Ackers, Swys make Lions tick

Johannes Nicolaas Ackermann was known for his no-nonsense approach as a player, a brute who never took a step back.

However, unlike some coaches who are seen weekly on television around the globe to be delivering vicious verbal sprays at their players when things go wrong, his half-time talks are becoming legendary.

Not only is Ackermann surprisingly reserved even when his team is down, given his reputation as a robust lock forward, but he also draws so much from those around him.

The Lions have had a habit of giving teams an early start this season, before working their way back into the game – often in the second half.

Last week the Highlanders raced into 20-3 half-time lead, yet the Lions found a way back into the game in the second half and won28-23.

A fortnight ago the Bulls held a 25-10 lead on the half-hour mark, before the Lions came back to take a 26-25 lead going into the final quarter. Ultimately their early sloppiness caught up with them as the Bulls went on to win 35-33 and end the Lions' five-match winning streak.

It was a similar scenario against the Sharks a few weeks earlier, when the Durban-based franchise held a 14-6 lead on the half-hour mark, before the Lions worked their way back into the game and eventually sneaked a 23-21 win.

They had similar results on their Australasian tour.

The Rebels held a 13-0 lead, before the Lions scored their first points after the half-hour mark. The match-winning try and conversion (in a 20-16 victory) were scored in the 78th and 79th minutes.

The Blues held a 10-3 lead in Auckland, before the Lions bounced back in the second half to win 13-10.

Yet Ackermann and his right-hand man, assistant coach Swys de Bruyn, never go on a rampage during their half-time talks.

Lions captain Warren Whiteley was full of praise for the composed manner in which the coaching staff delivered their messages at half-time – even under the most trying circumstances.

"It is not really the style of coach Ackers," Whiteley said, when asked how Ackermann always manages to lift the team for their now famous second-half rallies.

Unlike other coaches, whose half-time dressing room antics are rather embarrassing, Ackermann and De Bruyn make sure the message and not the emotion gets through to the players.

"The players know when we are not sticking to our structures and what we  trained during the week," Whiteley said, adding: "That was the case in the first half [against the Highlanders last week].

"I don't think coach Ackers has to do much for us to know that we must pick up our game.

"We knew we weren't good enough in that first half, particularly in our set piece. We know that when we stick to our structures and we execute our plans, we will be competitive against any side."

The team ethos is also captured in Whiteley's statement that you can't blame one individual, all of the players must take responsibility.

Ackermann said the other reason for the Lions' ability to come back and not capitulate is the character of his team.

"They will never lie down," the coach said, adding: "In a lot of the games we were behind at half-time.

"It is no use go in shouting at the players.

"However, the messages that we gave were quite clear, about what we need to do.

"That is the good thing, they take it [the message] in.

"Maybe we still missed some opportunities, but once we got into the lead there was a feeling in the coaches box, and I do believe the players felt it on the field as well, that we were in control of the game.

"That is good for our growth, going forward – now and in the future."

Whiteley said that despite having equalled their best season ever – the seven wins this year the same as last year – the Lions have not yet played to their true potential and still have too many soft moments.

"We tend to make it difficult for ourselves and then have to fight back," the captain said, adding: "This team has so much potential, we are just going to keep working hard, that is the nature of this side.

"The team and culture [means] we are going to look where we lacked that composure and accuracy and keep striving for that 80-minute performance, which we haven't produced this year yet."

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