Johannesburg – One more victory ... and the Lions may just be able to hang on to senior stalwarts like Elton Jantjies and Franco van der Merwe for next year’s Super Rugby campaign.
And, head coach Johan Ackermann will also more than likely stay on in Johannesburg to have a first proper crack at Super Rugby.
That’s the carrot hanging in front of the team when they face the Southern Kings in the second of the two promotion-relegation matches for a place in next year’s Super Rugby competition. The teams meet at Ellis Park on Saturday (5pm) following the Lions’ 26-19 win in the first leg of the tie in Port Elizabeth last Friday.
If the Lions win at a sold-out Ellis Park, with an expected crowd of 50 000 fans cheering them on, and deny the Kings a bonus point, Ackermann will get his wish of coaching in Super Rugby next year.
And the Lions are desperately keen to see him stay. Ackermann’s contract expires at the end of this year and he stated last week that were the Lions to lose the promotion-relegation tie he’d have to weigh up his options for next season.
“I want to coach at the highest level and I want a chance in Super Rugby,” said the man who took over from John Mitchell with three games remaining in last year’s competition.
Ackermann’s stocks have risen significantly over the last year and Lions CEO Manie Booysen said yesterday the former Bok lock featured prominently in the Lions’ rebuilding plans. “He’s part of the recovery programme. We definitely don’t want to see him go.
“He’s had a huge impact on the team this season; he’s brought a maturity to the players and he’s been able to convey the urgency of the task at hand.”
The Lions losing out on Super Rugby for a second year running would not only impact on Ackermann’s future plans, but those of several players, too, among them Jantjies and Van der Merwe, two of the Lions key men. But a win on Saturday would give the union plenty to play with in their endeavours to keep them in Joburg.
“The majority of our players, junior and senior, are signed up till the end of next year so it’s not something we’re too concerned with right now,” said Booysen.
“We’ve contracted the cream of the crop from the Craven Week, have identified some of the best players from the Varsity Cup and have the core of the senior team in place for next year. Whatever happens on Saturday, I can assure you there won’t be an exodus of players from the Lions. I’m confident Elton and Franco will stay here, but there have been no discussions about them ... the focus has been on the promotion-relegation matches.”
The only players from the current senior group who will be moving on are France-bound JC Janse van Rensburg and Hendrik Roodt.
Of course, if the Kings are relegated, there will almost certainly be a number of their players on the market, among them impressive No8 Jacques Engelbrecht.
Booysen, meanwhile, is confident the Lions will win on Saturday, but added he was still a nervous man. “If things had gone wrong last weekend in PE there was still a second chance to make things right at Ellis Park, but after Saturday’s game there will be no more chances.” – The Star
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