Lions boss Johan Ackermann has told his bench-sitters he wants more from them when his team host the Southern Kings at Ellis Park Friday night.
The Lions need five log points to keep alive their chances of finishing the regular Super Rugby season top of the log.
If they do that, they will host a home semi-final and final - if they get so far in the competition.
They have already secured a home quarter-final, with two matches to play against the Kings and Jaguares (next Saturday).
Last weekend, against the Sharks, the Lions dominated the contest and were comfortably placed at 37-0 up after 60 minutes, but the Sharks hit back in the final 20 minutes, scoring two tries and not giving the Lions a further point.
It coincided with the Lions’ bench-sitters going on to the field - a new front row in the 56th minute and the other replacements in the 60th and 70th minutes, respectively.
Ackermann was irked by the drop in standards as he knows just how important a role his replacements will play in the coming weeks - many of the Lions’ first choice players played a big role from off the bench in helping the Springboks get up against Ireland in the three-Test series last month.
Already he is considering using a number of them to start against the Jaguares in Beunos Aires.
“I suppose the one negative (from the Sharks game last Saturday) is that we stopped playing after 50 minutes,” said Ackermann, ahead of tomorrow’s clash.
“We’re not always going to have that luxury (to be 37-0 up), so the challenge is for the whole 23-man squad to keep the intensity up and to be accurate for 80 minutes.
“It’s the responsibility of the bench to keep the standards up and we let ourselves down in that regard.
“We’ve gone through what happened and those players have learned a lesson but they know they must up it now.”
Ackermann though, while irked his players failed to finish strongly against the Sharks, isn’t all that upset; knowing there are bigger assignments ahead.
“In a way I don’t mind that much if we keep winning and don’t play for the full 80 ... because we don’t want to play the perfect game now. That’s for later,” he chuckled.
The good news for the Lions is that the benchwarmers from last weekend, and for tomorrow’s match - Akker van der Merwe, Corne Fourie, Jacques van Rooyen, Lourens Erasmus, Cyle Brink, Ross Cronje, Howard Mnisi and Sylvian Mahuza - have all started games this season and have huge game-changing potential.
Added to that, impressive utility back Jaco van der Walt, who got injured just before the international break, is close to returning for the Lions.
“Jaco will play 20 to 30 minutes for the Currie Cup team this weekend and then he’ll be up for selection for us next week,” confirmed Ackermann.
Hooker Robbie Coetzee, though, is unlikely to play any Super Rugby this year, along with other long-term injury casualties Harold Vorster and Ruan Dreyer. - The Star