This is the depressing reality of SA teams in Super Rugby finals

The Lions have more history stacked against them than they could have ever imagined ahead of the Super Rugby final against the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday.

Not only has a South African franchise never won a final on foreign soil, they have been seriously try-shy in showpiece matches too.

In the four finals South Africans sides have been involved in in Australasia since 1996, the visitors have only scored two tries … and both came in the same match.

More than two decades ago.

Little did Natal winger James Small know that when he scored a consolation try in their 45-21 loss to Auckland back in 1996, it will still be the last try scored by a South African in a Super Rugby final to date.

To add insult to injury, the only other try recorded by a South African in four away finals was scored by Small’s Springbok team-mate Andre Joubert in the very same match.

Since that match, Natal rebranded as the Sharks and packed their bags for two more overseas finals, against the Brumbies in Canberra in 2001 and against the Chiefs in Hamilton in 2012, while the Lions ventured off to Wellington to take on the Hurricanes in 2016.

The total sum of points scored in these three games? A paltry 15 points, all of which from the boot.

Sharks flyhalf Butch James converted two penalties in their 36-6 to the Brumbies in 2001, French hired gun Fred Michalak scored a further two penalties in the Sharks’ 37-6 loss to the Chiefs in 2012 and flyhalf Elton Jantjies scored the Lions’ only points during their 20-3 Wellington loss two years ago through a first half penalty.

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