No scapegoats in Ackermann's pride
The Lions fell well short of expectations in their opening Super Rugby match of the season, an 8-22 loss to the Hurricanes in Johannesburg last week.
However, despite the obvious shortcomings in the team's performance, coach Johan Ackermann is not about to throw any players under the buss.
The coach, speaking to rugby365 ahead of his team's trip to Durban and a Round Two encounter with the Sharks, said there will not be any blame apportioned to individuals.
He spoke of the need to look at the 'collective' and fix all aspects of their game.
"We have to look at our scrums – that last scrum simply wasn't up to standard," Ackermann said in reference to a try the Hurricanes scored right at the death after demolished the Lions set piece.
"Our mauls were good at times and at times not good. We can also look at our decision-making on attack."
The coach said the performance was similar to the 16-19 loss they suffered at the hands of Western Province in last year's Currie Cup Final.
"When you do your review on the Monday, you realise everything went your way, but the score doesn't reflect it.
"Our discipline is something we have to look at. They got into our half three times and got penalties for silly things – a scrum that collapsed and a line-out where they ruled that our backline rushed up [inside the 10-metre mark] too early. That was six easy points ."
The coach said there was no specific area where they were very poor in.
"The one area that could be concern was our decision-making, where we forced the last pass," he told rugby365.
"We had to have a look and work on every aspect. In all aspects of our game we have to be more clinical. We played some good rugby at times and got good line-breaks, but when that happens you have to finish off [those opportunities]."
He said the discipline issue doesn't relate to foul play, but rather the easy points they concede.
"You play well and the opposition get into your half and you gift them three points. For 20 minutes you kept them in their half, but didn't take your points.
"The first time they get into your half they suddenly have a 3-0 lead, despite us playing all the rugby.
"We can't afford to continue working hard without reward and then gift points to the opposition."
He also does not see this as a discipline trend, but rather just a bad day at the office.
"Any team and player have their highs and lows," he said, adding: "Last year Bossie [Marnitz Boshoff] won games for us with his boot and there is no doubt he can do it again.
"We can't put the blame on just one player or just a couple of games. We'll have a look in the next few weeks and then start making calls if it is an ongoing problem.
"Despite the missed kicks [which could have made a difference], we should have scored some tries. We can't afford situations like that, same as the Currie Cup Final, were we played good rugby but trailed 0-13.
"I don't believe in giving one player or one aspect of the game the blame – we have to fix the collective.
"Just as we conceded a couple of silly penalties, we also let in a soft try when they got into our half the third time.
"The guys who missed the tackles have as much blame as the guy who conceded the penalty or missed the kicks.
"We just weren't good enough for 80 minutes and will have to lift our game,"
By Jan de Koning
@King365ed
@rugby365com
