‘Gutted’ Lions coach says players must take accountability ahead of URC start

The Lions players have to take accountability for their Currie Cup loss against the Sharks over the weekend, shake it off and start preparing for the start of their United Rugby Championship (URC) campaign this coming weekend.

It was heartbreaking stuff for the Lions after they were on course to win the Currie Cup, only for a mistake after the fulltime hooter to allow the Sharks to earn a penalty and kick it over for the win.

It would have been the perfect build up to the URC for the Lions, but instead their players will now have to get over that defeat as quickly as possible, as they host Ulster in their first game at Ellis Park on Saturday.

“From the players perspective taking accountability means rocking up here on Monday and preparing for Ulster,” explained disappointed Lions Currie Cup coach Mziwakhe Nkosi after the game.

“That’s accountability. You can’t rest too long on your laurels otherwise Ivan (van Rooyen, URC head coach) or I sit here and it’s the same result.”

Nkosi was unable to explain why his charges decided to maul the ball from a lineout with time up on the clock, instead of just securing it and kicking it out for the win, which would have been their first title since 2015.

Can’t explain it

“I can’t explain it either. We were Curie Cup champions for 10 seconds, and just in the moment that leadership lacked presence,” said Nkosi.

“All we had to do was call a line-out where the nine was in front, throw the ball in the front, get the ball, and kick it out. We proceeded to maul it, they turned it over. I thought the call in the end was a bit harsh.

“Either way, we should’ve kicked the ball out and become Currie Cup champions. Instead Plum (Sharks coach John Plumtree) and them have started their season on a good note.”

URC campaign

Nkosi will now revert to coaching the Lions U21 side this week, while Van Rooyen takes over the senior side for the URC competition.

It will definitely be a hard loss for Nkosi to take, as this was a superb campaign for him and the Lions Currie Cup squad, after they had struggled massively in the past three editions of the competition.

“To lose like that in the final, with young kids against a team that is probably worth the value of Ellis Park (is disheartening),” admitted Nkosi.

“But it’s the game of rugby, there is very little we can do. I have to rock up on Monday and coach the Under-21s again.

“It’s a big loss for me personally. You don’t get too many opportunities to get into finals, and to win finals. I thought we put ourselves in a position to win the final. So I am pretty gutted that we didn’t.”