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What a stuttering campaign for Swys' Lions

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Transvaal View Drop Down
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    Posted: 18-Jun-2019 at 1:36pm
https://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/super-rugby/what-a-stuttering-campaign-for-swys-lions-26596414

The three-time runners-up from 2016, 2017 and 2018, the Lions, have failed to reach the Super Rugby quarter-finals this year. They finished ninth overall and fourth in the SA Conference, having won just eight of their 16 games. Here we take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of their 2019 campaign.

Unfortunately in a season where the team never got on a roll and seemed to be hanging on by a thread throughout, there is not too much to get excited about. Individually, the performances of tighthead prop Carlu Sadie, lock Marvin Orie, loose-forward Kwagga Smith and fullback Andries Coetzee stood out, while wings Courtnall Skosan, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Dylan Smith and Malcolm Marx had good moments.

The other big positive and the highlight of a disappointing season was the emergence of a number of exciting young stars, who are the future of Lions rugby. Here one thinks of prop Sti Sithole, locks Ruan Vermaak, Rhyno Herbst and Reinhard Nothnagel, loose-forwards Hacjivah Dayimani and Vincent Tshituka, and backs, Gianni Lombard, Wandisile Simelane and Tyrone Green.

When they miaowed...

There were several “lows” during their campaign and the fact the Lions managed to win just one of six derbies hurt, and cost them dearly.

They beat the Stormers at Ellis Park in the latter stages of the competition, but they lost to them in round two and also went down to the Bulls and Sharks, home and away.

In recent years the Lions have challenged for top honours in the try-scoring stats, but this year they managed to score just 53 for eighth place in the rankings. Also, the Lions let in a whopping 64 tries, an indication their defence is in dire need of attention before next year’s campaign.

Coughing up Hairballs...

It was concerning and sad that head coach Swys de Bruin had to leave his team in New Zealand after allegedly suffering a breakdown due to stress.

One can only guess as to how his condition - for which he received and is believed to still be receiving treatment - affected the players and team, generally, this year.

Also, defence coach Joey Mongalo found himself facing indecent assault charges in Australia, stemming from an incident in a hotel while the Lions were on tour last year, and he, too, was forced to quit the team temporarily at one stage. He has appealed the guilty finding by a Sydney Court, but again, how did this impact on the team?

Lastly, the Lions were dealt a few heavy injury blows, most particularly to captain Warren Whiteley, who only started and played in four of the 16 games. Several other players were also regularly struck down by the injury bug.

Final verdict…

It was a campaign that promised so much after the winning start in Beunos Aires - a first for the Lions in Argentina - but from the moment Marx was incorrectly penalised at a ruck in the game at Newlands which allowed the Stormers to sneak a win after the hooter had sounded things went pear-shaped for the Lions. It was the same game Whiteley picked up his chest injury, which caused all sorts of problems for the player and the team for the rest of the season.

A lack of continuity in selection cost the side fluency and momentum and they never were able to fully plug the gaps left by the departure of several high profile men in the last two years.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Leeubok Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18-Jun-2019 at 1:48pm
Sjoe, ek sou wragtag nie Orie noem as een van die stand-out spelers nie! Marx was uitstekend in amper elke game, maar volgens die skrywer het hy net 'n paar goeie oomblikke gehad?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Transvaal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18-Jun-2019 at 1:53pm
Orie se tackle en lynstaan stats lyk goed, maar die baie aanslane pla en hy doen dom dinge op die veld wat mens partymaal laat dink hy is nie regtig 'n natuurlike rugbyspeler nie
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Leeubok Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18-Jun-2019 at 1:58pm
Originally posted by Transvaal Transvaal wrote:

Orie se tackle en lynstaan stats lyk goed, maar die baie aanslane pla en hy doen dom dinge op die veld wat mens partymaal laat dink hy is nie regtig 'n natuurlike rugbyspeler nie

Ja mens moet hom krediet gee, sy workrate is baie goed. Ek dink hy probeer baie soos Mostert speel. Maar soos jy se, sy hande is baie swak en hy maak baie dom foute wat die span duur te staan kom. Ek sal nie baie hartseer wees as hy waai nie..
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote vdwestjo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18-Jun-2019 at 2:07pm
Ek dink Orie het ook baie aan sy hande gewerk. Kan nie onthou dat hy eenkeer bal aangeslaan het vd Waratahs game. Hy probeer ook baie hard en het defnitief ook aan sy fisieke spel gewerk. Ek sal saam stem met skrywer oor Orie. Hy is egter meer 'n nommer 5 slot. Ons het weer 'n sterk slot soos Andries Ferreira nodig wat die ouens seer maak by die rucks as hulle oortree...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote emiel1 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18-Jun-2019 at 2:20pm
Ons stutte en slotte is baie jonk, maar hulle sal met tyd verbeter. Wat my baie meer pla is die balans van ons loscoorspelers. Dit lyk nie of ons harde en balvaardige losvoorspelers om die manne soos Kriel, Whiteley en Kwagga se skoene vol te staan nie. Daar is ook niks wat die oog gevang het by die juniors hierdie jaar tussen die skakels en senters nie. Haker kan ook 'n probleem posisie wees
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