Back to the drawing board as URC Lions choke in Currie Cup Final again
REACTION: The Lions will depart on a three-match United Rugby Championship tour with more questions than answers and serious injury posers.
They will face Cardiff, Zebre and Benetton in the opening rounds of the URC, before finally returning home.
The loss of off-season recruit Chris William Smith to a concussion early in the second half of their heartbreaking 25-27 loss to Griquas in the Currie Cup Final leaves them with a big flyhalf decision to make.
And that is not the only position where injuries will force coach Ivan Van Rooyen to make some tough decisions.
The loss of Smith, signed in the off-season from Oyonnax in the French ProD2 league, will be the first big headache of the season.
Lubabalo Dobela replaced Smith in the 42nd minute and could be an option, as is Kade Wolhuter, who lost favour with the coaches after a horror run of poor form in the Currie Cup, as well as Sam Francis.
The alternative is to start scrumhalf Nico Steyn at flyhalf, where he has played before, with Springbok Morné van den Berg set to return at No.9.
Another problematic position is at hooker, where PJ Botha suffered an injury setback in the build-up to the Currie Cup Final, while there is doubt about the future of Jaco Visagie.
Franco Marais started in the Final and was replaced by Morné Brandon, the two most likely starters.
After having choked in a Final on their home ground for a second successive year, the Lions will rely heavily on their handful of Springboks – Asenathi Ntlabakanye, who started in the Final while awaiting his dope trial in December, Ruan Venter, Van den Berg and Quan Horn.
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Horn, who captained the team in a disappointing Final at Ellis Park on Saturday, admitted it is back to the drawing board ahead of next week’s URC opener at Arms Park.
Currie Cup coach Mzwakhe Nkosi also admitted the Doornfontein-based team was not up to standard at Ellis Park in the loss to a willing and wily Griquas team.
“Our body height in the tackles was not low enough, and we were caught offside on occasions,” a bitterly disappointed Nkosi said.
“Our tackle fight was also weak.”
Discipline and desire are two of the key areas they will have to improve on if they hope to return from their trip to Wales and Italy with points.
“We were not accurate enough, losing too many line-outs, we lost the aerial battle and gave away silly penalties [including one in injury time that gifted George Whitehead a chance to slot the match winner].
“The challenge for us is that every game we must pitch.”
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