Lions looking more professional
24 Jul 2009
Golden Lions scrumhalf Jano Vermaak has lauded Jake White’s involvement at the union.
White’s Winning Way company recently completed an audit, which found that the players were operating in an unprofessional environment. White and his team of experts are now consulting for the Lions in a bid to restore the side to their former glory.
‘The players are happy about the changes Jake has made and everything seems more professional under the new coach [Hans Coetzee],’ Vermaak told keo.co.za.
‘The spirit is definitely high, especially after the comeback win against the Cheetahs last weekend. We can see how we have improved.’
After the Lions’ dismal Super 14 campaign, former Bok conditioning coach Derik Coetzee conducted fitness tests on the players and the results were shocking (see the latest issue of SA Rugby magazine). Since then, a lot of focus has been put on conditioning.
‘We’ve been working hard in the gym to improve our fitness,’ said Vermaak. ‘We want to be at the top level, and we must be physically fit to get there.’
The Lions have made a decent start to their Currie Cup campaign, losing to the Blue Bulls at Loftus before beating the Cheetahs at Ellis Park. On Saturday, they will have an easier assignment against the Leopards, who have lost to Boland and Griquas.
However, Vermaak doesn’t expect them to be walkovers at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg.
‘They will definitely come out firing,’ he said. ‘Some of their players played for the Lions in the Super 14, so they would love to get a win over us.’
By Gareth Duncan
21 Comments
24 Jul 2009, 00:39 am
White Dragonz
24 Jul 2009, 02:44 am
jake shows the welpies the winning ways that he learnt from eddie
24 Jul 2009, 04:23 am
There is a tendency for a lot of people on this site to be critical of White. But the fact of the matter is that he knows what makesa rugby team run well. He knows what standards to set, and what is a deal breaker. I guess we could see that (well some of us could) from the way he fixed the Boks in a year…
And from the stories I have heard about Loffie (not confirmed mind you) it sounds like he was exactly the wrong person to try and fix it, him being as unprofessiopnal as the rest. Maybe thats why he was hired in the first place?
It will be nice to see the Lions not beinga walking bonus pointer for other teams in the S14. Now Cheetahs and WP must just get their acts together. Similar clean outs are WWWAAAAAAAAYY overdue.
24 Jul 2009, 04:42 am
ja be lekker to see the lions do well in a super 14
24 Jul 2009, 06:39 am
#3 SjamBok: Cheetahs just need to keep their players.
24 Jul 2009, 06:43 am
#5 Loosehead: But first they need a new coach! Will we ever get rid of Naka?
24 Jul 2009, 09:01 am
The life of a Lions supporter is getting better. There’s real hope now. It’s exciting times. Nothing beats the story of a knocked-down sports team standing up and fighting back … and winning … the stuff movies are made of. There are many examples of this, one being the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2008 US baseball season.
24 Jul 2009, 09:17 am
Surely Skoppie knows more about this than the Boks, IRB, and now Lions players, and he says Jake White is useless!
Its difficult to find the truth here.
24 Jul 2009, 09:23 am
Dont you know Skoppie knows EVERYTHING
24 Jul 2009, 09:59 am
White is a very good rugby coach, always has been, its his opportunism that does not bode well for lions supporters, but as far as mercs go, he’s even higher quality than judas jones himself.
24 Jul 2009, 10:32 am
Skopskiet will be brewing dark “soul energies” after reading this.
24 Jul 2009, 11:22 am
Dis mos nou die nuus wat ons vaalpense wil ****.
Sien de Klerk en Jardine het bymekaar gekom en besluit dat die unie nie nou ook nog n bakleiery nodig het oor wie die unie gan bestuur nie.
Jardine het besluit om te onttrek en dit beteken de Klerk gan die nuwe President wees.
24 Jul 2009, 11:31 am
Hopefully WP will see the benefits and bring him in.
It’s an old joke,but still good:
WP will be removing the grass at Newlands and laying down rolls of newsprint instead, because they’re always the best team on paper.
24 Jul 2009, 11:50 am
Jaque en Wynand WP toe?
Jul 23 2009 08:02:18:870PM – (SA)
STEPHEN NELL
BLOEMFONTEIN
Jaque Fourie en Wynand Olivier kan straks die Stormers se senter-kombinasie in aanstaande jaar se Super14-rugbyreeks wees.
Sport24 het gister betroubaar verneem Fourie gaan sy rug op die Goue Leeus en die Franse klub Clermont se miljoene keer en eerder by die Westelike Provinsie aansluit.
Ofskoon Fourie ’n kontrak met die Leeus tot die einde van aanstaande jaar het, dui alles daarop dat dit nie afdwingbaar is nie, wat die skuif Kaap toe moontlik sal maak.
Dit kan op ’n dispuut uitloop, maar die WP het voorheen al ’n soortgelyke onderonsie met die Leeus oor die dienste van die Springbok-stut Brian Mujati gewen.
Die Stormers se afrigter, Rassie Erasmus, wil die Blou Bulle se Wynand Olivier blykbaar aanstaande jaar saam met Fourie in die middelveld inspan.
Daar was sprake dat Olivier na die Noordelike Halfrond sou verhuis. Jean de Villiers se besluit om sy loopbaan by die Ierse streekspan Munster voort te sit sal egter vir Olivier die kans gee om hom aanstaande jaar as Suid-Afrika se voorste binnesenter te vestig.
Vir Olivier sal dit ideaal wees om met Fourie te kombineer. Fourie het hom vanjaar as Suid-Afrika se top-buitesenter gevestig en gister ook in die Rosestad gesê hy beskou homself as die beste nr. 13 ter wêreld.
Munster het die afgelope week Sport24 se berigte oor De Villiers se skuif soontoe bevestig.
Ofskoon De Villiers ’n yslike verlies is, is die kanse goed dat die WP hom met die twee Springbok-senters sal vervang.
Die Blou Bulle en Sharks is ook op Fourie se spoor, maar die WP het glo die resies gewen.
Fourie se agent, Peet van Zyl, het gister bevestig daar is ’n sterk moontlikheid dat Fourie sy heil elders as by die Leeus in Suid-Afrika sal soek.
“Daar is al oor bedrae met die WP gepraat,” het Van Zyl gesê.
Na verneem word het die onstuimige tye wat die Leeus die afgelope paar maande beleef het ’n rol in Fourie se besluit gespeel. Hy het goed met die afgedankte Super14-breier, Eugene Eloff, oor die weg gekom.
“Dis dalk ’n geval dat dit tyd vir ’n verandering is om sy loopbaan nuwe momentum te gee,” is deur ’n bron na aan Fourie gesê.
Fourie het gister hier gesê hy sal verkies om in Suid-Afrika te bly eerder as om sy loopbaan in Frankryk voort te sit.
SA Rugby het hom reeds ’n kontrak tot ná die Wêreldbeker-toernooi in 2011 aangebied. Dít, tesame met sy provinsiale kontrak, sal dit vir hom die moeite werd maak om in Suid-Afrika te bly.
24 Jul 2009, 12:39 pm
mmmm I thought you said it`s only the Sharks who buy their players BAHAHAHA!!!
It`ll be nice to have Fourie in CT, not so sure about that other fellow . .
24 Jul 2009, 13:02 pm
WP looking to buy backs! Now that’s a surprise! Ever heard of the tight five?
24 Jul 2009, 14:55 pm
Whatever. The Lions had Fourie for so many years and they won nothing. It’s not about one player. It’s about a team … a professional team setup which the Lions now have. If Fourie stays it’s good, and if he walks it’s okay. The money he now wants can be used to pay three others, and depth is what the Lions now need. Not a train smash.
WP believes forming a winning team is a cut-n-paste job. Where’s the previous cut-n-paste job – Mujati – now? I much rather build a team than paste one together.
24 Jul 2009, 15:19 pm
Oh yes, there’s more cut-n-paste jobs out of the Lions team roster that should have formed a winning WP team, Brits, Jantjes, Januarie, Big Joe, Human, but didn’t. The Mujati case was a disgrace and what has WP to show for it? Holding onto something ill gained is hell and I hope Fourie is not going to play along as Mujati did. Now is not the time to leave the Lions.
25 Jul 2009, 14:05 pm
Looks like Eddie Jones’ Winning Ways is making a lasting impression at the Lions. Well done Eddie.
1 Aug 2009, 06:34 am
Keo, your mobile site is still bad
really.bad
Congrats to Hawks Bay. They can replace the Blues no.
This mobile site is just stupid
1 Aug 2009, 06:39 am
Hawks Bay 47 – 13 Auckland
… and I have sound!
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