Winning must define Mitch’s mongrels
3 Feb 2012
MARK KEOHANE, writing in SA Rugby magazine, says it’s time for the Lions to deliver in Super Rugby.
John Mitchell’s Lions deserved their 2011 Currie Cup success, but it is their 2012 Super Rugby campaign that will prove more telling. And it has to be a results-driven one.
Putting in good performances is no longer good enough. Playing good rugby is also not good enough. Winning in 2012 is what has to define the Lions.
Mitchell’s mongrels (said with great affection) are no longer a young squad. This will be their fourth tournament campaign with Mitchell and for all the heroics of their domestic high, the road to the play-offs was made easier because of the World Cup. The Lions, it cannot be ignored, were not affected by national call-ups. There was no disruption from the Super Rugby tournament into the Currie Cup. No other team had such a luxury.
Mitchell’s side struggled in Super Rugby in 2011 because of poor decision-making, inexperience and an inability to translate good intentions into victories.
For every good performance there was the converse a week later. Many of the results were defeats by less than seven points, but that should never be the measurement of a team with any aspiration. To win you only need one more point than your opponent. Those who beat the Lions may feel they won with something to spare.
Lions president Kevin de Klerk has spoken glowingly of Mitchell and his influence at the union. De Klerk said he never stopped believing in the New Zealander and never doubted for a moment that he could transform a team – mocked as circus Lions – into something a bit more intimidating.
The euphoria among the Lions players, management, administration and supporters was understandable after the Currie Cup final win against the Sharks. But the reality of the Lions is that until they deliver a winning Super Rugby season little will have changed.
I am not suggesting they have to win the tournament, but the expectation has to be a top-six – and play-off – finish. The Currie Cup is a feeder competition to Super Rugby. The strength of a team is what they do in Super Rugby and not the Currie Cup.
There is no escaping this reality and the only way to give the Currie Cup success of 2011 credibility is for those same players to win more than they lose against Australia, New Zealand and South Africa’s best. This will also be an important season for Mitchell, who has a reputation for being able to fix a team but not always deliver champions.
I don’t think the Lions have a good enough squad to win the Super Rugby title, so it would be unfair to demand of Mitchell to add it to their Currie Cup crown, but if the hype of dominating a watered down Currie Cup tournament is to be accepted as an accurate reflection of their strength, they can’t be excused a season in which they finish in the bottom three and claim the odd victory.
The Lions in 2011 were the good-news story of South African rugby, more so because it allowed everyone to forget the Springboks’ Tri-Nations and World Cup disasters, in which the Boks finished last in the former and equalled their worst-ever performance at the latter.
The Lions can’t afford to be an illusion similar to the Boks of 2011. There has been no internal analysis of where the Boks went wrong in 2011. There has simply been a collective belief that the Boks were done a dirty by a New Zealand referee.
There has to be a bit more realism attached to the story of the Lions and there are still questions that have to be answered. We’ll get that in the 2012 Super Rugby tournament.
What we will also get is the return of the Bulls. I’m backing them to be the South African team to beat, which doesn’t excuse the Lions finishing outside the top six.
– This column first appeared in the Jan-Feb issue of SA Rugby magazine. The March issue is on sale from 15 February. Click here to subscribe to the print or digital edition.
127 Comments
3 Feb 2012, 12:35 pm
The Dragon Mitch:
- No longer required in Britannia.
- Will never get another Pro- Coaching role in NZ.
- Will never get another Pro-Coaching role in Aus.
Saviour of the Joburg Prawns………………………………………….Yeah Right.
3 Feb 2012, 12:50 pm
Lions lost 5 games by 7 or less. (and a draw)
Cheetahs 7 games by 7 or less.
Cheetahs also won 2 more games then the Lions did…
So turn those losses (and a draw) into wins, and you’ve got a mid-table Lions, while the Cheetahs are up there competing for top of the table.
Obvious who needs to be dropped if they must find a place for the Kings.
3 Feb 2012, 12:52 pm
“but the expectation has to be a top-six – and play-off – finish”
Setting their sights a bit high, don’t you think?
Goals have to be realistic… otherwise they’re not worth setting.
3 Feb 2012, 12:53 pm
No Keo. A mid-table finish would be a vast improvement. Going for a top 6 spot is pushing the boundaries of creduality. A top six finish should be the long-term aim, not this year’s.
3 Feb 2012, 12:53 pm
@hendrikp-3: He is setting the Lions up for failure.
3 Feb 2012, 12:59 pm
I’m backing them to be the South African team to beat, which doesn’t excuse the Lions finishing outside the top six.
Must be high on something.
Top 8 finish for them will be great.
3 Feb 2012, 13:01 pm
Keo, one of your more sober articles. Keep it up and stay away from Crystal Meth.
It is time for the Lions to deliver, finishing last in the SA conference is not an option.
Know this these Lions will go down fighting – their careers are on the line.
3 Feb 2012, 13:07 pm
@PissAnt-6:
For the Bulls?
I think Keo is on to something, the Bulls will be very good IMO.
Still reckon the Stormers will finish the top SA side, but that all our sides – except for the Lions – will have very good years, including the Cheetahs.
True measure will be South Africa’s record versus the Australian & NZ conferences, which I think will be very good.
3 Feb 2012, 13:08 pm
Mitch’s mongrels.
Redpussy springs to mind.
Three legged brak with mange and a lazy eye.
3 Feb 2012, 13:12 pm
It ?s go?ng to be a tough season ?n the SA conference, w?th depth as cruc?al as always (the Cheetahs downfall over the years). How the yo?ngsters com?ng throw adapt to superrugby can determ?ne the success or not of the L?ons and Cheetahs
3 Feb 2012, 13:12 pm
@hendrikp-3: nonsense. Aim for the sun and you may hit the moon.
3 Feb 2012, 13:15 pm
Bulls will be boosted by Matfield’s return halfway through the season. I saw the carefull way in which he answered Pearce’s direct questions about his possible return on Boots and F’all last night…
3 Feb 2012, 13:15 pm
@scar-10: dyslexia? …… but I get the jist of the message. Quite right, Cheetahs have good depth this year and so too for Mitch’s mongrels.
3 Feb 2012, 13:17 pm
@Tacitus-12: Hahaha, you’re a comedian!
3 Feb 2012, 13:19 pm
@RL-13: weird – the I and the ? aren’t even close on the keyboard
3 Feb 2012, 13:19 pm
Come on, keo. So the team that finished last has to make the play-offs the next year or else they are a failure? Jeez, your parents must have driven you hard.
3 Feb 2012, 13:24 pm
Top 8 will be a great achievement for the current Lions squad. The year after a top 6 finish can be a realistic goal.
3 Feb 2012, 13:26 pm
@>^..^< katman-16: Well, they drove over him
3 Feb 2012, 13:27 pm
@>^..^< katman-16: They put an anvil on his head. “Grow young man! Grow!” We know how that one turned out
3 Feb 2012, 13:31 pm
@trupisero-19: Saulsa45 won’t help either
3 Feb 2012, 13:36 pm
Keo was the BabyJesus in his school Nativity play 5 years in a row.
He is an overachiever.
3 Feb 2012, 13:38 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-21: Which may not sound all that impressive. But consider that those 5 years were standard 6 to matric…
3 Feb 2012, 13:43 pm
@>^..^< katman-22: or just matric.
3 Feb 2012, 13:48 pm
@trupisero-23: Now now let’s not do a Percy Monty on him by presuming he failed Matric. Failed the height entrance requirements to the army and police force, maybe.
3 Feb 2012, 13:48 pm
Ahhhh matric.
The best years of keos life.
3 Feb 2012, 13:53 pm
@Michael-24: lol….Its a fact that 6 out of 7 dwarfs aren’t happy
3 Feb 2012, 13:56 pm
The Lions can’t and won’t deliver sh yt, this is the real stuff not that funny Cup played when the top class players are gone. I said it at the time and will say it again, that domestic cup played during the RWC and the Tri-Nations shouldn’t be called the Currie Cup, it should be renamed a Challenge Cup.
3 Feb 2012, 13:56 pm
@trupisero-26: Poor Keo, always trying to reach for the top.
3 Feb 2012, 13:57 pm
@XhosaKid-27: No one listened to you back then either.
3 Feb 2012, 14:06 pm
@>^..^< katman-29: But you will when the Lions end bottom of Super Rugby, that drubbing by the Stormers is exactly what is going to happen to the Lions for the entire competition. The Lions are rubbish
3 Feb 2012, 14:06 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-9: you think capo will switch to being a lions supporter with this news of “mongrels” at ellis park.
3 Feb 2012, 14:07 pm
@XhosaKid-27: hey don’t come and be unncecessary here…
3 Feb 2012, 14:11 pm
I see xhosakid is still licking his wounds.
3 Feb 2012, 14:11 pm
@XhosaKid-27:
Irrespective of the Lions opposition during Currie Cup 2011, they played a good brand of rugby.
3 Feb 2012, 14:12 pm
@XhosaKid-30:
Take it easy…
I doubt the Lions will finish last anyway… that will go to one of the Hurricanes or Rebels… or maybe even the Highlanders or Western Force. At a push maybe even the Brumbies.
3 Feb 2012, 14:12 pm
Capo has always preferred dogs to pussycats.
3 Feb 2012, 14:12 pm
@Transformation-31:
Coca-Cola Park.
3 Feb 2012, 14:18 pm
@Jeraldjay-34: They played a good brand of rugby against who?, you are f urken kidding me !!!!, a full strength Bulls, Stormers and Sharks playing together without an interruption from Super rugby pre-season right through to September would do the same against depleted, disrupted teams with to players out of the competition for Tr-Nations and RWC preparation, its no “rock science”.
The Lions are rubbish and will continue to be exposed as such, rubbish!!!
3 Feb 2012, 14:19 pm
@hendrikp-35: They will be last in the SA Conference. They won’t beat even the rebuilding Bulls
3 Feb 2012, 14:23 pm
@XhosaKid-38:
Did you actually watch any of the Lions games during the Currie Cup last year?
Taute, Jantjies, Minnie, Strauss, etc. were outstanding and all these players will be at the top of HM’s mind when he selects the Boks for 2012.
3 Feb 2012, 14:24 pm
Bryce was ‘the final straw’ Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:43
There will be additional focus on the breakdown when the Super Rugby season gets underway later this month and it is being blamed on a referee.
Lions forwards coach Johan Ackermann said the breakdowns would be strictly refereed, following Kiwi referee Bryce Lawrence’s controversial handling of this aspect in the Springboks’ defeat to Australia in last year’s World Cup quarterfinal.
“That was apparently the final straw and referees were told to improve the control of the breakdowns,” Ackermann said.
Assistant referees at Super Rugby level would also be called upon to monitor the offside lines at the ruck and maul and infringements close to the touchline.
The Lions’ assistant coach said the offside line would receive greater attention from referees during this Super Rugby competition.
This year could be a deciding one for the future of the scrums as teams have been warned to straighten up this area of the game.
It is understood that referees have been told to reduce the amounts of restarts by 20 per cent or radical changes could be introduced which would change this facet of the game.
3 Feb 2012, 14:24 pm
Vok lemme duck before bullets start flying.
3 Feb 2012, 14:25 pm
katman v xhosakid
Round 1
3 Feb 2012, 14:27 pm
I was Mother Mary in Primary school Nativity Play.
Joseph was my first crush. 6 years old we were.
3 Feb 2012, 14:29 pm
@RL-41: Very worrying if the powers that be want to reduce the number of re-starts by 20%…… What is so bad about scrums and lineouts? Further proof that the Aussies want to turn the sport into rugby league….
3 Feb 2012, 14:33 pm
@Dawn-43: Nah, not worth it. Life’s too short to get involved in pissing contests with kids who make absolute predictions based on reading their morning pee foam in the toilet bowl. I’ll just wait for him to show up later in the competition and rub his wet nose in it.
3 Feb 2012, 15:12 pm
@Jeraldjay-40: Not a single Lions player is going to become a Springbok this year, I’m amazed how gullible people are, the Lions are rubbish won a CC when the Boks were out since the Tri-Nations right up until the quarters of the RWC.
3 Feb 2012, 15:14 pm
@XhosaKid-47: not even Taute?
3 Feb 2012, 15:17 pm
@>^..^< katman-46: The drubbing against the Stormers was just a dress rehearsal of whats coming when the big boys are playing, do you honestly think the lions who were well beaten by full strength Super teams suddenly became invincible during the same period the top guns were gone is just a coincidenced???.
Get real. Just watch this space, the excuses are already lined up, you guys will be blaming injuries to “key” players, “key” my behind, what is “key” about provincial journeymen. Dont make me laugh.
3 Feb 2012, 15:18 pm
@Transformation-48: Taute? ahead of who?
3 Feb 2012, 15:24 pm
@XhosaKid-50:
Good point.
I think they can still get some value from CJ van der Linde… not many quality tightheads in South Africa, and when he’s near his best he’s far and away the best in the country.
The rest have got no hope. Sad for Taute, but again, he doesn’t play Heyneke Meyer type rugby. He’ll need to switch to centre if he wants a hope of playing Bok rugby IMO.
3 Feb 2012, 15:28 pm
I think it would be extremely unfair on the Lions and Cheetahs if any one of these sides were to be left out of this competition because another team is being brought in to appease who ever, they did not win the competition the were playing in last year, what are they bring that the other teams do not have.
Also what happens to all the players that are contracted to these unions and I am sure these unions also have other financial obligations that they have signed, does every thing just become null and void, and it was a stupid move making the announcement before talking to our sanzar partners when they have not agreed on it yet, frankly I think it makes us look like we have a sense of entitlement.
3 Feb 2012, 15:34 pm
I must be honest.
I think they are seriously counting on the Lions going under. They are getting the Guma group to do their dirty work for them.
Torpedoing the Lions in court, rather than on the playing field.
3 Feb 2012, 15:35 pm
@Tacitus-53:
Aren’t you always honest
3 Feb 2012, 15:37 pm
He was like this when the Bulls cleaned his preciousness pipes at Orlando stadium 2 years ago.
3 Feb 2012, 15:38 pm
@Dawn-54:
Hehe.
3 Feb 2012, 15:39 pm
@Tacitus-53: Devious, well I hope the Iions pull through, they have been around a long time and have contributed a lot to our game over the years.
3 Feb 2012, 15:40 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-55:
Who was like what?
3 Feb 2012, 15:44 pm
Tac are you saying that Gummy Bear is an agent of Saru?
Or maybe Government has offered to forgive him for the clusterfucksodomyfestival that was his attempt at a database for home affairs?
We won’t sue you for billions of Gunther’s hard earned tax rands if you give the lions one between the eyes?
What price the broederbond now?
3 Feb 2012, 15:47 pm
@Tacitus-53:
It’s a possibility many believe in, however J’burg is the biggest economic metropolitan in SA, its wealth and might cannot be taken away and replaced by the economically stagnant PE that easily.
They’ll have to take care of Jonker and Joubert, who in all likelyhood might be entrusted by SARU to bring down the Lions, maybe by pulling Piety v Zyl out of retirement?
And they have the altitude and the scary Ellis Park on their side vs the overseas teams!
3 Feb 2012, 15:47 pm
@Dawn-54: no he is Franky Two-Fingers but today he is trying to switch it up and be Honest.
we don’t believe him.
3 Feb 2012, 15:51 pm
Xhosepipe
3 Feb 2012, 15:52 pm
@Hondo-60: read carefully on the other page, the Lions, even in so-called economic capital of SA have been a financial failure and you can’t blame that on black people unfortunately
they haven’t paid their franchise partners close to R6 million, is that SARU’s fault?
3 Feb 2012, 15:54 pm
@Tacitus-53:
One of the major arguments against the Kings has been that their administration and finances were in a mess. For the last few years any rating agency would have relegated the Lions to junk bond status as well.
Let’s face it, when the Lions bid for a franchise it also included a financial motivation as well and projections that have proven hopelessly misguided. In other words, they haven’t delivered on what they originally promised in order to get the Franchise.
I doubt whether the down hill slope they’re on will stop without a significant amount of recapitalisation. As it stands, their top young players, as in the past, will continue to be siphoned off the more successful and wealthier unions
I’ve got nothing against the Lions, but including them in a new franchise with the Bulls under a new joint identity, would be the best for SA rugby.
3 Feb 2012, 15:56 pm
@Treehugger-57:
They’ve been around for all of 6 years. Don’t confuse the Lions Franchise with the GLRU.
3 Feb 2012, 15:57 pm
@Hondo-60:
Look, I’ve been meaning to ask for some time, but never got around to it.
Ignoring all your other issues, what the heck is your issue with Joubert and Kaplan and Jonker and Lawerence and add random referee in this space?
You are like Grant with his Smittie fixation, only you don’t have a tenth the justification he had for his tirades.
3 Feb 2012, 16:01 pm
@David-65: Oh, didnt know that, so if the one goes will the main Lions thingie still stay.
3 Feb 2012, 16:07 pm
@Treehugger-67:
Yes, the Lions CC side still plays as a union. All the franchises are just a collection of different unions.
3 Feb 2012, 16:09 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-62:
Don’t you understand that Hondo blames the worlds economic collapse and global warming on black people?
3 Feb 2012, 16:11 pm
@David-68: In theory only. In reality it’s one and the same. The only team that operated like that in practice is the Cheetahs.
3 Feb 2012, 16:11 pm
@Tacitus-66:
No in-fighting amongst the brothers please
3 Feb 2012, 16:12 pm
@Dawn-71:
?
3 Feb 2012, 16:13 pm
Elton Jantjies is the Higgs Boson of Lions rugby. Without him they don’t exist. The Lions will have to play a few a games without him and in that respect they will need to ensure that they at least pick up a few bonus points in those guaranteed defeats. I can’t see any other player in the world matching him this season… not even DC
If the Lions do get relegated this year then the Kings should see EJ as their most critical buy.
3 Feb 2012, 16:15 pm
@Tacitus-72:
Never mind
What with Mitch’s Mongrels.
Howveryfuckingrude
3 Feb 2012, 16:17 pm
@stormersboy-70:
I know, and that’s the problem. because of SARUs subsidy to the unions for having players in a franchise, it pays the major CC union to sign those players from the smaller unions rather than just include them in the Franchise squad.
3 Feb 2012, 16:20 pm
Post 52′s parents should demand their school fees back….gibberish at it’s best.
3 Feb 2012, 16:21 pm
@David-68: Ta.
3 Feb 2012, 16:22 pm
@allblacksaregods-76:
Howzit Pops / Panther
3 Feb 2012, 16:22 pm
Stop bashing the lions!leave our 5 points alone.
3 Feb 2012, 16:24 pm
@Tacitus-66:
Only Joubert and Jonker, Joubert was sanctioned by SANZAR last year for bending the results against the Bulls
Kaplan and Lawrence are fine, never said a word regarding their integrity, it usually the Tapa Hennings, the Jonkers, the Jouberts, the Bezeidenhuts (1976) who bent results
3 Feb 2012, 16:24 pm
@allblacksaregods-79: lol nasty !
3 Feb 2012, 16:26 pm
@David-75: Spot on.
3 Feb 2012, 16:29 pm
Post 60 sounds like an over-excited teenager.stop with the masturbating sonny!
3 Feb 2012, 16:32 pm
@Hondo-80:
Get rid of that tinfoil hat, Mulder.
3 Feb 2012, 16:34 pm
Langers and Hondo.
Brothers from another mother.
3 Feb 2012, 16:44 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-85: I have never agreed with hondo on anything but……. @Hondo-80: A broken clock……
3 Feb 2012, 16:49 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-85:
But the same father…
3 Feb 2012, 16:51 pm
Divvy not happy with lack oe EXIT plan
Former Springbok coach Peter de Villiers says he will share his views on his previous employers, the SA Rugby Union (Saru), on the “correct platform” when the time is right.
This came after he criticised Saru in an radio interview for not being transparent with him as far as his future in the organisation was concerned.
“There was no exit strategy for me,” said De Villiers.
“There wasn’t one for John (Smit) or Victor (Matfield). This is what caused me some bitterness in the fact that there was nothing. We didn’t talk about anything,” he told 702.
De Villiers was, however, surprised with the words of encouragement he received from callers who thanked him for the contribution he had made to rugby.
As a man who is used to being on the receiving end of criticism relating to his World Cup game plan and sometimes controversial public comments, it became apparent that although he might not have won over the minds of all rugby fans, he succeeded in winning over many hearts. In classic De Villiers style, he was quick to backtrack in a later interview yesterday from his morning’s hard line on radio.
“I’ve said what I said, and to be honest I don’t think this is the platform or time for me to get involved in a word war with Saru. It would not be fair of me to do that and I will just have to wait and see what the future holds.”
As disgruntled as he is, he also had words of encouragement for his successor Heyneke Meyer.
“Every guy needs his time in the sun; we mustn’t judge Heyneke on what he says now.”
3 Feb 2012, 16:52 pm
@stormersboy-82:
Actually, it’s only the Stormers who have a different name for the Franchise. SARU should have insisted on each franchise having a seperate identity to their major union.
3 Feb 2012, 16:56 pm
i don’t know what “exit plan” divvy wanted, when your contract is done you pick up your stuff and you bugger off…no party, no drinks you just leave!
3 Feb 2012, 17:00 pm
@David-89: Sure. In a way the Bulls do, they call themselves the Bulls for Super Rugby and the Blue Bulls for CC
3 Feb 2012, 17:20 pm
@Transformation-90: Yep there was no exit plan but a fairly rigorous entry plan which was kept secret in respect of HM… I suppose the whites only queue still exists and there are no hoops to jump through.
3 Feb 2012, 17:25 pm
@bryce_in_oz-87: I see transie changed your name to Bryce_in_ARSE.. translated into Afrikaans.. Braais Binnegat.. next time you need to change your nic ??
3 Feb 2012, 17:27 pm
@Transformation-90:
The ticker-tape parade, double-decker bus and streets lined with fans Jake White got?
There’s a longer version of the above though and one cannot half feel a tad sorry for the guy… for a minute…
3 Feb 2012, 17:36 pm
I hear Divvy has a book coming out in June i think. Should be ver ver ver interesting and entertaining.
3 Feb 2012, 17:50 pm
The convicts won’t be experiencing ticker-tape parades for a very longgggggg time.they will need to re-invoke the spirit of Ned Kelly again to fire their convict arses up again.
3 Feb 2012, 18:17 pm
@Dawn-78:
I dont think so….. looks more like some illiterate hick that got thrown off Silverfern
3 Feb 2012, 18:24 pm
@youknowwho-73: youknowwhat you are right – EJ is the Higgs Boson and without him they are basically the equivalent to an impotent Stormers team.
3 Feb 2012, 18:29 pm
@RL-98: If only the Lions were as impotant as the Stormers they might experience a Super semi for the first time in living memory.
3 Feb 2012, 18:41 pm
@Michael-99:
Eish! You remind me of JZ … he was being interviewed by a reporter just after he became president and was asked the question “how does it feel to be important”
He replied saying “Madam, I am not impotent. I have four wives and 26 children”
3 Feb 2012, 18:56 pm
@RL-100: If the Stormers are impotant for reach the final and semis the last two years then what are the Bulls? Castrated?
3 Feb 2012, 18:59 pm
Saffa education at it’s best.
3 Feb 2012, 19:01 pm
@allblacksaregods-102: Looks like you could use some of the superior education for your own incoherent ramblings.
3 Feb 2012, 19:01 pm
Impotent Michael.
Impotent.
3 Feb 2012, 19:03 pm
What are these all blacks doing here anyway.
3 Feb 2012, 19:10 pm
@Dawn-104: as opposed to important. or impudent.
3 Feb 2012, 19:13 pm
On the subject of this article. Have they been reading Charlie Sheen’s posts?
Will they need to have tiger blood too?
On a positive note for the LionsI see that the Chiefs thumped the Rebels by a cricket score.
they might juts pick up a win yet this season.
Do they play the Rebels?
3 Feb 2012, 19:14 pm
I just love the lions…..you can always,after a lean period, kick-start your season against them.
3 Feb 2012, 19:16 pm
@Dawn-104: Congrats. Tackler would be proud.
3 Feb 2012, 19:17 pm
@allblacksaregods-108: Or be lulled into a false sense of security through the win only to be thumped again the following week like skittles.
3 Feb 2012, 19:18 pm
@stormersboy-107: Sh it spelling and grammar (what’s new) but I was typing one handed while eating a steak roll.
Just got back from gym and I could eat a horse.
Knowing my butcher, it’s entirely possible that I am in fact doing just that…..
3 Feb 2012, 19:32 pm
The lions still need proper funding & to sort their depth out, will be a major factor.
Who was missing against The Stormers last week? Note it is possible the lions were on a low after such a high by their standards. Looking very forward to see how they do in the Real openers..
3 Feb 2012, 19:48 pm
Is it just me or is the fact that rugby turned professional (albeit 15 years ago) starting to catch up to unions/clubs around the world?
I am very tempted to say ‘Finally’…
3 Feb 2012, 19:48 pm
@PissAnt-113:
There is a nice subject for a next business day column.
3 Feb 2012, 19:49 pm
What will count against them is the other teams have many years of expectancy to beat The Lions, always a must win. Lions did beat pretty much full strength Stormers & Sharks teams last year, that is the essence to moving past their age old Demons, it’s up2 them now to follow up.
3 Feb 2012, 20:06 pm
Sorry Michael.
Just that inferior saffa education comment made me see double.
3 Feb 2012, 20:31 pm
So the Lions have not renewed several contracts. They have not recruited much and now they have to play 14 games in the toughest competition in the world. If Strauss, Bondesio, Van Heerden and Van der Merwe get injured it is going to be another looooong tournament. Not a lot of depth in those positions. Its a pitty though, I like the Lions.
3 Feb 2012, 20:50 pm
@Guns-112: The Stormers were missing Andries Bekker, Duanne Vermeulen, Rynard Elstadt, Dewald Duvenhage, Peter Grant.
From last season Jaque Fourie and Francois Louw were obviously also absent.
Joe Pieterson and Hekkies Van der Heever were new additions.
3 Feb 2012, 21:28 pm
Cheetahs could give Stormers a smack tomorrow, what AC thinking putting up a B team even if it is a warm up a loss now gonna demoralize the team psyche deeper than he can deal with. Goosen will toy with Catrakillis and Raubenheimer, De Walt and Brussow gonna have too much firepower for Schalk and his newbies, only hope is hooker Fourie gets stuck into the breakdown ball cos Schalk is too slow for that, not the time to speculate with positions, only can hope Cheetahs backline don’t have a free ride because Stormers can’t counter their quick release flowing game.
3 Feb 2012, 21:44 pm
@ashampoopaloo-119: I think the opposite will happen.
But I’ve been wrong before.
3 Feb 2012, 22:03 pm
@XhosaKid-47: Talking out of your bum, dumb a$s?
@hendrikp-2: I don’t know who is more stupid…. you or XhosaKid?
@ashampoopaloo-119: & @stormersboy-120: Does it matter? It’s a warm up game. Get some good hits in, try new plays etc etc. IMO…. means fukall except if you are XhosaBum
3 Feb 2012, 22:05 pm
could go either way, now we check how deep is Stormers depth because Catrakillis, Francis are no match for Goosen
And I’m concerned for our loosies because they up against a tough mobile unit and we playing some greenhorns in there
Lets see if Stormers B team can handle Cheetahs A team, if they come through OK then signs will be good going forward
4 Feb 2012, 00:53 am
Reading through the comments here about the Lions again. It’s sad that some people would love to see this union go down. I can understand banter and all that other stuff but wishing this union go down hill. Fcking pathetic. SA Rugby needs a strong Lions union. Regards the Kings replace the Lions? You are going to replace **** with ****? Have a good look at that Kings team. It’s full of has beens (sorry to say). Zane Killian? Fck me the guy still lives with his parents and cannot even make it into the Springs club team without daddy pulling a few strings. “Good players will go to the Kings when they get into Super Rugby.” Really? Why was there never talk of getting these guys into the CC and build up something good from there? SA need a good team from the EP, but stocking it with (well look at the team sheet). I say get a good CC behind you and generate some attention/interest. Good luck to the Lions and the Kings. SA needs good teams from both regions. Time for bed.
4 Feb 2012, 01:42 am
Looks like my Hurricanes are in for a rough seson this 2012…I think the Lions will beat them even..
4 Feb 2012, 03:54 am
IMHO, 3rd in SA conference (and/or place in the top 8) would be successful result, everything better – a bonus. Playoffs – a huge bonus.
Good luck to them.
4 Feb 2012, 06:18 am
@PissAnt-114: Keo write an article on proffessionalism? Pull the other one
4 Feb 2012, 10:29 am
Kevin asked for a top half finish and he is going to get it. You build over time and this is very evident in this Lions team and set-up albeit with all the behind the scenes nonsense, so NO Lions supporters will not be complaining if we dont finish first, all we ask for is progress.
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