Lions: It started with great coaching
At a time when coaching the national team seems to be the most unattractive job in South Africa, the most unlikely group of players proved that a good coach can achieve extraordinary feats.
The Lions, who ended a 12-year wait for a Currie Cup title on Saturday, praised their New Zealand coaching staff – head coach John Mitchell and his assistant Carlos Spencer – for helping them claim the South Africa’s premier domestic title.
They beat the defending champion Sharks 42-16 at Ellis Park for their first Currie Cup title since 1999 and won their first final at home for 61 years.
The Lions outscored a Springboks-filled Sharks team three tries to one and young flyhalf Elton Jantjies kicked 24 points to underline a convincing win for former All Blacks coach John Mitchell’s team.
Lions vice-captain Doppies la Grange, standing in for concussed captain Josh Strauss, was lavish in his praise for all around him.
“He [Strauss] is a great character,” La Grange said, when asked about his skipper.
“You can see by the support he has in the crowd and from the team.
“He’s a great guy, a great leader … not many guys get to lead a team like this to a Currie Cup Final.”
He was just as lavish in his praise for his teammates, whom he said proved that “working together can achieve extraordinary things”.
However, he reserved his best words for the coaching staff.
Head coach John Mitchell’s final message to the team was: ‘Go out and prove you can be extraordinary.’
“He [Mitchell] turned an ordinary bunch of guys into stars … look at the way we played for each other and that doesn’t start on the field, it starts outside with great coaching,” La Grange said.
He also spoke of ‘getting the basic structures into place’.
“It is not just him [Mitchell], it is the rest [of the management], Carlos [Spencer] and all the other guys, thanks to them.”
Jantjies, who kicked 24 points with three conversion, five penalties and a drop-goal, praised his teammates, whom he said “laid an awesome platform”.
He also spoke of continuity throughout the year.
“We went through some tough times in Super Rugby, but the guys stuck together and believed in each other and pulled it through,” the flyhalf said.
Sharks captain Keegan Daniel said his team just “didn’t pitch up”.
“[It was] an unbelievable performance form the Lions team,” Daniel said, adding: “We knew it was always going to be a battle up front and they brought it to us today.
“They capitalised on their opportunities.
“Hats off to Josh [Strauss] and his team, they’re a great team and they’ve rejuvenated Lions rugby in Johannesburg.
“We just didn’t take it [our opportunities] today, at times we had momentum and then turned it over … that is finals rugby, you have to convert possession and territory into points to win the game.”
