Lions easing jetlag factor
KWAGGA: WINNING DOWN THERE WILL BE PRICELESS
With travelling teams always at a disadvantage, the Lions have put all their plans in place to ensure the jetlag factor doesn’t become a major issue in this weekend’s Super Rugby final against the Crusaders in Christchurch.
The Lions were due to fly out last night from OR Tambo International and it required a 12-hour flight to get to Sydney, where there will be a two-hour stop-over before embarking on a three-hour flight to Christchurch.
While the Lions will again apply the sunglasses effect which help to reduce the jetlag, coach Swys de Bruin (below) said it’s different from just flying to Australia as this is a much longer journey.
“We have worked out that if everything goes according to plan we will arrive there at about 11pm on Tuesday evening,” he said.
“We will then use the four-hour cycle to stay ahead of the time zone. We will for instance only allow the players to eat by 11.30pm and only go to bed by 12.30 and let them sleep in till 11 o’clock in the morning,” he said.
Team doctor Rob Collins said the system worked well when they travelled to Sydney earlier in the competition to face the Waratahs.
“Our meal times will be different times of the day and our sleeping times will be at different times,” he said. “It has been scientifically worked out.”
Collins said it basically worked on a principle where they are trying to stay in the South African time zone as far as possible.
“You can’t exactly stay in the SA time zone but we were only in a few time zones. It could also include training sessions at three o’clock in the afternoon, but if you let the players sleep till 11 o’clock it could essentially feel like a morning training session.”
Collins said therefore sleeping times and staying up are different, even though they might have to endure going through more time zones compared to the Sydney trip earlier.
“Jetlag doesn’t set in if you travel one time zone a day. It only sets in if you travel faster than one time zone a day. If you change eight time zones over eight days you don’t get jetlag.”
They are a good side – but so are we. It is this mindset that best summed up the Lions state of mind according to star flanker Kwagga Smith before the were set to fly out last night for the Super Rugby final in Christchurch against the Crusaders this weekend.
“Everyone is making a big fuss about them so all we can do is focus on us and not be too concerned on what they can bring,” said Smith who was named Manof-the-Match in the 44-26 semifi- nal win over the Waratahs at Ellis Park over the weekend.
“I’m privileged enough to play in another final, and for some guys it’s their third final in a row, so for me it’s just about going out there and do the best I can for the team.
“Winning Super Rugby is one of my dream goals ... and to go and do it down there will be the best experience,” he said, adding that becoming a Springbok against Wales this year had also been a lifelong ambition.
Smith’s red card in last year’s final at Ellis Park when the Lions lost 25-17 to the Crusaders is still fresh in his memory but said it’s not for him about making amends.
“Last year I had the opportunity and I slipped up, but this is another chance. To go there and win we will have to believe in ourselves and just go and do our job. They are a good team but we are a pretty good team,” he said.
Smith admitted the week after that fateful final was a difficult time for him.
“But I got away. We have a farm between Lydenburg and Orighstad and I got away from all the rugby people. For me it wasn’t cynical and not something I did intentionally. It’s moments like that in a final which makes all the difference,” he said.
Smith said they are also well aware that the Crusaders tend to suffocate teams with their defence.
“They are a good defensive side, probably the best. We are also good, we had soft moments but it was rather individual moments,” he said.
“In the final it will be about taking those opportunities and take it away from them, finish our tackles and attack them.”
Also see Page 27