Lions seek strength in numbers

Lions seek strength in numbers

4 Feb 2008

Loffie Eloff will take a group of 30 to Durban for the Lions’ final warm-up before the Super 14.

The Lions coach said he was happy with recent game in Windhoek and will look to perfect the team structures when they play in the Shark Tank on Wednesday. Once again, the scoreline will be of little concern to the Johannesburg franchise.

Captain Ernst Joubert and No 8 Willem Alberts were injured in Saturday’s match-up with the Bulls, but Eloff is confident they will both be fit for the first Super 14 match against the Cheetahs. The final results of the medical tests will be in on Tuesday, but Eloff told this website the ailments are not as bad as first feared.

Lock Willem Stoltz, who has returned from Agen in France, will start this match. Stoltz’s performance in this game will depend on whether he makes the final Super 14 squad, which will be announced on Thursday.

Meanwhile, it was announced on Monday the Lions have secured a sponsorship from Auto & General for more than R30million over the next three years. There is a performance clause attached to the sponsorship, and incentive bonuses also form part of deal.

Lions: 15 Michael Killian, 14 Wigan Pekeur, 13 Jaco van Schalkwyk, 12 Thabang Molefe, 11 Heini Gordon, 10 Earl Rose, 9 Chris Jonck, 8 RW Kember, 7 Franco van der Merwe, 6 Wilhelm Koch, 5 Willem Stoltz, 4 Cobus Grobler, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Gavin Williamson, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Replacements (from): Heinke van der Merwe, Ashton Constant, Eugene Maqwelana, Alten Hulme, Roland Bernard, Cobus Grobbelaar, Jano Vermaak, Louis Strydom, Rayno Benjamin, Walter Venter, Doppies la Grange, Jaco Pretorius, Dusty Noble, Louis Ludik.


19 Comments

  • 1.JL1: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 01:25 am

    How ironic

    Auto and General sponsors and Loffie takes insurance with him by taking 30 players

  • 2.Katsesnor: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 05:39 am

    Is there any thruth to the rumour that Lions supporters will get free insurance from A&G for damage to property caused by anger and frustration? :-)

  • 3.Tinus: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 06:09 am

    30 Lions vs 15 Sharks! Might be a close game after all! But the score line doesn’t matter, ala Loffie!

  • 4.Tinus: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 06:36 am

    My dear Loffie…

    I rate you highly as a coach, but can you please explain to me why Marsmannetjie, Earl Rose, is even considered for a 30 man squad? He is small, weak, slow, cant tackle… Why?

  • 5.Koos: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 07:03 am

    Every team has one Tinus, Lions have Earl, Stormers have Looke, Bulls have Bakkies…

  • 6.kevin w: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 07:33 am

    Performance clause … ouch! What is it – don’t get wooden spoon in year 1; don’t come second last in year 2; and try be in top 10 in year 3!

    See the Lions have bought EP’s 8,9,10 combination from last year (although Killian played more at fullback than flyhalf).

  • 7.Supa Die Bloubul: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 07:40 am

    Met n tingerige maergat soos Earl Rose sal hulle maar versekring moet uitneem…

  • 8.walter: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 07:55 am

    #4 Tinus, I’m also not a Earl Rose fan, but he did have an impact in the CC final last year, our backline looked much better when he came on in that game. Same thing happened in last Thursday’s match against the Bulls, he was our best player on the park.

  • 9.Tacitus: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 08:37 am

    What rational businessman on EARTH would sponsor the Lions for R30 million?

    Market analysis has shown that the Lions have by far the smallest supporter base of the big unions – with the possible exception of the Cheetahs.

    And their performance record hardly justifies such a huge investment from the private sector.

    If I was in charge of Auto and General, I’d consider this to be an extremely bad investment. Of course, if the MD of A&G is a Lions fan, that might explain it.

    For comparative purposes, does anyone know the approximate size of the sponsorships of teams like the Bulls and Sharks?

    If the Lions can get R30 million, then surely the Sharks can get R60 million, and the Bulls R100 million.

  • 10.walter: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 08:54 am

    #9 Wat is nou eintlik jou punt?

  • 11.katman: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 09:33 am

    9 – But you’re not in charge of Auto & General, are you? And I can’t imagine you were ever really in the running.

    To control a R30mil sponsorship budget requires foresight – spotting who’s on the up and who’s heading south. It also requires an eye for the marketable – even if the Bulls managed to overcome their early season obstacles, they’re still a remarkably unsexy marketing proposition.

  • 12.Davaro: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 09:34 am

    #9

    You clearly know nothing about business.

    Sponsership is about BRANDING and TV EXPOSURE.

    All teams get equal coverage so from a branding perspective it really makes little difference who wears that branding.

    In this instance however, the sponsers main client base is in Gauteng so it makes sense to brand the team that represents the client base majority.

    But coming from you and who you support, I doubt you would understand that…

  • 13.bluebarb: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 11:11 am

    lol #12!

  • 14.bluebarb: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 11:15 am

    #9, 10, 11, 12. If I was in charge of First For Women Insurance, I’d sponsor the Stormers.

    seriously, we all have some sort of insurance. doesnt it just warm the cockles of your heart that they make so much money off our premiums that they can throw R30 bar at a rugby team, but wont pay you out when your house gets broken into.

    or pay you well below what the value of your stolen property actually was..

  • 15.katman: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 11:54 am

    Well, I can either help my team out by donating money to them. Or I can donate the money via the insurance company and stand the chance of getting something back when I’m burgled.

  • 16.emiel: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 12:20 pm

    If this is the “depth” of the Lions this year, I foresee trouble for them later this season. They don’t seem to have learned from last years campaign. Their depth at tighthead is non existent while their outside backs or pretty average.

  • 17.alf: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 15:03 pm

    Ek hou van Loffie se plan. Die eerste helfte speel hy met sy B span. Die Haaie is 30-0 voor tydens halftyd en dan dink hulle hul gaan die S14 en CB wen in 2008 … en begin te choke … Heinke kom op en die game is verby.

    eindtelling: 30-33 vir Lions ! :-)

  • 18.Katsesnor: Reply to this comment
    5 Feb 2008, 15:43 pm

    #9, The Lions will be getting R 10 000 000 a year. How much will players like Habana and Bakkies get per year? Then consider what the likes of Matfield gets in France. Perspective always helps.

  • 19.kevin w: Reply to this comment
    6 Feb 2008, 08:05 am

    Lions will come last this year i reckon… and Loffie will still be building and not worrying about results in 2009.

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

Have your say

You must be logged in to post a comment.