Time feels right to join Swys and the Lions, says Matfield
their shortcomings on defence, discipline and a number of unforced errors are some of the areas where the Province coach wants to see a vast improvement.
“We lacked physical commitment. I don’t know if it was due to the environment, the workload or Griquas’ good play, ” Dobson said.
“Also our defensive breakdown decision-making ... we’re putting our heads in, but we’re not really slowing down ball.
“The way we tackled, or didn’t tackle, was the difference between the two teams and our discipline wasn’t where it should be.”
Province slipped a number of one-on-one tackles against Griquas, and Dobson pointed out he didn’t think the union’s defensive system or techniques are to blame, but rather that the players aren’t performing well defensively on a consistent basis.
And although the short turnaround (this will be WP’s third game in eight days) probably won’t allow them to fix all the flaws exposed on Wednesday, Dobson does have a new (starting) addition to be excited about.
Scarra Ntubeni will earn his 50th WP cap as he starts at hooker in a team featuring five changes.
Scrumhalf Jano Vermaak, flyhalf Damian Willemse, centre Huw Jones, flank Jaco Coetzee and hooker Ntubeni all come into WP’s run-on side for the home clash.
Vermaak replaces Dewaldt Duvenage, who picked up an ankle injury on Wednesday and is expected to be out for one or two weeks, and will form the halfback pairing with Willemse, while Justin Phillips and Kurt Coleman will feature off the bench.
Scottish international Huw Jones makes his first start, since returning from a hamstring injury, at inside centre.
Ramone Samuels and Steph de Wit will be on the bench alongside lock Eddie Zandberg, who will make his Currie Cup debut if he comes on.
Dobson was confident Ntubeni’s lineout-throwing would add a lot to the team’s set-piece: “Scarra was a bit sick yesterday (Wednesday) so we kept Ramone on even though he was cramping. Scarra’s throwing is excellent, so that’s a real strength of his.”
And at flyhalf, another prospect that Dobson has a lot of confidence in is Willemse.
“Damian is the first-choice flyhalf at the moment. Kurt did really well on Wednesday, but we have to look to the future. We’re backing Damian, despite him making a few tactical mistakes when he came on” Dobson said.
“The thing we had to do (against Griquas) was not get involved in emotional overreaction. We’re going to back him. That’s our plan.” JOHANNESBURG: New Lions recruit Victor Matfield said he was relishing the opportunity afforded him to take charge of the forwards during the Currie Cup campaign.
The former Springbok lock takes over from the now departed head coach and forwards guru Johan Ackermann. Swys de Bruin was named as the new head coach a month ago.
Also new on the Lions’ Currie Cup coaching team is Joey Mongalo, who moves up from the junior ranks, and will handle the team’s defence, while JP Ferreira, the former defence coach, will now be in charge of the team’s attacking game.
This is Matfield’s first fulltime coaching appointment since hanging up his boots after the 2015 World Cup. He is at this stage employed as a forwards consultant and will be at training twice a week and on match days.
“It’s like déjà vu ... I remember getting the call as a 21-yearold from Swys to join Griquas (around 1999) and now the call has come again.
“It felt right this time, too,” said Matfield, widely regarded as one of the best lock forwards and lineout operators in rugby history.
“The culture here at the Lions is just fantastic and it’s a great opportunity for me, a young coach, to learn a lot. The Lions have achieved a lot recently ... so hopefully I can add something to that.
“It seems like this is the next step in the right direction. I’ve only been here for two days but already I can see the respect between the players and coaches, the healthy culture and the work ethic on the field, the intensity in training. I know it’s going to be enjoyable and hopefully (after the consultancy period) I’ll have a future here.”
New defence coach Mongalo said he wanted to make sure there would be no more high-scoring thrillers involving the Lions. So far in the Currie Cup, matches have been characterised by plenty of tries being scored with little emphasis on defence.
“Defence coaches hate thrillers ... you don’t want to see scores of 45-34. A team’s character is defined by its defence, so I’m hoping to build on what JP has put in place and ensure there are no more thrillers,” he said.
“Obviously we want to keep scoring tries, but we also have to limit the opposition. Our aim is to go into game day expecting to not concede. Only one team should have a big score in a match.”
The rest of the Lions’ coaching structure is the same as the one that did duty in Super Rugby, under Ackermann’s watch.
Meanwhile, Lions chief executive Rudolf Straeuli confirmed loose-forward Ruan Ackermann has requested an early release from his contract so he can join his father, Johan, at Gloucester in England.
“No documents have been signed, but he has requested a release. It’s a family decision because they’re all going ... so we’re looking into it,” said Straeuli.