Rivalry forgotten as fans back Lions

SOUTH African rugby, often torn apart by tribalism and provincialism, will enjoy a rare and welcome moment of unity on Saturday.

Supporters of the Kings, Bulls, Sharks, Stormers and Cheetahs will stand united behind the Lions when they take on the Crusaders in Saturday’s blockbuster Super Rugby final.

A measure of the support the Lions enjoy is that all 61 500 tickets for the clash at the iconic Ellis Park Stadium were sold out only hours after going on sale.

It promises to be an epic match between South Africa’s most dominant team in recent times and Super Rugby’s most successful side.

No matter which teams South Africans support, they have been forced to acknowledge that the Lions are a cut above the rest.

Their sparkling backline play, which has ripped rival defences apart this season, combined with their marauding forwards, have turned the Lions into a rampant points machine.

The Kings felt the full force of the Lions on two occasions this season as the Johannesburg side stormed into the final. Early in the season the Lions mauled the Kings 42-19 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium to lay down a marker that they would be the team to beat this season.

Then, during the second round of the competition, the Lions ran riot against the Kings with a magnificent 54-10 win in front of their own adoring fans at Ellis Park.

Over the past few seasons the history of the Kings and the Lions has become entwined.

In 2013 the Kings were promoted into Super Rugby at the expense of the Lions, who were left languishing on the sidelines for one season.

However, the following year the Lions replaced the Kings in Super Rugby when they beat the East Cape franchise by the narrowest of margins in a two-legged promotion playoff.

For the moment, though, all eyes are on Saturday’s final where the Lions will bid for Super Rugby glory with the nation firmly united behind them.