in the right knee after lock Eben Etzebeth dived on him after play was stopped.
Fullback Andries Coetzee has been cleared of his concussion scare, but they could also be without flank Jaco Kriel who was cited for the elbow charge on Stormers flyhalf Robert du Preez, with the details of the hearing to be confirmed.
Flank Ruan Ackermann has also been withdrawn from training after injuring his shoulder.
“The bad thing is the Stormers are not in our pool, we still have tight competition from the Sharks and the Jaguares and we still have to play the Aussie sides,” said Ackermann.
“So it will boil down to us three knocking each other out and Friday against the Jaguares is going to be massive,” said Ackermann.
Ackermann acknowledged the fact that their first win as a franchise at Newlands is not something to be treated as just another victory.
“In my playing career I’ve experienced it, you don’t just come down to Newlands and expect to leave with a win, so the win makes it very special,” he said.
The Lions achievement in Cape Town prove they can add a variety in their game when they had to rely on a superb defensive effort to keep the Stormers at bay early in the second half.
“But it won’t define our season because if we don’t beat the Jaguares and do well on our away leg, the Sharks and the Jaguares will both overtake us,” said Ackermann.