This final as big as it gets for departing coach Ackermann
Super title beckons for Lions
ELLIS Park is all dressed up and waiting to provide a fitting farewell to Lions coach Johan Ackermann.
It will hopefully come after his players do the business against the Crusaders from New Zealand and bag a first Super Rugby trophy for the Johannesburg union.
After five years in the hot seat and having taken over a team in disarray in 2012, Ackermann will leave for England next week to become the new head coach of Gloucester.
Like his players, who came up short in the final against the Hurricanes in Wellington last season, he will want to end this season – and his time with the Lions – on the “ultimate high”.
Ackermann, who played 13 Tests for the Springboks before retiring as the oldest man to turn out for the national side, at 37 in 2008, said today’s final was bigger than any Test match he’s been a part of.
“The interest in this game is amazing. It’s so exciting and for atmosphere it’s up there with Test rugby,” said Ackermann this week.
“I won a few Tests in my day, but there was never long-term investment and I was never part of a Bok team that lifted a cup, like a World Cup. Here and there I won a Currie Cup, but this, Super Rugby, is so much bigger than that.
“Having spent the time I have here and helped build this team over the years, this is as big as it gets for me. Winning this title would be the ultimate highlight ... definitely my biggest rugby moment.”
Fairy tale finish
For everyone involved with the team victory against the seven-time champions would be the fairy tale finish to a fabulous season – and Ackermann’s time with the union.
The Lions lost only once this year – with a weakened side to the Jaguares in Argentina – and during the season have produced several Springbok players, who now make up the core of the national team.
Also, regular captain Warren Whiteley has become the new Bok leader, but he will sadly miss arguably the biggest day of his career today as injury will keep him from leading the team onto the field. In his absence Jaco Kriel will fulfil the captaincy duties, but he said this week, he was merely one cog in the Lions machine.
“I will never be able to fill Warren’s shoes. He’s such an amazing leader and brilliant person,” said Kriel. “The great thing here at the Lions is that the captain is never left on his own (to make the calls). I’ve got all these amazing players around me, and that helps tremendously.
“Captaining this team is not my job ... it’s the job of every player in the team. We know that if we all stick together everything will work out, no matter the situation.”
The Lions are a tight-knit unit; they’re friends, and they’re pretty good rugby players, too. They have done everything they could have, with a bit of good fortune thrown in, too, to host today’s final which will be played in front of 62 000 fans – which gives them their best chance of grabbing the title they so desperately want.
All they need to do now is win. Eighty minutes stand between Ackermann and his Lions, and ultimate rugby glory.
THE Lions’ ability to score tries from nothing – and often late in games – will see them power to a first Super Rugby title at a packed Ellis Park this evening.
And leading the way will be right wing Ruan Combrinck who’ll be a key man for the home team against the seven-time champions, the Crusaders. But not far behind will be a raft of Lions game-breakers, players with real X-factor, who’ll ask as many questions of the Crusaders as Combrinck does.
Here we think of fullback Andries Coetzee, a player who’ll always look to counter-attack rather than kick, left wing Courtnall Skosan, one of the quickest men around who knows his way to the tryline, centre Harold Vorster, the master of the angled run, flyhalf Elton Jantjies, as good as any No 10 in the game at the moment, and then up front, the likes of Kwagga Smith, Jaco Kriel, Franco Mostert and Malcolm Marx.
And then on the bench, powerhouses Akker van der Merwe, Lourens Erasmus, Faf de Klerk, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Sylvian Mahuza.
These are among the Lions’ men who have grabbed the headlines in the Lions’ 15-match unbeaten run at home since April last year. They are the players who’ll look to unlock the standout defensive system in the competition, which belongs to the Crusaders of Kieran Read.
But it is Combrinck who may just be the man who steals the show today. After missing the biggest part of the competition because of a shoulder injury he returned to action in late May against the Bulls with two tries – and hasn’t looked back.
He’s scored a good few more five-pointers since that comeback and showed just what a valuable member he is of this Lions team of Johan Ackermann. But it’s not only his try-scoring ability that makes him such a standout winger. He’s a strong runner who almost always powers his way over, or around, his opposite number, getting his team on the front foot, while his off-loading is as good as anyone’s.
He’s a creator out wide – one of the main reasons why the Lions have been able to score so many tries – and he’s got vision. His chip kicks into space are often the undoing of teams, and then there is his strong defence on the touchline and his big boot.
There are not too many outside backs in South Africa who can kick as well as Combrinck does with both feet, which makes him a very valuable player for the Lions. And he’s sure to use that booming boot to drive the Crusaders back today – and how he’ll have to. And then there’s that thing no one can coach – BMT. And boy, does he have it in loads.
Remember last year how he saved the Springboks on debut with a spectacular try in the corner at Ellis Park against Ireland ... well he also saved the Lions from being dumped out of this competition with that 55m monster penalty he landed against the Sharks in the quarter-finals.
Of course, Combrinck and his try-hungry backs will only be attacking factors if their pack gets on top and that’s going to be the key today. The Crusaders are a side stacked with All Blacks up front, they’re the best unit in the competition when it comes to scrums and line-outs and they have an uncanny ability to hang onto the ball for long periods, starving the opposition. But if the Lions can win their fair share of the spoils, there’s no reason why the Lions’ game-breakers won’t have a big say this evening.
The Lions are at home, they know they got the better of this same Crusaders side a year ago in the quarter-finals, and they know they will never have a chance like this one again.
It’s time ... let South Africa hear the roar.