The Lions have the blueprint to achieve success against any team in the competition and will be hoping they follow through this week when matched against the Auckland Blues in Johannesburg on Friday.
In both Super Rugby matches the Lions have played so far they could just as easily have won had they not diverted from the set plan prepared for them by coach John Mitchell.
They have also shown that what they lack in experience, they compensate for in pre-match analysis.
Their counter-attacking abilities shone through in the first round against the Bulls while their accuracy at the set-pieces against the Stormers brought them within three points of what would have been an historic victory.
Mitchell highlighted that the Blues will present his team with different challenges and that they are one of the most formidable contenders in the competition.
“If they can’t go wide, they’ll try and come through you,” said Mitchell about the Blues.
“Alby Mathewson (scrumhalf) also likes to manipulate around the fringes, but they have ball threats all around the park and certainly around the edges through (Rene) Ranger, (Joe) Rokocoko and Isaia Toeava.”
Blues coach Pat Lam said this week that Mitchell is the right man to get the Lions back on the winning path and has made no less than six changes to his side after losing to the Sharks in Durban last week.
Lam decided to demote All Blacks Keven Mealamu, Anthony Boric and Daniel Braid to the bench and give Tom McCartney, Kurtis Haiu and Luke Braid their first starts of the season.
The team will be led by Jerome Kaino with another important switch being the inclusion of Sherwin Stowers, ahead of dangerman Rene Ranger, on the wing.
In contrast, the Lions have made only once change to their starting lineup after two consecutive weeks of immensely physical derbies.
The return of Wikus van Heerden – who will start at lock ahead of George Earle – should make the Lions more intimidating around those fringes referred to by Mitchell while his leadership qualities should also come in handy.
But the inclusion of former Bulls and Boland utility forward Dries van Schalwyk could be one of the most telling moves thus far.
Van Schalkwyk impressed last week when he ran out for the Vodacom Cup squad and during the week the Lions coach said he will be keeping close tabs on the second tier side.
“I must stress that if a player is not 100% committed when he plays at Vodacom level he won’t step-up to Super Rugby and we’ve made that very clear,” said Mitchell.
Players in the Lions’ current Super Rugby set-up, therefore, understand that failure in Friday’s match could see another Van Schalkwyk take their place at the top.
Teams:
Lions: Jaco Taute, Lionel Mapoe, Waylon Murray, Doppies La Grange, Michael Killian, Elton Jantjies, Jano Vermaak, Warren Whiteley, Josh Strauss, Derick Minnie, Franco van der Merwe (capt), Wikus van Heerden, Patrick Cilliers, Bandise Maku, JC Janse van Rensburg.
Replacements: Martin Bezuidenhout, Kevin Buys, Dries van Schalkwyk, Cobus Grobbelaar, Rory Kockott, Burton Francis, James Kamana.
Blues: Isaia Toeava, Joe Rokocoko, Jared Payne, Benson Stanley, Sherwin Stowers, Luke McAlister, Alby Mathewson, Peter Saili, Luke Braid, Jerome Kaino (captain), Ali Williams, Kurtis Haiu, John Afoa, Tom McCartney, Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: Keven Mealamu, Charlie Faumuina, Anthony Boric, Daniel Braid, Toby Morland, Stephen Brett, Rene Ranger.