Lions looking to raise the bar
With victories over the Eastern Province Kings (51-14), Pumas (44-27) and Sharks (31-16) they look a good bet for a place in the semifinals – perhaps even earning home ground advantage.
However the coach, Ackermann, said the biggest challenge is to avoid complacency – because they are not playing good rugby yet.
While the two away wins – against the King and Sharks – are valuable points, he said it is vital not to let that slip when they start playing at home.
With the other teams bound to get better, he needs his men to raise the bar considerably.
It will start in Nelspruit on Friday, when they take on the Pumas.
Ackermann, speaking to rugby365 ahead of the Round Four trip to the capital of the Mpumalanga province, admitted his team's last performance – against the Sharks – was littered with errors.
Having lost 15 players – to a combinations of Springbok call-ups, departures abroad and injuries – since the end of the Super Rugby season, the Lions have a lot of work to do to ensure they get that fluency back in their game.
In Durban last week they "stayed in the arm-wrestle" in a game – against he Sharks – Ackermann described as close to "test match intensity".
However, he is adamant that the Lions haven't achieved anything yet and that they will have to continue working hard, because "nothing will happen by itself".
Now they head to Nelspruit, where it is "never easy" – with the Pumas' win over the Sharks earlier this season all the evidence Ackermann needs to ensure his players stay grounded.
"They are a team with consistency in their selection and players who have been together for some time," the Lions mentor told rugby365.
"They have a number of players who have played Super Rugby for us and we also have short turnaround, from a Saturday game to Friday game, while they had an extra day to rest and prepare.
"No doubt we are in for a big test."
While both teams will take some lessons from their previous meeting, at Ellis Park a fortnight ago, Ackermann said they will focus more on their own game and their own standards.
"We are not playing good rugby yet," he said, adding that it will require better decision-making.
"We must make the right calls about when to run and when to kick. Our handling also needs to improve."
* Meanwhile it was confirmed that loose forward Ruaan Lerm has sustained a grade two ankle ligament strain in the win over the Sharks last week and is expected to be out of action for approximately four weeks.
Captain Jaco Kriel, who sustained a concussion in Durban, is recovering well and commenced a graded return to play programme on Monday.
He is expected to be available for selection for Friday's match.
By Jan de Koning
@King365ed
@rugby365com
