Lions need to be clinical

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - FEBRUARY 13: Howard Mnisi of the Lions gets tackled during the Super Rugby match between Emirates Lions and Hurricanes at Emirates Airline Park on February 13, 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Duif du Toit/Gallo Images)

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - FEBRUARY 13: Howard Mnisi of the Lions gets tackled during the Super Rugby match between Emirates Lions and Hurricanes at Emirates Airline Park on February 13, 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Duif du Toit/Gallo Images)

Published Feb 19, 2015

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The Sharks must prepare themselves for a smarter Lions team when Johan Ackermann takes his charges to Durban for a round two Super Rugby match this weekend.

The Lions trumped the Hurricanes in virtually every statistic in their first round tie last weekend, except on the scoreboard, and it cost them a defeat. So while Ackermann and Co aren’t concerned about their performance so early in the competition, they are hoping for a more clinical and street-wise showing against the Sharks.

On Saturday they’ll expect to convert their chances – be they kicks at goal or try-scoring opportunities. “We did all the playing, except score the points,” said Ackermann after the Hurricanes defeat. “Our execution just has to be better ... but that’s in our hands now.”

Having now had the ‘wake-up call’, the Lions know what’s required of them to turn their dominance into points, and ultimately a win. “We didn’t do badly (last weekend); the game plan worked and we created opportunities ... we simply didn’t convert,” said flank Jaco Kriel.

Centre Howard Mnisi, who’s forged a quite formidable midfield partnership with Lionel Mapoe, agrees. He said in the build-up to Saturday’s match against the Sharks he’s “content” with his side’s showing a week ago, but that the players now have to “rectify the things that went wrong against the Hurricanes.

“We maybe weren’t switched on enough when it came down to our execution,” said the 25-year-old, who’ll be up against many of his former teammates, having spent his junior rugby days in Durban.

“I think we were a bit panicky in certain areas of the field last week and we just have to make sure we’re more spot on the next time we take the field.”

He added: “It’s a matter of being smarter about how we go about playing our game.”

Indeed, Ackermann will be hoping his players make the right calls on the field and execute their plays better than last Saturday, but he’ll also be praying that whoever is tasked with kicking at goal is in good form. The Lions squandered several kicks at the posts last Saturday – something that contributed to their defeat – but Kriel said it’s unfair to single out one player for the loss, namely flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff.

“We’re never going to blame one person for what happens on the field. Everyone makes mistakes ... some guys lose their line-outs, others drop the ball, it’s just that the kicker always has the spotlight on him,” said Kriel.

“We’re all brothers in this Lions team; we stick together and never blame one guy. We win and lose as a team.”

Ackermann will name his line-up today for the trip to Durban and it’ll be interesting to see if he sticks with Boshoff at No10 or opts for Elton Jantjies, who sat on the bench last Saturday. - The Star

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