Lions parachute Cash into Currie Cup coaching box
EXCLUSIVE: The Lions host the Bulls at Ellis Park on Saturday and will go into their penultimate league round in the Currie Cup with their director of coaching, Ivan van Rooyen, taking over the coaching reins.
Following their loss against the Cheetahs last weekend, a lot has happened behind the scenes.
This website can reveal that Currie Cup coach Mzwakhe Nkosi was called in and told Van Rooyen is taking over.
Nkosi was informed that he can assist with the Currie Cup team and arrived at training on Monday.
It is understood that he has decided not to do so for the rest of the week and has moved back into his role as junior coach.
To the outside world, this move will be masked as Van Rooyen taking over in the build-up to the United Rugby Championship, but the staunch Lions supporters will not be hoodwinked.
Nkosi was not impressed with his side’s poor first-half showing against the Cheetahs last weekend.
The Cheetahs won that catfight 47-31 in a game of two halves after coasting to a huge lead in the first 40 minutes.
The Lions fought back gallantly in the second half, and almost overturned the deficit, but the Cheetahs proved to be too strong.
Nkosi bluntly stated at the post-match press conference that his charges were ‘terrible’ in the first half.
According to sources, he also pulled no punches in the changeroom using very colourful language, where various players were told they will never play for him again.
It is all good and well for management to take matters into their own hands and make a change of the guard.
But the question can be asked: Why make a change with the Currie Cup coaching staff – after only losing two out of their five outings – but not do the same in the URC after failing to deliver for a fourth consecutive season?
Following a solid start last year, the Lions self-imploded yet again to finish their second-worst season in URC history.
The notorious self-implosion bug crept in again through inconsistency and, at times, simply poor performances, which saw them finish the season in 11th place.
They had a four-match home run at the backend of the competition against teams they were expected to beat.
Their fate was literally in their own hands, and mathematically, if they won all their matches even without four-try bonus points, they would’ve, in all likelihood, made the play-offs.
The Lions ended their fourth straight season of not making the top eight, and their sixth straight season of no success under Van Rooyen.
Other URC sides have had little appetite for such failures – in fact, three Irish sides replaced their coaches following last season, with much less fanfare or reason to do so.
And even the Bulls, following three straight Finals, parted ways with their very experienced coach Jake White.
Van Rooyen’s record in the URC over four seasons of just 33 wins from 70 matches isn’t one to boast about.
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