Lions relishing ‘do-or-die’ trophy hunt
After knocking out Currie Cup defending champions, the Cheetahs, in the semi-finals, the Lions are set to host the Sharks XV on Saturday.
While praising the Lions’ graft over the past few seasons, head coach Mziwakhe Nkosi said the Pride will embrace their Currie Cup title shot at Emirates Airline Park on Saturday.
Nkosi’s charges will host the Sharks XV at Emirates Airline Park in the showpiece of rugby’s oldest competition after knocking out defending champions, the Cheetahs, in the semi-finals in Johannesburg last week.
The Lions and Cheetahs split a feast of 12 tries, with the scores tied 19-19 at halftime, but Sanele Nohamba’s stunning touchdown in the last quarter helped steer the table-topping Lions to a 43-34 win.
Speaking after the final whistle on Saturday, Nkosi highlighted the hard work and resilience of the Lions to build a competitive squad while cautioning against taking their foot off the gas versus the Sharks following the Durbanites’ extra-time thriller against the Vodacom Bulls.
“For the franchise, I think it’s massive. We haven’t had the riches that other franchises might have enjoyed recently. When they were riding high, we were probably at the bottom, working our way up,” he told the media.
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“What this Currie Cup has done is create a situation where 35 players, a large number of whom have gained first-class experience, are now available. The URC coaches have a strong group to select from, which has built competition and healthier depth in many positions.
“This will benefit us in the URC, EPCR, and with managing game turnover, especially when injuries occur.”
“The goal was to reach the final and give ourselves a chance at Emirates Airline Park,” Nkosi added.
“The game model doesn’t change, but the mindset will because it’s a do-or-die game. If you lose, you get a silver medal; if you win, you get a trophy. That’s what’s at stake. If we don’t embrace that mindset, we’ll fall short.
“A large part of this group has played in knockout matches – Nico Steyn, Cairns, Renzo du Plessis, Morne Brandon, Kelly Mpeku, and about 12 other players from the Lions who have played a playoff game every year, albeit in the juniors. Playing at the first-class level is a positive step. The game doesn’t change, it just gets a bit quicker.”
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