AUDIO: Lions will keep rolling the dice
LISTEN as Lions coach Swys de Bruin talks about his team’s astonishing come-from-behind win over the Rebels and the reason why they will continue to take risks.
The Lions will continue to ‘roll the dice’, even though in nearly backfired massively on them at the weekend.
The Lions came back from trailing 5-33 (after 42 minutes) to snatch an unlikely win in Johannesburg at the weekend.
Replacement flyhalf Gianni Lombard kicked the winning penalty (for the 36-33 win) well after the siren.
While much of the focus in the immediate aftermath was on the Rebels’ poor discipline – described variously as ‘disgusting’ and ‘appalling’ – it is the risks the coaching staff took with their second-half replacements that reaped the rewards.
Greenhorn Gianni Lombard, just 21, replaced veteran Springbok Elton Jantjies (28 and 33 Test caps) at a crucial stage in the second half.
De Bruin said his son, and Lions attack coach, Neil De Bruin “assured” him that Lombard has the temperament to slot pressure kicks.
“When I replaced Elton, I knew it might come down to a vital kick,” the coach said.
“Neil [de Bruin] sat next to me and he said he trusts Gianni to slot a pressure kick.
“Stars are made for big moments and to slot that kick there‚ maybe he’s a future star‚” De Bruin senior said.
Captain Malcolm Marx also said he was never in doubt about the decision to hand the match-winning kick to the rookie No.10.
“I just pointed to the poles and he [Lombard] said: ‘Don’t worry‚ I’ve got you’.”
De Bruin also said he supports the decisions of the players on the field – the captain and other senior players – to keep taking line-out options in the final 10 minutes instead of taking kicks at goal.
“You have to understand that you roll the dice there, because if you take the three points and you are [just] three points up – they get play down at your end,” De Bruin said, adding: “Field position becomes vital at that stage.
“It happened before that – with five or six minutes remaining – we did not exit well and lost the game.
“I know if we lost this game, I would have been the guilty one, because I said play.”
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The Lions head to Singapore this week to face the Sunwolves in a Round Eight fixture.
They then have a bye, before hosting the Sharks in Johannesburg on April 6.
The coach said they will conclude their preparations in Johannesburg and fly out late in the week, a tactic they used with great success previously – getting wins over the Waratahs in Sydney last year and the Jaguares in Buenos Aires this year.
“Our plans are to train here [Johannesburg] on Monday and Tuesday, then fly out on Wednesday.
“We have done it before, finish the work here and then fly out.
“We will have just one training session there [Singapore]. It’s very humid, so we don’t want to empty the tanks doing training sessions over there.”
The Lions also have a few injury niggles to concern themselves with.
Loose forward Albertus Smith is struggling with a groin niggle, but there is no indication of the full prognoses.
Fellow loose forward Vincent Tshituka suffered a knock to the head and twisted his ankle.
A call on the injuries will be made on Monday.
By Josh Isaacson
@isaacson_j
@rugby365com
