Wessel Roux, Currie Cup forwards and mental coach of the Lions, has measured expectations ahead of their clash against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
The teams have enjoyed contrasting fortunes at the start of the Currie Cup and are just about at opposite ends of the performance scale after three matches.
The Lions are yet to win a match and are last in the seven-team division with just two log points.
They lost to the Sharks and the Pumas at home and went down to Western Province in Cape Town. The Pumas put 50 points on them at Ellis Park but the Lions played with a lot of resolve and enterprise in their latest match against the Sharks.
The Cheetahs by contrast have beaten Griquas, the Blue Bulls and the Pumas and are second on the points table, a point behind the Sharks.
No wonder Roux has opted for a realistic forecast ahead of Saturday's clash.
“It is always tough in Bloem. I found it so as player and a coach,” said Roux, who played in three Tests for the Boks at loosehead prop in 2002.
“They are very settled, very balanced and they have experienced guys who have won World Cups. It will be a big challenge,” he said of the Cheetahs who have Ruan Pienaar and Frans Steyn in their ranks.
Gulf in experience
While there is a chasm in experience between the Lions, who have poured almost all their playing resources into the United Rugby Championship (URC), and the Cheetahs who have all their eggs in the Currie Cup basket, Roux, wearing his mental coach hat, has to build confidence from within. He knows instant gratification is outside the current squad's reach.
“We can only play the best rugby we can play. I don't say we've played our best rugby but there is a lot of potential in the guys. There is a lot of quality in our side. We can go down there and chase our own goals.”
Keeping their collective pecker up is easier said than done at a time when both the URC and Currie Cup teams are taking a pounding.
“It is impossible to have seven losses and not feel it,” said Roux. “We are in a professional business where winning is the only currency. We understand that. In the Currie Cup we have a younger team but that should not be used for shifting the blame.
“The blokes are good enough. I can't speak for the URC because I'm not part of that management group. As a collective we want to be better.
“It's not that we've given up. In rugby with one win you can change things quickly. The feeling we have is that we need to fix this,” insisted Roux.
Lions have measured expectations
Currie Cup team has also struggled and they have a big Test looming in Bloem
Image: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images
Wessel Roux, Currie Cup forwards and mental coach of the Lions, has measured expectations ahead of their clash against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
The teams have enjoyed contrasting fortunes at the start of the Currie Cup and are just about at opposite ends of the performance scale after three matches.
The Lions are yet to win a match and are last in the seven-team division with just two log points.
They lost to the Sharks and the Pumas at home and went down to Western Province in Cape Town. The Pumas put 50 points on them at Ellis Park but the Lions played with a lot of resolve and enterprise in their latest match against the Sharks.
The Cheetahs by contrast have beaten Griquas, the Blue Bulls and the Pumas and are second on the points table, a point behind the Sharks.
No wonder Roux has opted for a realistic forecast ahead of Saturday's clash.
“It is always tough in Bloem. I found it so as player and a coach,” said Roux, who played in three Tests for the Boks at loosehead prop in 2002.
“They are very settled, very balanced and they have experienced guys who have won World Cups. It will be a big challenge,” he said of the Cheetahs who have Ruan Pienaar and Frans Steyn in their ranks.
Gulf in experience
While there is a chasm in experience between the Lions, who have poured almost all their playing resources into the United Rugby Championship (URC), and the Cheetahs who have all their eggs in the Currie Cup basket, Roux, wearing his mental coach hat, has to build confidence from within. He knows instant gratification is outside the current squad's reach.
“We can only play the best rugby we can play. I don't say we've played our best rugby but there is a lot of potential in the guys. There is a lot of quality in our side. We can go down there and chase our own goals.”
Keeping their collective pecker up is easier said than done at a time when both the URC and Currie Cup teams are taking a pounding.
“It is impossible to have seven losses and not feel it,” said Roux. “We are in a professional business where winning is the only currency. We understand that. In the Currie Cup we have a younger team but that should not be used for shifting the blame.
“The blokes are good enough. I can't speak for the URC because I'm not part of that management group. As a collective we want to be better.
“It's not that we've given up. In rugby with one win you can change things quickly. The feeling we have is that we need to fix this,” insisted Roux.
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