Battered Lions still optimistic

Golden Lions coach Swys de Bruin (above) said they remain positive despite suffering their fifth Currie Cup defeat of the season against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein last weekend.

The Lions, who are in a rebuilding phase and are using the competition to start building for next season, pushed the Currie Cup champions close before going down 30-24.

“It was tougher than it looked and it was a real arm-wrestle,” said De Bruin.

“It was a very physical game and the second half was actually an attractive game to watch.”

The Lions host the Pumas this weekend in a 2pm kick-off on Saturday and it could again be a tough outing after the Pumas hammered the Blue Bulls 51-15 at the weekend.

But De Bruin said they remained cool-headed despite not getting the results.

“I am already 34 years in this game and remain a very realistic person,” he said.

“We don’t want to look for excuses because that’s not what we stand for. It’s a season of ploughing the land and there’s no corn yet but it will come.

“It didn’t go our way in the first half but the second was better.”

De Bruin indicated that results-wise it will probably get worse before it gets better, with about nine members of the current squad still Under-21 players.

“We are all realistic,” he said. “We have a bunch of young, new players so it’s a great opportunity. They showed a lot of character.”

The Lions have injury concerns over wing Anthony Volmink and Under-21 flank James Venter going into the Pumas encounter.