Lion-hearts needed in the Buenos Aires war-zone

IT hasn’t happened on too many occasions in the recent past that the Lions have been tested mentally, but they face this exact challenge when they come up against the Jaguares in a round six Super Rugby match in Buenos Aires tonight.

The Lions are in a bit of a form slump having lost to the Blues – after being well set at half-time to win – and then struggling past the Sunwolves a week ago; both those matches on home soil. Defensively they were found wanting, tactically they got things wrong and from a leadership point of view questions were asked about the senior players in the team.

And today they’re up against a team that have caused them a few headaches in the past, especially in Buenos Aires.

But it’s not only the backto-back losses the Lions suffered there in 2016 and 2017 that will be on the minds of the coaching staff and players, but the fact the men from South America have also asked plenty of the Lions at Ellis Park, possibly because they play a similar style to that adopted by the Lions – and that is a very attackminded game.

And this weekend the task of the Lions is perhaps even more difficult than it’s been in the past when former coach Johan Ackermann took a weakened side there.

Not only are the Lions suffering a bit of a confidence and form wobble at the moment, they’re up against a team that has struggled for form this year, and having lost to the lowly Reds at home last week. The Jaguares are a desperate team and they’ll know they’ve knocked over the Lions before, and will be confident they can do so again.

Also, while coach Swys de Bruin has picked his strongest available players for the match, the side will miss key stalwarts like Warren Whiteley, Jaco Kriel, Andries Ferreira, Courtnall Skosan, Ruan Combrinck and Ross Cronjé who are injured.

The big question today is, were the last two weeks simply a dip in form or are the Lions battling to come to terms with the new coaching team’s instructions and wants? How they perform over the 80 minutes at a venue where they have struggled in the past will answer that question.

De Bruin and Co though will be very keen for a quality showing, especially as last year’s champions, the Crusaders, visit Ellis Park next Sunday fresh off a win against the Bulls yesterday, and the week after that it’s the turn of the Stormers to come up to Joburg. After the struggles of the last two weeks, the next 21 days are big for De Bruin and his charges.

Key will be hanging onto the ball for long periods, playing the game in the right areas and ensuring they don’t play the ball-in-hand, attack-fromall-parts rugby they have tried in recent weeks, which has cost them dearly.

Young No 9 Marco Jansen van Vuren, flyhalf Elton Jantjies and fullback Andries Coetzee need to play smart rugby and make good decisions and then, perhaps, the Lions will be in with a shout of bagging a rare, and crucial, win in Buenos Aires.