Rotation policy part of the Lions’ blueprint

Rudolph Jacobs

Some teams base their success in the Currie Cup competition on continuity, but for the Lions the recipe lies in rotation.

The last two weeks they have made 23 changes – 12 for last week’s Boland game and another 11 for tomorrow night’s Blue Bulls match at Loftus.

Just three players have kept their places in the starting line-up over the past three weeks – wing Anthony Volmink, centre Howard Mnisi and the versatile Ruan Ackermann, who has alternated between No 8 and lock.

Lions assistant coach Swys de Bruin (right) was quick to correct those who believed they were panicking by making 12 changes after the 30-24 defeat to Griquas in Kimberley.

“There was no panic whatsoever,” said De Bruin. “Griquas did well on the day and for us it was a case of rotation.

“We want to use the players we have in the system and we back them all and that’s why they are part of the squad.”

De Bruin pointed out that it has been a policy adopted by head coach Johan Ackermann from his early days as mentor in 2012.

“That’s been our norm the past four years. We have used our full squad in certain games and it’s a case of giving every guy in the setup a chance.

“For us it’s important to keep to our continuity and we have to have faith in our depth and take it from there.”

And while the Lions scored a runaway 60-12 win over Boland it doesn’t make them a bad side.

“Boland had just one win before, but they are playing good rugby and the results just haven’t gone their way,” said De Bruin.

“For us, we want to keep to the running style. We want to inspire people and we want to have fun.”