Can Lions be the comeback kings?
ACKERMANN’S SIDE HAVE TO BEAT SHARKS Semifinal spot would see them facing unbeaten Cheetahs.
The Golden Lions will literally have to come from behind in order to win this year’s Currie Cup competition, but they would dearly love to. After their resounding win over the EP Kings last weekend, the Lions are now in a position where they have to beat the Sharks at Ellis Park on Friday night or face elimination.
A win will give them fourth spot and they will then be faced with an away semifinal against the unbeaten Cheetahs who can’t be overtaken at the top.
“We really have our backs against the wall, but we really want to do well in the Currie Cup,” said coach Johan Ackermann.
“It would obviously be great to win it, but we don’t see it as a watered-down competition at all.”
The Lions coach said even though they were without several players, it provided a breeding ground for new players who could form part of their Super Rugby plans of next year.
“If you look at the Bulls with an RG Snyman and a Jason Jenkins and also if you look at the Sharks with a Jean Deysel and a Keegan Daniel, you still face Super Rugby players regularly,” said Ackermann.
“So the team who wins the competition would be fully deserving of the title.”
Meanwhile, the Lions could recall hooker Robbie Coetzee and tighthead Ruan Dreyer to their starting line-up today after Malcolm Marx and Julian Redelinghuys rejoined the Bok squad.
The Cheetahs are left as the only unbeaten side, but Ackermann felt they deserved to be where they are at this stage.
“The Cheetahs probably benefited from keeping the majority of their players after Super Rugby, but they have shown great continuity and have been playing great rugby and deserve to be where they are,” he said.