A month ago when the Lions hammered the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld to move to second place overall on the Super Rugby points table there was not one regular Springbok in Johan Ackermann’s team.
Warren Whiteley had made a few appearances from off the bench, Lionel Mapoe had had a minute or two, also from off the bench, and so, too Julian Redelinghuys and Elton Jantjies.
Now, on the eve of the resumption of the Super Rugby competition, the Lions have eight Springboks in their midst: Ruan Combrinck, Faf de Klerk, Franco Mostert and Jaco Kriel joining the above-mentioned men; some of whom are now regulars, or will be in the months to come.
The Lions, so dominant in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup without a first choice Bok player in sight, now have a very different look about them.
Coach Johan Ackermann though, himself recently honoured as the coach of the SA ‘A’ side, is confident his players will continue to work for the team and not allow being a Bok to go to their heads.
“We’ve fortunate here - the character of the players is such that they, hopefully, won’t allow that to happen, that being Boks won’t go to their heads,” said the coach ahead of Super Rugby’s return following a month of Test rugby.
“They’re a humble bunch of players and the challenge for them is to remain that way. I trust they will still be hungry for success.
“I think they realise that without hard work nothing is possible and I’m sure they’ll continue to work hard and put the effort in.
“The players also know that Test caps mean nothing to me - I don’t care if someone has 50 caps or zero; if they don’t work hard on the field they won’t be selected,” said Ackermann.
The coach further stated he doesn’t think there will be a heightened sense of belief in his players now that many of them have represented their country, saying the Lions have always had a lot of belief in their potential.
“There’s no difference to how we view things now. There was a strong sense of belief among the players even before the internationals and Springbok selection.
“We know where we want to go as a team and how we want to play,” said Ackermann.
“What I am hoping for though is for the players to apply the lessons they have learned at the Boks to the Lions.
“Every player on national duty would have experienced the pressure situations the Boks were in during the last month - and hopefully that rubs off on all the players, that those lessons and experiences can benefit the Lions now.
“You just can’t buy new experiences, but being a Springbok also brings with it a certain responsibility and that is to perform at a consistently high level.
“It’s one thing becoming a Super Rugby player and a Springbok, it’s quite another maintaining that level.
“Everyone who comes up against these players from now on will want to measure themselves against them, against a Springbok. So the key for all the players is to keep that standard at the level that got them noticed in the first place.”
Bar Whiteley, who’s missing through injury, Ackermann has picked all his Boks in a very formidable side for Saturday’s clash against the Sharks at Ellis Park. - The Star