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Opinionated Rugby Commentary - by Fans for Fans
Spill what you really think about events in the rugby world.
Superugby previews. 12 views
16 February 2011 by Quirksilver
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I decided earlier in the year to write up previews of all the S14 side from last year. First up, the Lions. See also, http://blogs.sport24.co.za/RyanQ
Preview – The Lions
As a Superugby franchise the Lions haven’t been all that successful, well, since the very early days that is, when it was still the Super 10 and Bill Clinton was still ruling America with his iron rod.
They’ve gone through coach after coach, team after team, they even merged with the Cheetahs in an unholy marriage to form the unfortunately named Cats, and they still sucked, perennially ending up in the bottom three on the log, their only saving grace being the fact that there is no relegation zone.
Last year was there worst year ever; they lost every single game after coach Loffie was fired and all their best players left. Andre Pretorius, Jaque Fourie, Ernst Joubert, Louis Ludick, Willem Alberts, Willie Wepenaar and Gerhard Mostert to name a few…
Dick Muir was appointed to steer the sinking ship and all he managed to do was make it sink even more spectacularly by initiating the attack at all costs philosophy at the expense of those other frivolous things… Like structure and defence. The best illustration of this was the game against the Waikato Chiefs at Ellis Park in which a total of 18 tries and 32 penalties were scored with the Chiefs eventually taking the game 72 points to the Lions 65.
I don’t think it would have made much difference if they’d played any other way. The Lions simply didn’t have the playing staff to mount a sustained credible challenge against anyone.
2011 sees the introduction of Super-Duper-rugby, which is in essence a super 15 competition with the addition of the Melbourne Rebels and a few structural changes.
It also could see a big change in the Lions fortunes, because now they have something that the other teams don’t.
A big fat bag of money!
Yes, internet millionaire Robert Gumede and his partner, the mysterious and dangerous sounding Ivor Ichikowitz, have invested millions into the Lions in the hopes that they will Chelsea their way to the top of the table and finally win something.
MTN have also allegedly signed on as their major sponsor promising R20m a year, which would just about cover Francois Steyn’s salary if he decided to join them.
So we’ll see, despite their best efforts they’ve yet to lure any really big names to Ellis park, John Smit, JP Pietersen and hopefully Beast Mtwarira have all decided to stay with the Sharks, and Butch James and Frans Steyn haven’t decided if living in Johannesburg is worth it.
I do, however, think they will surprise a few of the big names in the tournament.
Baywatch Grobellaar is a never say die captain and John Mitchell is a great coach.
They have some really good players in their squad. Baby Boks Jaco Taute and Elton Jantjes will have their first taste of the Super Rugby Pie and wingers Michael Killian, Chavanga and Wandile Mjekevu have speed to burn and can score tries from anywhere.
Rory Kockott, Michael Rhodes and Pat Cilliers have joined from the Sharks, all good players and all experienced at this level to varying degrees, although Kockott might have a tough time usurping the 9 jersey from the always impressive Jano Vermaak and Pumas import Michael Bondesio.
Andre Pretorius, who was once rumoured to have injured himself in his sleep, has also re-joined his provincial and spiritual home and will form an experienced flyhalf player / coaching team with Carlos Spencer.
Last but not least, Doppies le Grange whom I still consider the best player of his generation not to have been selected as a Springbok, whilst his less talented centre partners have reaped the rewards of his skill have been, Jaco Pretorius and Jorrie Muller the two that stand out. My prediction is that he’ll have another stellar season, and then Waylon Murray will be selected as a Springbok tourist.
In closing I think the best the Lions can hope for is to finish mid-table but it is more likely that they’ll find themselves in the bottom 5 with the likes of the newly formed Rebels, The Cheetahs, The Western Force and The Otago Highlanders. I look forward to seeing if the influx of cash will push the Lions to greater heights, or if they’ll graduate from useless to mediocre, which, lets face it, would be a great improvement on their 2010 effort.
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Tags:
LIONS, SUPER15, RUGBY
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