Slow starts costing Lions

The Golden Lions’ damning habit to gift the opposition an early lead cost them again in their 23-36 loss to Western Province at a chilly and windy Newlands on Saturday.

This is the view of Golden Lions coach Johan Ackermann, who felt his charges left themselves with too much to do in order to come from behind against Western Province.

"It’s been the case this entire season," Ackermann said.

"We have had to come from behind to try win at the end, something which we have to fix. We began all right, but when WP got momentum and started building up points, and especially that try before half-time, it took the wind out of our sails.”

The Lions coach was in two minds as to whether they should have taken the penalties in the 22 instead of kicking for touch and going for five points, but credited Province's defence of their line as outstanding.

Ackermann praised his relatively inexperienced side for confronting what was essentially a Super Rugby team and believed the game was a lot closer than the scoreline suggested.

"One or two things that we did wrong, if we rectified that it could have gone either way."

SAPA