Lions’ position at top still shaky

THE sight of the Lions sitting on top of the Super Rugby points table is hard to digest.

The reason they occupy such a lofty position can be attributed to the fact that they have played two games more than the unbeaten Highlanders.

Others, too, may leapfrog them in the coming weeks.

The Lions’ last two performances have given them much cause to lament and they will require urgent interventions if they are going to remain among the leading teams in this season’s competition.

Their 40-38 win over the Sunwolves was hard earned and while they did well in the primary phases‚ they have developed the alarming propensity to give possession away. Simply put‚ their ball retention is poor. In defence, too, some revision is going to be required.

They conceded 38 points at home on consecutive weekends against sides featuring in the bottom three on the points table.

The loss of defence coach JP Ferreira to Munster is now more keenly felt.

Coach Swys de Bruin‚ however‚ is desperate to focus on the positives following defeat to the Blues and their near loss to the competition’s cellar dwellers.

“I think the guys showed massive character after we went behind‚” De Bruin said.

“We played some great rugby to win the game. I want to focus on the positives.”

He certainly did. He even talked up the Sunwolves who, despite improvements under coach Jamie Joseph‚ are still the competition’s worst side.

“The same players drew with the Stormers last year [actually 2016] and they beat the Bulls. We know what these players are capable of at World Cup‚” De Bruin said as he sought to find solace.

Joseph put his team’s position into perspective.

“This team hasn’t had a preseason game‚” he said.

“Our top league doesn’t finish until mid-January.

“We’ve got to give the guys a couple of weeks off because they are buggered.

“We spend three weeks trying to build a team at the expense of having preseason matches. In essence‚ most Super Rugby teams have about three games before they come into the competition. We are starting to show some consistencies.”

De Bruin‚ however‚ was content that he saw improvement against the Sunwolves.

“Definitely. We won 16 out of 16 lineouts. We stole five of theirs. We were very good in the scrums.”

He concedes‚ however‚ that despite their ability to win the ball‚ the Lions cannot hang on to it.

“We can’t look after the ball at this stage. It’s a massive thing to work on. Apart from that we score six or more tries.

“We must just get to a point where they score a few less‚” he hinted at his side’s porous defence.

De Bruin pointed to the Lions’ misfortune when the ball took an unkind bounce on two occasions. “It’s soft moments really. “It is a case of composure. That is lacking at this stage.

“Maybe a few of our experienced players must put up their hand and then we can sleep more peacefully.” – TimesLIVE