Lions coach Johan Ackermann said they do not want to be judged on how they start the Super Rugby tournament‚ but on how they peak at the business end.
While he picked a very strong match-day 23 with eight Springboks for their opening round clash with the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday afternoon‚ Ackermann said it's all about what they need to do this year.
Lionel Mapoe has been shifted to right wing while Ruan Combrinck recovers from a shoulder injury.
Howard Mnisi will fill in for him at outside centre while Ruan Dreyer will deputise for the incapacitated Julian Redelinghuys.
“You have to stay in the moment and not many teams are able to go through Super Rugby‚ especially with this format‚" Ackermann.
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"There have been examples of teams who started badly yet went on to win the tournament.
"The Hurricanes were the example last year that shows you can turn it around if you win plenty of matches on the trot.
"Some teams know how to get momentum and keep it. We were fortunate that we had a good finish.
“We're not going to target games. We'll just look at matches on a weekly basis and we'll do what has been serving us well in the past three years.”
The last time the South African rugby catfight took place in Bloemfontein‚ Ackermann's side was on the receiving end of a 55-17 shellacking in the Currie Cup semi-final.
Franco Smith has 16 survivors from that game and the team will be captained by hooker Torsten van Jaarsveld.
The noticeable absentee is the injured captain Francois Venter‚ who's place has been taken by Nico Lee at outside centre.
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Clinton Swart fills in at 12 while all eyes are on the Cheetahs' loose trio.
Uzair Caseem‚ Oupa Mohoje and Paul Schoeman make up the formidable numbers.
Ackermann was not quite accurate when he said there were not any players from last year's thrashing.
There are 13 players in the Lions' match-day 23 who were frazzled in Bloemfontein.
Ackermann said that result will count for nothing.
“We didn't even look back at that game or any other game in particular.
"We've changed some stuff‚ looked at our game and ways in which we can improve our game. We're just going to focus on our game.
"It's a new game with new teams and we were without some players and they probably have some different ideas and tactics‚” Ackermann said.
- TMG Digital
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