The Lions go into tomorrow’s Currie Cup semi-final against the Sharks as the leading try-scoring outfit in the competition and, despite so much being on the line, Johan Ackermann’s team will continue to play an attack-minded game aimed at scoring tries.
So successful have been Ackermann’s men at keeping ball in hand that they’ve picked up a bonus point for scoring four or more tries in a match on no less than seven occasions. In total they’ve run in 44 tries in their 10 games – that is, on average, 4.4 per game.
And, even though a place in the final is at stake at Ellis Park tomorrow, Ackermann says his team won’t revert to a conservative, kicking game in an attempt to get past the Sharks.
“I can’t put these players in a box, they don’t like that,” said Ackermann yesterday when asked if the game plan would change now.
“We haven’t changed anything. These guys want to play rugby, they want to express themselves.”
Ackermann, though, did say his side would have to be smart in managing the game situation. “It’s a semi-final and you have to be a little more calculated in what you do. In the round-robin games you can kick penalties to touch and set up the drive, but in the semis you may decide to take the points when they’re on offer. You probably just have to think a little more about the situation, but I trust Warren (Whiteley) completely and it’ll be up to him to make the calls.”
After losing in the semi-finals last season, coming after not playing in Super Rugby, the Lions have grown into a formidable outfit this year and are now one win away from playing for the big prize in domestic rugby.
Ackermann said he was proud of the way his charges have come on in the last 12 months.
“There’s a calmness now among the players, even when the momentum swings the other way during games ... that’s an area where we’ve grown a lot,” said Ackermann. “It’s down to the guys having experienced the highs and lows of Super Rugby, the fact they’ve grown together this year and believe in each other. And that belief leads to composure and when you’re composed the decision-making is better and I think we’ve made good choices this year.”
It helps that Ackermann has been able to use virtually the same group of players for the Super Rugby competition and now in the Currie Cup.
“Consistency in selection has played a big role in helping us get to where we are now,” said Ackermann.
And again, for tomorrow’s showdown with the Sharks, the Lions coach has been able to pick virtually the same squad that hammered the Cheetahs a week ago. The starting XV is unchanged, but on the bench flanker Kwagga Smith comes in for prop Jacques van Rooyen, giving Ackermann a full loose-trio among his replacements.
“It was a tough decision to leave Jacques out. He’s been in good form and has made a big impact in recent weeks, but I believe our props will get the job done. With the game being played at altitude and if it opens up we can then use the loose-forwards to raise the intensity of the match,” explained Ackermann. Again, the selection is a clear indication the Lions will be out to run the Sharks off their feet and, hopefully, book themselves a place in next week’s final. - The Star