Rejuvenated Lions restoring pride, one Bok at a time
THE last time the Golden Lions produced six Springboks in one season was 1994. That’s 20 years ago. This season, just a year after missing out on Super Rugby because their results weren’t good enough, they’ve again had six players called up to the Bok squad.
It’s been a quite remarkable turn-around for the union. A few years ago they were in the doldrums, they had financial issues and players were queuing up to leave. And, let’s be honest, they weren’t getting the results on the field. In 2014 they’ve experienced their best ever showing in Super Rugby, the Currie Cup team played in the final and Marnitz Boshoff, Warren Whiteley, Julian Redelinghuys, Jaco Kriel, Robbie Coetzee and Ruan Dreyer have been called up by the Boks.
“It’s absolutely phenomenal,” said Lions president Kevin de Klerk. “I would never have imagined it a year ago. I’m extremely proud of the guys. But I also know there are a good few others in this Lions team who’re on the brink of a call-up, while there are several juniors who’re going to play Bok rugby in future.”
While it is true only Boshoff and Whiteley out of the six have won Bok caps – with Redelinghuys likely to play his first Test this weekend – Kriel, Coetzee and Dreyer are almost certain to win caps in future.
In 1994, Hennie le Roux, Johan Roux, Japie Mulder, James Dalton, Rudolf Straeuli, Christiaan Scholtz and Ian Hattingh became Boks. The next best season for the Lions, with regards to national call-ups, was in 2003. That year Ashwin Willemse, Wikus van Heerden, Gcobani Bobo, Jorrie Muller and Jaque Fourie became Boks for the first time.
De Klerk says the success achieved by the current crop of players is due to a number of factors. “It’s really a culmination of the policy we adopted when everyone turned their backs on us ... we were thrown out of Super Rugby and our sponsors abandoned us.
“But after a vigorous sifting process, we settled on a very courageous businessman in Altman Allers as our equity partner and selected Johan Ackermann to lead the side.”
De Klerk says the appointment of Ackermann just over two years ago has proved to be a master-stroke.
“We didn’t want a high profile coach again. That was a mistake. We have been bruised by the modus operandi of two of our previous coaches; the players simply couldn’t identify with them.
“But in Johan Ackermann, I saw a special human being. He’s a man that commands a lot of respect. It’s one thing being a great technical coach, but it’s another thing having the respect of the players. Primarily, if you’re lacking on the technical side, but willing on the humanity side you’ll be successful.
“Now, I’m not saying Ackers lacked in that, but when he started he wasn’t at the level of the previous high profile coaches. But he’s achieved success and learnt along the way. Crucially, he’s engaged the players and won their confidence.
“Rugby is an emotive game and, like in life, if you treat people correctly, you’ll get the best out of them. That’s Ackers’ strong point.”
Importantly for the Lions – who’re in final negotiations to secure major sponsors for next year’s Super Rugby competition. “And then success follows,” says De Klerk. “If nothing else, we’ve succeeded in restoring pride in the Lions”.