Lions are revitalised and ready to hit the ground

With top-flight local teams resuming full contact training this week, in preparation for a return to competition, the excitement in the Lions camp is contagious.

A date of October 3 had been provisionally earmarked for the start of the Currie Cup, and the next four weeks of contact training was set to be essential in getting the teams battle-ready.

Prop Ruan Dreyer and flank Jaco Kriel were expected to be big assets for the Lions, with both Boks having recently returned from Gloucester.

Other signatures which had been secured included centre Burger Odendaal, hooker Jaco Visagie and fullback Divan Rossouw, who were all
lured from the Bulls, as well as former Stormers centre EW Viljoen.

“We were away for a while, and the circumstances around Covid-19 and training in groups was challenging, but it’s been great to be back,” said Dreyer, with teams already having resumed non-contact training.

While a move up north seemed inevitable, there could be a point to prove in the Currie Cup, with potentially only the top four teams in the domestic competition – which was set to feature seven sides in the absence of the sidelined Southern Kings – qualifying to play in the Pro14.

In the meantime, for Dreyer and his teammates it was all about finding their cohesion and rhythm after the lengthy layoff.

“We were all tested mentally over the last five months with Covid-19 and the lockdown, but I think we at the Lions made the most of it,” he said.

He felt the spirit in the camp was high and they were eager to hit the ground running when contact training resumed.

“The hard work has been put in and has been done and the will and excitement within the team is contagious,” Dreyer said.

“The guys motivate one another and they are pushing each other to higher levels.”

While the Lions had struggled in the Super Rugby competition earlier this year, Dreyer believed the hardships they had faced had brought them closer together as a squad.

“We have a young group, but there is a great balance with experience being added too,” he said.

“The guys are ready to be challenged and strive to get better every day.”