The year that was 2015 for the Lions

SPOTLIGHT: The 2015 Currie Cup saw the Lions go on a remarkable run, staying unbeaten and completely dismantling every opponent in their way.

They continued their seemingly unstoppable juggernaut run in the Currie Cup with a nine-try demolition of Western Province in the Final.

The Lions became the first team since 1996 to finish the season undefeated.

We look back at the last time the Lions hosted, and won, the Currie Cup at Ellis Park in front of 44 183 fans.

The referee that day was Rasta Rashivhenge.

The Final in 2015 was a rematch of the previous year’s Final when they lost 16-19 to Western Province.

The home side claimed the prize in emphatic style – it was the Lions’ 11th Currie Cup title in their history.

The Final was a superb all-round display from the home side as they outscored their opponents by four tries to three with Marnitz Boshoff contributing 12 points via three conversions and two penalties.

The Lions’ hero, however, was their scrumhalf Ross Cronje, whose two tries in the first half kickstarted his side’s charge.

Although WP launched a brave fightback during the second half, with fullback Cheslin Kolbe leading the resurgence, it was to no avail as the Lions’ defence held firm during the game’s closing stages.

Before their 2015 season, the Lions had plummeted to new depths between 2008 and 2010 and it all culminated in 2010 when they lost all their games in the Super 14 competition.

John Mitchell was brought in as coach and he had some success with the team, winning the Currie Cup in 2011. It was an important win, but it needs to be taken in context. It was again a World Cup year and most top players weren’t available for Currie Cup duty.

The Lions didn’t provide too many players to the national setup at that stage, and although a win is a win, it felt more like a temporary plaster on a festering wound.

SA Rugby made a tough decision in 2012. The South African team that finished lowest on the combined log in Super Rugby would make way for the Southern Kings in 2013.

It was the worst timing for the Lions. The players revolted against Mitchell and they wanted him gone. They got their wish and Johan Ackermann was asked to step in as interim coach for the last couple of games in the 2012 Super Rugby season.

It was too late to salvage the season, the Lions were out and the Kings were in.

The Lions’ focus for 2013 was simple. Get back into Super Rugby.

That meant they had to beat the Kings in a two-match promotion-relegation series and they literally scraped through. It didn’t matter, they were back. Ackermann knew he had to rebuild a broken team.

They didn’t have any big-name players or key Springboks, but they had a plan, they were realistic and the powers that be at Ellis Park backed Ackermann to turn things around.

Ackermann instilled a strong team ethos and there was no space for egos. The only way back to the top was through sheer hard work and determination.

Back then few people knew who Warren Whiteley, Jaco Kriel, Ruan Combrinck, and Faf de Klerk were. Today, they are household names and credited for the resurgence of the Lions.

They were competitive in the 2014 Super Rugby season and punched above their weight.

They ended eighth in Super Rugby in 2015 and bagged the Currie Cup.

The strong, never-say-die Kriel was a core member of the Lions team that won the Currie Cup that year.

The well-loved loose forward touched peoples’ hearts with his passion for rugby and life.

Kriel had an impressive season leading the unbeaten side to Currie Cup victory, which resulted in him being awarded the SA Rugby Players’ Player of the Year and Currie Cup Player of the Year titles.

He also guided them to consecutive SuperRugby finals from 2016 to 2018.

It is incredible to think that players like Malcolm Marx, Kwagga Smit, and Franco Mostert starred in that 2015 Final for the Lions, and on the Western Province side Kolbe, Jean Kleyn, Bongi Mbonambi and Steven Kitshoff – all still core players in the Springbok squad.

Here are the scorers and teams of the 2015 Final:

Scorers:

Golden Lions:

Tries: Warren Whiteley, Ross Cronje (2), Rohan Janse van Rensburg

Conversions: Marnitz Boshoff (3)

Penalties: Boshoff (2)

Western Province:

Tries: Robert du Preez, Nizaam Carr, Sikhumbuzo Notshe

Conversions: Robert du Preez (2), Kurt Coleman

Penalty: Du Preez

Teams:

Golden Lions: 15. Andries Coetzee, 14. Courtnall Skosan, 13. Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 12. Howard Mnisi, 11. Anthony Volmink, 10. Marnitz Boshoff, 9. Ross Cronje, 8. Warren Whiteley, 7. Kwagga Smith, 6. Jaco Kriel (captain), 5. Franco Mostert, 4. Lourens Erasmus, 3. Julian Redelinghuys, 2. Robbie Coetzee, 1. Jacques van Rooyen
Replacements: 16. Malcolm Marx, 17. Ruan Dreyer, 18. Fabian Booysen, 19. Stephan de Witt, 20. Jaco van der Walt, 21. Stokkies Hanekom, 22. Sampie Mastriet

Western Province: 15. Cheslin Kolbe, 14. Dillyn Leyds, 13. Johnny Kotze, 12. Juan de Jongh (captain), 11. Seabelo Senatla, 10. Robert du Preez, 9. Nic Groom, 8. Nizaam Carr, 7. Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 6. Rynhardt Elstadt, 5. Ruan Botha, 4. Jean Kleyn, 3. Wilco Louw, 2. Bongi Mbonambi, 1. Steven Kitshoff
Replacements: 16. Michael Willemse, 17. Oli Kebble, 18. Chris van Zyl, 19. Jurie van Vuuren, 20. Jano Vermaak, 21. Kurt Coleman, 22. Huw Jones