Late nights and sleep-ins as Lions prepare to claw win in den of the champions
The Lions are preparing for what they admit is the toughest challenge in Super Rugby by staying up late and sleeping in. They also say they are blessed to be playing the Crusaders in Christchurch.
On the face of it that strategy and attitude doesn’t sound like a winner, but the men from Johannesburg have arrived in the south for their third consecutive final with a quiet confidence.
They respect hugely what is in effect an All Blacks team in disguise but are determined to put lessons learned into practice tomorrow.
To inflict a first home finals defeat on the Crusaders would be the rugby upset of the year, but expectations are so low here and at home that they really do have nothing to lose.
The late nights and sleep-ins is a strategy to combat jetlag which they have used before — most recently before the round-robin game against the Waratahs in Sydney. And the respect talked about after coach Swys de Bruin announced his side isn’t contrived; rather, it is truly felt and nothing other than a fulloctane performance against the defending champions would do that justice, they feel.
De Bruin has made two changes
to the line-up which beat the Waratahs in the semifinal at Ellis Park last weekend — flanker Cyle Brink replacing Lourens Erasmus in the No 7 jersey and Courtnall Skosan starting on the left wing ahead of Aphiwe Dyantyi. That sense of continuity is appropriate for a team who seem to thrive on it.
“They’re a very good team and they deserve to be in first place, so congratulations to them,” de Bruin said yesterday of the Crusaders at his team’s inner city hotel. “We’ll have to bring our A-game and more. Apart from that we have a huge respect for them and what they stand for and how they play. It will be an honour for us to play against them.”
Last weekend, after the Crusaders comfortably won their semifinal, Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd said Scott Robertson’s men were 20 points better than any other in the competition, and that’s about right as far as de Bruin is concerned. But he was right himself when he said this is a one-off game and anything can happen.
The charm offensive continued. Lions skipper and No 8 Warren Whiteley, a man who missed last year’s final defeat to the Crusaders in Johannesburg, has a fair idea what to expect against his opposite Kieran Read; the All Blacks captain near back at his best after recovering from back surgery.
“We have a huge respect for the Crusaders and what they stand for,” Whiteley said. “Along with the All Blacks in world rugby they have really stood tall. They’re a team everyone has learned from. This is a great opportunity for us and we’re extremely excited.”
Whiteley said of Read: “A phenomenal player. The world’s best No 8. He’s consistent, a great leader. All round, he’s one guy I’ve looked up to throughout my career. He has a huge role in the Crusaders team and coming back from a huge injury as well [is impressive].
“I thought he had a really good game last week. He’s a guy I really respect along with a lot of the Crusaders players. It’s pretty much an All Black pack we’re playing against. All round — a great side.
“But what an opportunity for us and that’s what you want; in New Zealand, in Christchurch, a place that has rugby running through its veins. People absolutely live for this game; [we’re] playing against the side that’s the best in the world.”
Is this the toughest test in Super Rugby? “At this stage, yes,” said Whiteley. “This is why you play the game — for opportunities like this.”