Lions are rebuilding... again - Super Rugby 2019 Preview
The loss of almost 50 caps worth of Test experience may not sound that dramatic, but becomes more pronounced when you look at the Super Rugby experience that departed (339 appearances).
That is when you realise the true impact the losses suffered by the Lions may have.
When the likes of Ruan Ackermann (to Gloucester), Francois de Klerk (Sale), Armand van der Merwe (Sharks) and Julian Redelinghuys (retired) were absent for the 2018 season, there were already concerns. Now add the names of Ruan Dreyer (Gloucester), Rohan Janse van Rensburg (Sale Sharks), Jaco Kriel (Gloucester), Franco Mostert (Gloucester) and Jacques van Rooyen (Bath).
Coach Zacharia de Bruin downplayed the loss of this batch of Springboks.
However, even he will admit replacing that experience will take some time.
A glance at the Lions’ provisional squad will suggest they still have enough to be competitive.
And they do have it in them to reach the playoffs again.
However, in the crunch games – especially against New Zealand opposition – they will be vulnerable. Last year they were zero from five against Kiwi teams – losing twice to the Crusaders.
Nowhere was that vulnerability more conspicuous than the 35-38 loss to the Blues in Johannesburg in Round Four. Defeats to the Jaguares (35-49, in Buenos Aires), the Reds (22-27, Brisbane) and the Sharks (24-31, Durban) also illuminated their frailties.
The advantage they have is that the head coach, De Bruin, is now in his second season in charge. He has also spent some valuable time with the Springboks.
Other members of the backroom staff that will be wiser are defence coach Joey Mongalo and forwards coach Philip Lemmer – two aspects of the Lions’ game that required plenty of improvement.
How they cope with the loss of firebrand Franco Mostert will be key.
One-time Springbok Stephan Lewies is a great acquisition, but does not bring the same physical attributes and mobility that Mostert did.
2018 Predictions
South African Conference Placing: Third
Player of the Year: Malcolm Marx
Rookie of the Year: Wandisile Simelane
Super Rugby Placing: Somewhere between ninth and 12th
Squad Movements
In: Stephan Lewies (from the Sharks), Danie Mienie (Toulouse), Carlu Sadie (Stormers, loan), Frans van Wyk (Bulls), Jan-Henning Campher (Bulls).
Out: Ruan Dreyer (Gloucester), Rohan Janse van Rensburg (Sale Sharks), Marco Jansen van Vuuren (Sevens), Jaco Kriel (Gloucester), Franco Mostert (Gloucester), Jacques van Rooyen (Bath)
Squad (provisional): Andries Coetzee, Sylvian Mahuza, Gianni Lombard, Morné van den Berg, Ruan Combrinck, Courtnall Skosan, Madosha Tambwe, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Tyrone Green, Lionel Mapoe, Harold Vorster, Jan-Louis La Grange, Louritz van der Schyff, Manuel Rass, Wandisile Simelane, Elton Jantjies, Shaun Reynolds, Eddie Fouche, Ross Cronje, Dillon Smit, Nic Groom, Wayne van der Bank, Bradley Thain, Warren Whiteley, Albertus Smith, Robert Kruger, Cyle Brink, Hacjivah Dayimani, Len Massyn, Marnus Schoeman, James Venter, Jo-Hanco de Villiers, Peter-John Steenkamp, Vincent Tshituka, Andries Ferreira, Marvin Orie, Reinhard Nothnagel, Rhyno Herbst, Ruan Vermaak, Stephan Lewies, Jacobie Adriaanse, Dylan Smith, Johannes Jonker, Sithembiso Sithole, Nathan McBeth, Carlu Sadie, Chergin Fillies, Danie Mienie, Frans van Wyk, Robbie Coetzee, Malcolm Marx, Jan-Henning Campher, Pieter Jansen.
History
Best finish: Champions in 1993 (Some purists dismiss their Super 10 title as being in the amateur era. They were runners up in 2016, 2017 and 2018)
Worst finish: Fifteenth in 2012
By Jan de Koning @rugby365
Rugby World Cup City Guides – Oita:
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
19 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
7 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
19 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments