Lions aiming for glory
SWYS DE BRUIN DESPERATE TO MAKE IT THIRD TIME LUCKY Six of their first eight games will be at Ellis Park.
Having twice been the bridesmaids, the Lions will be ultra-charged to finally bag the coveted Super Rugby title this year. They will once again start as one of the frontrunners and South Africa’s best bet having retained the nucleus of their squad over the past three seasons.
A 20-3 defeat in the final against the Hurricanes in 2016 in Wellington and 25-17 against the Crusaders at Ellis Park last season show how close they have got, but nobody really remembers the runners-up.
The Lions have a golden opportunity to start off well with six of their first eight games being played on local soil. Their opening game is on February 17 against the Sharks already looming large.
But one gets the impression their season will be defined by their tough away leg starting with the Waratahs on April 20, followed by games against the Reds, Hurricanes and Highlanders.
A battle of attrition awaits new head coach Swys de Bruin after the departure of the likeable and highly successful Johan Ackermann to Gloucester in England.
De Bruin, however, has rightfully been credited with the exciting backline play the Lions have produced over the past few seasons and has been with the side for five seasons before being elevated from backline and attack coach.
But a lot will also depend on the rest of De Bruin’s management team with Phillip Lemmer taking over as forward coach, a duty which Ackermann almost perfected and which resulted in a powerful Lions scrum over the past few seasons.
De Bruin also has a new defence coach in Joey Mongalo who has taken over from the vastly experienced JP Ferreira who has joined former Bok forward coach Johann van Graan at Munster after Rassie Erasmus vacated his post.
But De Bruin has managed to compile a powerful 40-man squad which includes 12 Boks and a massive boost is the return of captain courageous Warren Whiteley.
One can only guess how much Whiteley was missed after he returned just before the final of 2016 but missed out on all the play-offs last year, while Jaco Kriel stood in well as captain. But Whiteley’s decision-making at No 8 was sorely missing from the Lions gameplan.
There is also huge excitement over new players like wing Aphiwe Dyantyi and flankers Len Massyn and Hacjivah Daymani and they could be relevation for the charging Lions.
Jacobie Adriaanse, Cyle Brink, Robbie Coetzee, Andries Coetzee, Ruan Combrinck, Ross Cronjé, Ashlon Davids, Hacjivah Dayimani, Ruan Dreyer, Aphiwe Dyanti, Willie Engelbrecht, Lourens Erasmus, Andries Ferreira, Corne Fourie, Rhyno Herbst, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Marco Jansen van Vuren, Elton Jantjies, Johannes Jonker, Jaco Kriel, Robert Kruger, Sylvian Mahuza, Lionel Mapoe, Malcolm Marx, Len Massyn, Christiaan Meyer, Howard Mnisi, Franco Mostert, Marvin Orie, Shaun Reynolds, Marnus Schoeman, Sti Sithole, Courtnall Skosan, Dillon Smith, Kwagga Smith, Dylan Smith, Madosh Tambwe, Jacques van Rooyen, Harold Vorster, Warren Whiteley (capt).
A great deal will depend on how they replace departed stars such as scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, blindside flank Ruan Ackermann, flyhalf/fullback Jaco van der Walt and hooker Akker van der Merwe.
They had a major reshuffle in their coaching structures with De Bruin taking over from Johan Ackermann. While the astute De Bruin will come with his own innovations, it was Ackermann’s uncanny ability to motivate his troops and turn the Lions pack into a formidable one which could be missed.
Injuries to Bok wings Courtnall Skosan and Ruan Combrinck are big. While Combrinck will return later in April, Skosan is not likely to take any part. The explosive Jaco Kriel will also miss the first three games, while the back-up experience at fullback, flyhalf and scrumhalf could come under scrutiny.