Lions will fine-tune winning formula
JUST because they have a new coaching staff‚ do not expect the Lions to abandon the fastpaced game that helped take them to consecutive Super Rugby finals.
Joey Mongalo‚ the team’s backline and breakdown coach‚ believes the Lions have to tweak in some areas but there is no reason to reinvent the wheel after Swys de Bruin graduated from assistant to head coach in place of Johan Ackermann.
“It’s a bit of a Catch 22‚” Mongalo said.
“Top businesspeople always say you have to innovate when you are at the top. [But] you also can’t change for the sake of changing.
“I think for us it is simply to do what we have been doing, only do it better.”
Mongalo‚ who is part of a Super Rugby campaign for the first time‚ is happy with the way the team prepared for the new season.
“There have been a lot of encouraging things. We started on January 4 with physical testing. Every week after that we added more components.
“Conditioning-wise‚ the guys are in good shape.
“It has been good to see the improvement of the Currie Cup players.
“We’ve had a hybrid of those players and players who have been playing Super Rugby, and it has been amazing to watch – how the younger guys are feeding off more mature players.”
Mongalo said the Lions’ contingent who had obligations in Japan‚ including regular captain Warren Whiteley‚ were slowly being reincorporated into the squad.
“I know there are a whole lot of technical and contractual things that have to be signed before they can officially start. It is a case-by-case scenario.
“Everybody is back to do a medical and also just to be part of the family again.”
The Lions have been spared major injury scares in their buildup.
“We’ve been blessed thus far. We’ve had guys who have been out for six to nine months but there haven’t been massive niggles in between.
“We play the Bulls on Saturday and hopefully we can get through that without any setbacks,” he said.
Speaking of which‚ Mongalo is expecting quite a shake-up at Loftus. “I think some teams will be vastly different.
“If you look at the way the Bulls went in the Currie Cup they will be a lot more expansive‚ a lot more willing to run with the ball.
“They’ll also have to chase intensity‚ something Mitch [Bulls coach John Mitchell] has been talking about.
“I’m expecting them to be a completely different outfit.”
With the competition reduced from 18 to 15 teams‚ Mongalo is expecting a sterner challenge all round.
“With the Rugby World Cup coming up next year‚ a team like the Sunwolves will almost be the Japan national side.
“The New Zealand sides are always competitive‚ trying to lead trends.” – TimesLIVE