They are a team that plays with such heart that I find myself just wanting them to succeed. Invariably they tend to fall short but the signs are there that the Lions can only get better with each round of the United Rugby Championship.
I hope so.
They have a tough one this Friday evening, against Ulster in Belfast. Even the best have gone to Belfast and come unstuck, and just last weekend defending champions Munster came second in the Irish provincial derby.
But there is something that screams “gees” about the Lions, and there is something about how they play that makes them a difficult side to beat. They also have the bonus of playing their home matches at altitude and, as we saw last season, they were a different beast at home.
They are a team that did well overseas last season and this season they could so easily have had three successive overseas wins.
They lost by a point to Edinburgh in Edinburgh and were denied by a late Benetton try in Treviso. Their wretched luck turned in their most recent game, against the Scarlets, and they won by a point thanks to Sanele Nohamba’s last kick of the game.
It would be a surprise if they got a result against Ulster, but they have four matches in succession in South Africa, which includes two in Johannesburg and the traditional derby against neighbours the Bulls.
I also never tire of seeing the ‘Bone Collector’ Willem Alberts playing. Alberts, now in the twilight of his career, is no longer the Bok monster of a decade ago, but he is still a monster of sorts, and you don’t want to be that one bloke he lines up and breaks in half.
They are mentally a strong bunch and they thrive on being written off. They also have players with the potential to be internationals, but the essence of this team is not about becoming Springboks, but about making the Lions a league threat and a play-off contender.
Nohamba is a very talented player. He left the Sharks because of the saturation of numbers when it came to scrumhalves, and he has thrived in Johannesburg. Interestingly, his accomplished line and goal-kicking saw him picked to start at flyhalf against the Scarlets and again against Ulster.
Regular No. 10 Jordan Hendrikse will play against Ulster as one of the backline substitutes, and it could be that the Lions coaching staff want to build the back division around Nohamba, given that Hendrikse is leaving for the Sharks at the end of the season.
Nohamba’s versatility in playing No. 9 and No. 10, aligned with his goal-kicking strength, increases his value for the Lions. There will also be glances his way from Springboks coach and national director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus.
Outside centre Henco van Wyk sizzled in the URC last season, but his start this season has been more circumspect. He is due for take-off.
I also never tire of seeing the “Bone Collector” Willem Alberts playing. Alberts, now in the twilight of his career, is no longer the Bok monster of a decade ago, but he is still a monster of sorts, and you don’t want to be that one bloke he lines up and breaks in half.
Alberts starts at lock against Ulster and will be good for an hour’s damage to the locals.
Speedsters Edwill van der Merwe, starting on the left wing, and Rabz Maxwane, will bring razzle and dazzle, but for the Lions to roar in Belfast, it is going to require the grunt up front to be at its most ferocious.
The Bulls have a significant match against Edinburgh and it is a fixture that is made tougher because of the 4G pitch, the Stormers have a mountain to climb against champions Munster at Thomond Park in Limerick and the Sharks, winless after four matches, have a tough encounter against Ireland’s Connacht in Durban.
There is so little to choose between teams in the URC, which was evident with the biggest winning margin in last weekend’s first seven matches being 6 points.
Expect the battles to be as tight this weekend.
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