Set-pieces hold the key

CRUSADERS WILL TEST LIONS UP FRONT IN SUPER RUGBY FINAL

Playing at home and at altitude are big advantages for Joburg’s Pride on Saturday, says former coach.

Field position will be the decider in the Super Rugby final between the Lions and the Crusaders at Ellis Park on Saturday, and that will be decided by the set-pieces, according to former Lions coach John Mitchell.

For all their dazzling attacking play, the Lions’ success has been set up by their magnificent tightfive and their set-piece prowess, but that will be put to the test by a Crusaders pack that is laden with All Blacks.

“Both teams have big positives, neither side goes in with any huge superiority, but I think that it will come down to who can maintain greater field position. As good as both teams’ attack and defence are, it’s going to come down to their discipline in the set-pieces – the team that can force scrum sanctions against the opposition or win penalties with their lineout drive, will be able to command field position, which will allow them to build pressure, which leads to penalties and tries,” the former All Black captain and coach told The Citizen. “Whoever wins that battle will win the game, which is why the forward contest is going to be so intriguing and it’s also going to be a big challenge for the refereeing group. In the semifinal, we saw that the Lions managed to get back into the game with one piece of field position, and if they can stay in the arm-wrestle, then my money’s on them,” Mitchell (left), the recently appointed director of rugby at the Bulls, said. Even though the Crusaders will have much better set-pieces than the Hurricanes, who the Lions saw off in last weekend’s semifinals, Mitchell said playing at home and at altitude are big advantages for the South Africans.

“The Crusaders have different strengths to the Hurricanes. Their scrums will be better with both their starting front row and the one on the bench, and their lineout drive is also very effective. But most Super Rugby finals are won at home and travelling over here is tough.

“The Crusaders do have a very good defence, but if they don’t have a lot of ball like they did against the Chiefs in the semifinal, then at altitude, that will really test them. They can get away with defending all the time on the cooler, softer grounds back home, but can be exposed over here.”

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