Lions have Boks, but no egos

Last year this time the Lions were an unknown quantity on their return to Super Rugby, having to 'prove' themselves. Now they have a whole lot of expectations as an additional burden.

In February 2014 Elton Jantjies was the team's only Springbok and he had not featured in the national team since his second Test appearance off the bench against New Zealand in Soweto in October 2012.

Now, 12 months later, the Johannesburg-based outfit has four Boks, including Jantjies - one of those also a member of the Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning Sevens team.

Whiteley Warren made his Test debut against Australia in Perth in September and also came off the bench against the All Blacks a week later. Not to mention his quality performances for the BlitzBokke at the Commonwealth Games.

Julian Redelinghuys played two Tests off the bench on SA's year-end tour, against Italy and Wales.

Marnitz Boshoff's only Test appearance was also off the bench, against Scotland in Port Elizabeth.

Further to that Robbie Coetzee, Ross Cronje, Ruan Dreyer and Jaco Kriel Jaco were all members of the Springbok touring squad at some stage - without getting any game time.

Like there Bok teammates, they may just be 'fringe' players at international level, but according to coach Johan Ackermann there are enormous benefits of all those players - capped and uncapped - being part of the national set-up.

"It was the first time we had to rest a few guys in the off-season, which didn't happen last year," Ackermann told rugby365 in an interview as they wrapped up their pre-season preparations and started training in all earnest for the opening match of the Super Rugby season - against the Hurricanes at Ellis Park on Friday.

"However, they caught up very quickly now in January - it wasn't too disruptive,"the coach said, adding that they only made some "minor changes" to their game plan in the off-season.

"They are familiar with what we do."

Ackermann, coach of the year in 2014, readily admits that the real challenge is to improve on what they did last year - having produced their best-ever Super Rugby campaign, with seven wins.

It was only a poor Australasian tour that prevented the Lions from a top 10 finished for the first time since their acrimonious split from the Cheetahs (the divorce of the Cats).

"We didn't have large numbers away and won't have many Springboks on national training camps," Ackermann told rugby365.

"The big challenge for us will be the first nine weeks of consecutive matches, where we will have to rotate and rest players.

"You can't expect one player to play nine consecutive weeks, 80 minutes every match - that will be a huge challenge for us."

The Lions still see themselves as underdogs, despite starting the season with four Springboks and another four players who were Bok tour squad members, but didn't get capped.

"With all respect to our players [who became Springboks], the other teams still have all the big names,"Ackermann said.

"So we are preparing like the past, where we know we have to work hard if we want to get results."

Lions squad: Marnitz Boshoff, Andries Coetzee, Robin Coetzee, Ruan Combrinck, Ross Cronje, Francois de Klerk, Steph de Wit, Ruan Dreyer, Corne Fourie, Nicolaas Hanekom, Elton Jantjies, Jaco Kriel, Robert Kruger, Ruaan Lerm, Luvuyiso Lusaseni, Malcolm Marx, Lionel Mapoe, Sampie Mastriet, Derick Minnie, Howard Mnisi, Franco Mostert, Martin Muller, Julian Redelinghuys, Mark Richards, Courtnall Skosan, Warwick Tecklenburg, Armand van der Merwe, Schalk van der Merwe, Jaco van der Walt, Jacques van Rooyen, Anthony Volmink, Harold Vorster, Warren Whiteley (captain).

By Jan de Koning

@rugby365com