Baywatch: Break did us good
9 Mar 2009
Lions captain Baywatch Grobbelaar believes their bye early in the season will pay dividends later in the campaign.
The Lions had a rest this weekend and will complete their fourth and final South African derby in a row when they travel to Newlands to face the Stormers.
The Lions have struggled to build up any rhythm after their opening win over the Cheetahs, as numerous elementary errors have thwarted their progress.
A low-key pre-season that consisted of the solitary friendly against the Bulls, as well as a bye after round three has meant areas such as the lineout remain a weakness, but Grobbelaar is confident results will be seen soon.
“The fixture list was set a while ago and we’ve worked it into our programme,” Grobelaar told keo.co.za. “We’ll take it as it is, and while being the first of two teams to have the bye is not ideal, we have planned for it so that it benefits us later in the season.”
The Lions front a Stormers team also struggling for a victory, and Grobbelaar stressed that the Lions believe they can cause an upset. Their last visit to Cape Town the battle was lost but the war won as the Lions progressed to the Absa Currie Cup semis ahead of Western Province despite a loss.
On that occasion, the Lions were lauded and criticised at the same time for their stifling game-plan, as all they needed was to restrict the hosts to a victory of less than 19 points without the bonus point. This paid off as the Lions only lost 14-6 and they proceeded to the play-offs.
However, coach Loffie Eloff has stated the team needs to win away from home and Grobbelaar says the Lions will be in no defensive mode this Saturday.
“Every game in the Super 14 is crucial to get any log points you can,” said Grobbelaar, “and against the Stormers we will go out to play winning rugby.”
The Lions have opted for an expansive approach no matter what the conditions in this year’s competition, and Grobbelaar says it will be the same against the Stormers.
“We want to implement our game plan and to create mismatches on the outside, give our backs time and space and let them have a go,” he said.
Grobbelaar is wary of underestimating the Stormers’ pack – that has been deemed a weakness – but fronted well against the Bulls despite a 14-10 loss.
“Every team you play you try dominate the set-phases and loose rucks,” he said. “This game won’t be any different to us preparing for the Sharks or Bulls, while the Stormers will also try dominate us, especially at the breakdowns that are so important under the hybrid ELVs.”
Grobbelaar has great admiration for the Stormers’ loose trio – which ever option is chosen. Rassie Erasmus has rotated Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen, Luke Watson and Francois Louw this season, and Grobbelaar understands the dilemma the coach faces of settling on one unit.
“I wouldn’t be able to pick which combination is the best either. All four of them are brilliant and will never let their team down, they all play to each other’s strengths and cover up any weaknesses.”
By Grant Ball
17 Comments
9 Mar 2009, 00:30 am
Grrrrrrr….dragons…
9 Mar 2009, 00:33 am
Hope the Lions beat the Stormers…
9 Mar 2009, 00:39 am
fat chance
9 Mar 2009, 00:43 am
the last time these teams met (in the CC) all the Lions had to do was not loose by too much, now they have to change their mindset. To winnning. The same can be said of the last game of the season in 2008, when it was not a matter of winning for the Stormers, but by how much hey would win.
Nothings changed. And the Lions will know this.
9 Mar 2009, 01:21 am
The Stormers lost 3 games, the Lions 2. At this point in time the Lions has a better chance of reaching a semi final than the Stormers
9 Mar 2009, 01:37 am
#5 dWeePer:
2 out of 3, 3 out of 4… much of a muchness… Stormer’s have a bit too much for the Lions IMO… particularly if they leave Goose-step on the bench maintaining Percy (who kept the Stormers in that Bulls game)… and go with Burger, Louw, Vermeulen and Watson coming on as an impact-utility-link 8… Britz onto the bench with Fourie to counter that rampaging bull that is Wepener… and Bekker stops poaching quality ball off his speedsters particularly Chavanga (4 occasions Bekker poached his ball when a good run was on the cards… just one of those over the try-line… and it would have made for an upset)…
Ah well… Go Lions!
9 Mar 2009, 02:18 am
#6 money_man:
I agree. I kinda feel that they could continue to start with De Waal as well, just to settle the cauldron and pin the opposition back as long as they can, sucking up some drop goals and penalties. Release Grant and Duvenhage in the 30-50th minute.
PSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPS
Warning time. If anybody thinks that Duvenhage’s change sparked some new life into the Stormers, or that he was a better pick, wait for this guy to get on the stage. Conrad Hoffman. Slightly built, but has amazing vision and can hit a gap in ways Joost only dreamt of. Out with injury, but hopefully back in the fold by the end of the Super series and or Currie Cup.
9 Mar 2009, 02:41 am
The break was good because they didn’t loose again. Hope the Lions beat the Stormpies this weekend but I don’t think it’s going to happen. Should be a good match between the kak 2 teams anyway.
9 Mar 2009, 05:19 am
#6 money_man: Bekker has been doing it for a season and a half now and a number of weepee punters are singing his praises for it, whats the chances of him changing all of a sudden!
9 Mar 2009, 06:50 am
Brits’s days as first choice hooker should be over, Fourie was outstanding and he actually plays like a hooker.
Watson and Verneulen are the form loosies.
Duvenhage totally outplayed Januarie.
9 Mar 2009, 08:13 am
#10 Loosehead:
Agree! He played hooker and not centre!!
9 Mar 2009, 08:15 am
#10 Loosehead: Fourie proved that it’s better to run straight through a gap than to sidestep yourself into confusion.
9 Mar 2009, 08:22 am
#10 Loosehead:
Couldn’t agree more, Duvenhage’s service from the back of the scrum was about twice as fast as Januarie’s.
I agree on your assessment regarding Brits and Fourie. I can only wish that the Stormers had managed to retain Tiaan Liebenberg and Ross Skeate.
9 Mar 2009, 08:30 am
Fourie was the outstanding hooker in my opinion and Watson was the form loosie of the match.Someone teach Spies how to tackle please!
9 Mar 2009, 08:41 am
#13 WP Till I Die: The thing is that individually Januarie, Brits and Bekker are very very good rugby players. It is just that they are not good in their positions.
Januarie can’t pass, he has to step first, the pass is slow and inaccurate.
Brits is too small to scrum at hooker, and he plays on the wing / centre too much. His throwing in is good.
Bekker can jump in the lineout, but also spends too much time in the backline.
But they all have good skills and workrate etc..
9 Mar 2009, 13:49 pm
Heart wishes Lions, head and wallet say Stormers by 10
9 Mar 2009, 16:25 pm
#8 njbulls: Ai man…hoeko moet sommige van julle Bulle altyd stir met sulke ‘kak’ comments…en dan se julle ons Stormers het groot bekke
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