Lions continue to learn

 

The Lions suffer suffered their third straight loss over the weekend to a re-newed Stormers team that beat them 18-3.

 

The Lions next task is a tour to Australasia where a number of his young charges have never been before, and with the experience of Franco van der Merwe still missing, it is not going to be an easy task.

 

Ackermann felt his team were hurt by the two pre-match withdrawals, but it was the costly mistakes that have crept in to their game that really stung the coach.

 

On Saturday, before the game, captain Warren Whiteley failed a fitness test and lock Martin Muller was laid low by a stomach bug.

 

Substitutes Willie Britz and Luvuyiso Lusaseni were moved into the run-on team. 

 

Their places on the bench were taken by Warwick Tecklenburg and Rudi Matthee who flew in from Johannesburg about an hour or so before kick-off.

 

"This week we were forced into many changes because of injuries and then we had two more before the start of the match," said Ackermann.

 

"Our character was really tested and when you saw how we played in the second half – you could see we did not roll over and die.

 

"It was a funny game. We played well in stages and we left many [scoring] opportunities out there."

 

Ackermann said the injuries are something that the Lions will have to deal with, especially when they head off on the Australasia tour.

 

"There is no quick-fix for the Lions," said Ackermann.

 

"We'll just have to front up on tour even though it will be a 'first' for many of our players."