‘Lions Rugby Union must press reset button — and move away from Ellis Park’

Former Lions coach Eugene ‘Loffie’ Eloff believes that the Joburg-based union need to throw sentimentality away, get in major financial backing, back good business practices and make the move away from Ellis Park if the union are to turn around their current woes.

The Lions currently find themselves almost back at square one as a host of current stars including captain Burger Odendaal, rising loose forward talent Vincent Tshituka and powerhouse up and coming prop Carlu Sadie, have all signed contracts to move away from the Lions at the end of the current season.

It’s a continued exodus of players that started in 2018 and has seen close to 40 of the franchise’s best players make the move to ‘greener pastures’ over the years.

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Eloff, who coached the Lions for several years, believes that Johannesburg is the least attractive place for potential players to want to go and that money is a major factor that is needed to lure the best players to the union.

“If you ask any player where they want to go, do they want to go to Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria or Joburg, the last place they will pick is Joburg,” claimed Eloff.

“Firstly, the whole area where Ellis Park is situated, I personally think has got an influence. Secondly, and more importantly, if you don’t have sponsors, if you don’t have financiers like (Patrice) Motsepe and (Johan) Rupert at the Bulls and the Americans at the Sharks, you have got a big problem.

“I take my hat off to the way Western Province (Stormers) are playing currently if you take into consideration the off-the-field politics that they are involved in.

“But if players are not happy at the franchise (Lions) or just get an opportunity to move away they will probably do it.”

Ellis Park

Eloff continued: “Money talks. This is the professional era, so if you don’t have the financial backing to contract decent players then you’re in trouble and that includes a quality coaching staff.

“I would say it’s time that the whole franchise got re-evaluated and maybe re-planned, and I personally think they should get away from where Ellis Park is situated.

“I know Newlands (when Western Province made the move to the Cape Town Stadium) people will get emotional about it, but the fact of the matter is it is very difficult and dangerous to go and watch rugby there in the evening. I think it has an influence on the players going there.”

Eloff believes that the most important thing for the Lions to do is to try and bring in a major financial backer and business mind, who has the vision to turn things around, although he also thinks that the current leadership could also start to fix things.

‘Game plan not working’

“To fix any business you need good and stern leadership. It does not necessarily have to be someone who comes from a rugby playing background. It needs to be a top businessman with a vision and a plan on how money can be brought into the union,” said Eloff.

“I think that the current management can turn it around and I am sure that they are at a point where they have realised that this game plan is not working.

“In rugby you can’t stay on top always, but I am sure that it will change for the better again. I believe with the right drive, right leadership and direction I am 100% sure things will improve.

“It won’t happen overnight, although we have seen what happens overnight when you get money and you can buy top players. It makes the job for the coach much easier.”