THERE’S no guarantee the Lions will win 2016’s Super Rugby tournament, especially given how tough their semifinal opponents, the Highlanders, will be to beat tomorrow.
Then again, there’s no better way for Joburg’s pride to show their title credentials than beating the two best New Zealand sides in the final two rounds of this year’s edition.
It’s rather difficult not to feel the Lions would be deserved winners.
Not since 2010, when the Bulls strolled to a second title at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto, has a South African side dominated a campaign like Johan Ackermann’s troops.
To date, the Lions have stacked up a massive 577 points from 17 matches – 34 per game – and scored 76 tries.
That’s the most in 2016.
The Lions have achieved this by playing the type of attacking rugby that is not familiar to most South African teams.
“We haven’t developed something new,” said Swys de Bruin, the Lions’ assistant coach and mastermind behind their game plan.
“Over the past few years, we’ve watched how the most successful sides play and tried to determine what would work for us. We decided we like to run with the ball and score tries.”
Yet, don’t think the Lions have turned into an all-conquering side overnight.
It’s taken three years of hard work, belief and, importantly, patience.
“We had to take our time to get here because when you decide to play a certain way, you need to have faith. There can’t be any doubts,” said De Bruin.
Even in this campaign – the 12 wins they’ve achieved this year to date is their best ever – the Lions have had their challenges.
One of their defeats was to this weekend’s opponents and they had to recover from a 50-17 mauling at the hands of the Hurricanes at Ellis Park in mid-campaign.
But since then they’ve been in superb form, winning matches by playing with freedom and conviction.
Even if they aren’t rewarded, the Lions have left a mark on South African rugby.
They’ve shown others the way – how to play in the future.
The Bulls, formerly known for their conservative tactics, have already admitted they want to play like their neighbours.
That in itself is a great legacy already.
