The Lions are targeting a repeat of their finish to last season’s campaign as they go in search of their first play-off in this year’s Super Rugby competition.
Johan Ackermann’s men ended with seven wins and 31 points overall and in 12th position in 2014; but with four games to come this year the Lions are already on seven wins and 31 points giving them hope of finishing inside the top six and featuring in the knockout rounds.
But, for that to happen, they’re going to have to virtually win all their remaining games, starting with the Brumbies at Ellis Park tomorrow, and hope the Bulls and Stormers come undone somewhere along the way.
Ackermann knows he needs a big finish. “We finished well last year after starting with a bang. Bossie (Marnitz Boshoff) won us a few games with the boot and then we got stuck on 16 points in the middle of the competition. But the end was crucial and it saved our season ... we ended with three five-point wins which took us to seven wins overall.
“We’ve now got four games to better that record of last season so if we can end like we did last year it would be great. Hopefully we can repeat that.”
The Lions finished their 2014 run with wins against the Bulls (32-21), Rebels (34-17) and Cheetahs (60-25). After their match tomorrow they still face the Cheetahs (away), Waratahs (home) and Stormers (away).
Ackermann says he’s been pleased with the progress of his team this year.
“Last year we were an unknown factor, but this season we’ve been more consistent as a group. We started slowly, losing those first three games, but the progress has been up and up and we’ve been competitive in every game, even the ones we didn’t win, so the growth has been tremendous.
“It’s great for the guys to get the results on the field, but as long as there’s commitment and effort from the players I’m happy.”
That’s exactly what Ackermann will again be hoping for when the Brumbies visit tomorrow. “What happens from here is not totally in our hands. We’re playing top quality sides and we’re going to take things week by week.
“If we target certain games and a certain number of wins (we might need to finish in the top six) then we’re allowing room for our standards to drop. The fact is if the Bulls and Stormers keep winning we can’t finish at No1 (in the SA Conference). We’re not in control of those sorts of targets, we’re only in control of what happens on Saturday,” said Ackermann.
The good news for the Lions is star back Lionel Mapoe, is fit again and back in the team, albeit on the wing, with Ackermann sticking with the combination that did so well against the Highlanders, Alwyn Hollenbach and Harold Vorster. Faf de Klerk and Elton Jantjies are also back in the starting team, while up front Robert Kruger takes the place of Warwick Tecklenburg and fit-again Martin Muller comes in for Andries Ferreira at lock.
On the bench Jaco van der Walt gets another chance, with Boshoff relegated to the Vodacom Cup side.
For the Brumbies, Matt Toomua is back after more than a month on the sidelines, while loosehead prop Allan Alaakatoa will make his debut. - The Star