‘Nothing new, just better’ philosophy seems to be paying off for De Bruin’s rampant Lions

“NOTHING new, just better.” That is the secret behind the Lions’ continued dominance of the South African teams in this year’s Super Rugby competition ... and the reason why they are on course to again be a factor when talk turns to teams good enough to be title contenders.

While the likes of the Bulls, Sharks and Stormers are still trying to find the recipe that works for them, the Lions are already trying to perfect it.

Swys de Bruin’s team may still have to face the Stormers this season, but already they have powered past the Sharks and Bulls, among the local sides, to extend to 19 matches since they were last beaten in Super Rugby by a South African team.

Saturday’s victory at Loftus against the Bulls showed again just how far ahead of the local pack the Lions are – and that despite having an overhaul of coaches in the off-season, with De Bruin, taking charge and rookie junior men Joey Mongalo, Philip Lemmer and Neil de Briun stepping up to the big ranks.

The last time the Lions lost to local opposition was on May 2, 2015 – a 33-35 defeat to the Bulls at Loftus. Since then they have won 18, with the one draw, against the Stormers at Newlands on June 6, 2015.

Young Neil de Bruin, who is the Lions’ new backline coach and specialist skills and kicking coach, is one of the new men involved this year. He, like Mongalo and Lemmer, was promoted from the Lions’ junior structures.

“The mindset going into this year was ‘nothing new, just better’,” said De Bruin when quizzed about the season. “All we’ve looked to do is build on what the team did last year and the years before that.

“The right word to use is evolving ... we want to keep growing. We’ve started well this year and are on the right track, but we’re far from perfect. If we can keep improving and being a better team than the week before then we’re doing well. It’s a long season still ahead of us, and it’s going to be crucial to peak at the right time.”

One of the standout players in the three wins so far this year has been wing Sylvain Mahuza, a player who has found it difficult to stay in the starting team in recent seasons, mainly because of the exploits of Springboks Ruan Combrinck and Courtnall Skosan, but he got his chance this season and is enjoying his time in the spotlight.

He, too, believes the Lions’ decision to stick to the same plans that worked for them when Johan Ackermann was in charge is the reason why they’re again playing attractive, winning rugby.

“I’ve been here at the Lions for four seasons now and nothing much has changed in the approach to the game.

“There are obviously a few slight adjustments that have been made because of the new coaches coming in... but their approach is the same as what we were used to last year.

“And, coach Swys has been here all along ... and he’s always been the attack coach. We miss coach Ackies; he’s a different guy, an amazing human being, but coach Swys is also different and amazing in other ways.

“We’ve always wanted to play an attacking game and that hasn’t changed. We might have changed a few coaches, but we’re still the same Lions.” Indeed. WRITTEN submissions to the ministerial committee on the affairs of Sascoc revealed only about 10 percent of board meetings dealt with its core business.

The two factions within Sascoc sparred openly with their differences spilling into the open at the inquiry led by retired judge Ralph Zulman and supported by veteran cricket administrator Dr Ali Bacher and labour law expert Shamima Gaibie.

Vice-president Barry Hendricks and Cobus Marais represented the one camp, with second vice Hajera Kajee and Kaya Majeke on the other.

“I am astounded by the kind of matters that are discussed by Sascoc at board level,” Gaibie said.

Alleged constitutional violations with the selection of the current board dominated proceedings, with submissions stretching more than an hour at a time.

Tensions came to a head on the final submission on the day when Majeke gave evidence refuting Marais and Hendricks’s earlier testimony.

Majeke contended there was no resolution from the board to appoint Norton Rose Fulbright‚ the law firm that conducted the hearing into the sacked senior Sascoc employees.

“Yes, Mister Hendricks, you are looking at me while you are shaking your head,” said Majeke, a Sascoc board member.

Kajee and Majeke questioned the constitutionality of the current board and the process that was followed in the election of the 14 members.

“I firstly want to highlight violation of the constitution with reference to the elections in November 2016…and the response of two senior council members that informed us the election of people of other organisations of Sascoc are not eligible to stand for election,” Kajee said in opening her submission.

Serving board members, Kobus Marais of the SA Sports Association for the Physically Disabled (SASAPD) and Free State Sports Confederation president Jerry Segwaba were initially disqualified.

This was based on legal opinions by advocates Matthew Chaskalson and DN Beasley that said the Sascoc’s constitution required candidates to be members of national federations.

They were instated after the majority of the then-board overruled the decision to disqualify them.

Gaibie argued that Kajee’s assumption that the election was unconstitutional, because the council had found it to be in order, was invalid.

“The majority carried Mister Sam’s (Sascoc president Gideon Sam) view, no matter how illegal you and other people think it was, the majority view was accepted by council, and unless it is set aside by the court, you can’t really argue it is unlawful,” Gaibie said.