Saders ‘can be beaten’

DE BRUIN: LIONS MUST LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKES IN PREVIOUS FINALS

Skosan replaces Dyantyi, Brink comes in for Erasmus.

Claiming the Crusaders are “beatable”, Lions coach Swys de Bruin believes the lessons learned from the past two finals will only benefit them in tomorrow’s vital Super Rugby final in Christchurch.

De Bruin yesterday named two changes to his side with Courtnall Skosan replacing Aphiwe Dyantyi on the left wing and blindside flanker Cyle Brink coming back for Lourens Erasmus.

Dyantyi tweaked a hamstring in last weekend’s semifinal against the Waratahs, while Brink missed the game due to an arm stinger.

The Crusaders named one change with Heiden Bedwell-Curtis replacing the injured blindside flanker Jordan Taufua who broke his arm against the Hurricanes last weekend.

“The biggest lesson we learnt from the past two years is not to make the situation bigger than it is,” said De Bruin yesterday.

“And not to allow outside factors to influence us, we just need to stay focused on the job at hand,” he said.

The Lions might be happy to embrace the underdogs tag, but De Bruin said they believe the Crusaders are beatable.

“Any team can be beaten, but it is no secret that the Crusaders are the firm favourites for this final,” he said.

“But in saying that, we believe in our system and each one must just execute our plan. We have come here to win.”

An admiring De Bruin lauded the Crusaders as a very good team and said they deserved to be in first place.

“We will have to bring our A-game and more and apart from that we have a huge respect for them and what they stand for and how they play.

“It will be an honour for us to play against them.

“It’s a case of less is more, there was a lot of emotion attached to our last two finals, most of the group were involved so it’s a case of knowing what to expect.”

Lions captain Warren Whiteley has admitted that taking the Crusaders on in their own backyard is probably one of the most daunting prospects there is in the rugby world.

The Lions have lost eight of their last 10 games against the Crusaders, with a 42-25 quarterfinal win in 2016 and a 9-3 win in 2007, both at Ellis Park, all that they can show.

“I admire everything the Crusaders stand for and somebody like Kieran Read I have a huge respect for and somebody I have always looked up to. For him to come back after such a big injury has been incredible, he is a phenomenal player who I admire,” he said.

Also see Page 38