The 2016 Super Rugby season wrapped up on Saturday when the Hurricanes beat the Lions in a tight affair at a wet and windy Wellington.
Rugby writer Jacques van der Westhuyzen was there and here he looks back at what can only be described as a successful season for Warren Whiteley and Co
Highs
When you make the final of the Super Rugby competition after winning 11 of 15 matchesand top the try-scoring charts with 71 in the regular season, there are sure to be a number of high points.
The win on the road in Hamilton and those at home against the Crusaders and Highlanders in the play-offs were stunning and impressive. Also, the fact they beat every other South African team is proof Johan Ackermann’s men are now the leaders in South Africa.
And, let’s not forget Ackermann was named SA “A” coach and he and his assistants continue to set the standards in the country and several players were picked for the Springboks and “A” side.
Lows
For once there were not many... and that alone is good news. The biggest disappointment will probably be the fact the Lions didn’t stage a home final last weekend.
They did everything that’s required to top the final points table, but a decision to send a B team to Buenos Aires for the final game against the Jaguares probably cost them top spot.
Sure, the call benefited the Lions in the quarter-final and semi-final stages, but one can only now wonder what may have been had last weekend’s final been staged at Ellis Park, too. Going all the way to Wellington to take on the Caneswas always going to be a big ask.
Stars
Where does one start? It was a genuine team effort from Ackermann and his squad, but there were still some individuals who deserve a special mention. Ruan Combrinck was outstanding in all areas and so, too, his wing partner Courtnall Skosan.
Lionel Mapoe and Rohan Janse van Rensburg shone as a centre combination and Faf de Klerk and Elton Jantjies were probably the best halfback pairing in the competition.
Then up front, Warren Whiteley and his fellow lose-forwards Warwick Tecklenburg and Jaco Kriel were dominant in most matches, while Franco Mostert and Andries Ferreira shone as the lock pairing. And then there was that front row ... Julian Redelinghuys, Malcolm Marx and Dylan Smith were by some margin the best scrumming unit in Super Rugby.
Then add Akker van der Merwe, Cyle Brink, Jaco van der Walt, Ruan Ackermann, Ross Cronje ... and you realise this is a team that could be on top for a while.
Newbies
For this category we’ll reflect on first-time Super Rugby starters. And here the shining light was Janse van Rensburg. The 21-year-old was joint top try-scorer for his team and made a huge impact as ball-carrier and game-breaker. He was the find of the competition.
But not too far behind was Smith, the short, but powerful loose-head prop who jumped the queue ahead of the likes of Jacques van Rooyen and Corne Fourie this season.
He, too, has a bright future ahead of him. Credit must also be given to utility forward Ackermann, the coach’s son who had many questions asked about his ability at the beginning of the season, but he answered all of them, and loose-forward Brink and lock Lourens Erasmus, who’ve both made a name for themselves in the last six months.
Best result
The Lions were a joy to watch on most weekends and one can highlight the big wins against the Bulls (56-20 at Loftus), the Sharks twice, the Blues (43-5 in rain) and the play-off victories against the Crusaders and Highlanders.
Yet the one result that stands out was the one against the Chiefs, in Hamilton, in round two. They arrived in New Zealand on the back of beating the Sunwolves in Japan and actually out-played and out-smarted the Chiefs.
They scored four tries against them to register a famous win. That victory gave the Lions the belief and confidence they needed to kick on and dominate the competition.
Worst showing
Sure, losing the final and not managing to actually test the Hurricanes’ defensive line too much, or for that matter, tryline, was a big let-down.
But it was always going to be tough for the Lions to make an impact in the wet and cold. Also, the loss to the Jaguares in Buenos Aires hurt like hell because it cost the Lions a top-spot finish, while it’s never nice going down to the Crusaders.
The one the players will probably look back on and feel they let themselves and their fans down was the Hurricanes game at Ellis Park on April 30.
It came on the back of the Lions beating the Stormers and Kings while the Canes had gone down by a point to the Chiefs the week before and travelled to South Africa. But the Canes were an inspired bunch and scored a seven try to three, 50-17 win.
Look ahead
While disappointed with their showing in the final in Wellington, Warren Whiteley afterwards said he was excited about the future and the challenges that lie ahead.
He is spot on regarding that ... the next few years could be special for the Lions, especially as they’ll have gained invaluable experience in Super Rugby this year.
Many of their players will be better off for the experience of playing Test rugby, while the coaches would also heave a learnt a few lessons over the course of the competition.
This Lions squad will be together for some time to come and could dominate locally and in Super Rugby ... there’s no reason they shouldn’t be able to produce more of the same next season, and who knows, go one step further.
The Star