The Lions start their 2017 Super Rugby campaign against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on 25 February, the scene of their humiliating 55-17 defeat in last year’s Currie Cup semi-final. Before that, the Lions have a warm-up match against the Stormers at Newlands on 11 February. The Lions squad has been in pre-season training since November, albeit without a number of key players who have been plying their trade in Japan. I spoke to the Lions’ assistant coach Swys de Bruin on Hot919 about the team’s pre-season preparations. – David O’Sullivan
Swys, you’re up against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein in five weeks’ time. How is pre-season training going?
You mention the name “Cheetahs” and my stomach gives a bit of a turn. They gave us a big hiding there in Bloemfontein in the Currie Cup semifinal. Yes, so to come back to your question, we have had enough time but some of our players are only coming back at the end of the month. They are in Japan – guys like Warren Whiteley and Jaco Kriel, Franco Mostert and some more, but hopefully they will be in good nick when they come back.
"There's no rest for the wicked" – Lions assistant coach Swys De Bruin on the team's training in preparation for… https://t.co/RwSdZQ0n0m
— XVR (Ballz Radio) (@XVRSouthAfrica) January 19, 2017
Well you would expect them not to be overplayed. Â I spoke to Warren late last year and he said that while he was getting game time, he was not being overplayed. At least you will get players who haven’t had downtime and will probably be match-ready. Without the players from Japan, does that mean that the Lions go into the Cheetahs game somewhat below par? You won’t be able to field your first choice team?
What we will have to do David is when they come back, assess them properly. It’s a bit of a blessing in disguise, none of the players that played in Japan made their semis or finals so we saved two weeks on their bodies but listening to the guys, and we are in constant communication with them, listening to them it sounds like they are fresh and looking forward to coming back. But we will only make that decision finally when they come back. It might happen that we will have to go under-strength for the first two games.
How much depth do you have? Do you feel confident that you can perform at a Super Rugby level in that first game with the squad that you’ve got at the moment?
You know, talking about the depth, when we started four years ago 21 players left and we were really in the doldrums. We were nowhere, as you guys know. But in the meantime we have done some good recruitment through our high performance department. Both our under 19s and under 21s won the national competition, the Junior Currie Cup. So from a junior point of view there is plenty depth and we are looking forward to the future. I’m talking about the 22 and 23 year olds that are in the squad. Obviously it will take some time to become a Warren Whiteley or Jaco Kriel or an Elton or Lionel Mapoe or Ruan Combrink, but those guys are in the mix and we’ve got full faith in them.
How long have you had the squad together though? When did pre-season training for Super Rugby begin?
We had a month’s camp in November till about mid-December, then we had a Christmas break but we have been working again. So it is full strength. There is no rest for the wicked. It’s not like in our days when we had an off season. It’s a case of just carrying on.
I would imagine that there is a lot of confidence in this Lions team, after such a wonderful performance in Super Rugby last season. Â Are you able to build on the mental strength that the players surely have?
Yes, you know even the year before that we had the same bunch of guys and we are carrying on with the same squad. So I must say from a confidence point of view we are definitely up there. We have been in the semis, we have beaten four of the five New Zealand teams, so without being arrogant, because we don’t stand for that, the confidence is definitely there.
You have also got a group of players who at this time last year weren’t Springboks. Â You now have a group of players who have played at the highest level. Does that not change the dynamic of the team in any respect – not only in terms of their physicality, but in their mental strength, knowing that they can perform at the highest level?
Yes, you are 100% right. It’s a completely new way of looking at the whole thing. You know last year before Super Rugby we had no Springboks. We had Marnitz Boshoff, but apart from that no Springboks and we were fortunate to play with a full squad and we could really put all this depth into place. Now it’s different. It’s a completely different dynamic situation at the Lions with all the guys away, but we are very positive. I must tell you that we are positive. They gained experience at the Boks – although the Boks did not do well. And you know they gained more experience in Japan. So that’s what you want. I think it would have been a waste of time if we are not going to gain experience from the whole situation.
I appreciate that there are no easy games in Super Rugby but this season is probably going to be a little easier than last season given that you don’t have the might of the New Zealand teams. What do you make of the schedule, given that you are home in South Africa till at least the end of April?
Look, last year was a horrendous schedule. We had 109 flying hours alone flying to Japan, back to Dubai, down to Auckland and Dunedin and all the way back, with airport times and all that stuff, so that was really tough. This time we are going to Australia, we are going to Perth, Melbourne, and Canberra. So although it will be tough going, the tour schedule should be much easier. But then, saying that, the guys like it tough, we want it tough, that’s one of our mottos, as tough as possible, and the Australian sides come with a totally different kind of… I must pick my words very carefully… they are very clever and astute teams and you have to plan much more carefully. With the New Zealand teams, we sort of know how to beat them, but the style that they offer you is different from the Australians. With the Australians you’ve got to prepare very well. You are not getting those physical games, you are getting a different kind of game.
Wouldn’t you prefer to face a few more New Zealand teams in the Super Rugby season rather than facing them in the playoffs?
The guys who played the Australian sides last year like the Stormers – they did say that they would have liked to have done that. But to be honest David, that’s a tough one to answer. Â Personally I don’t care if we play the Australian sides or the New Zealand sides, it’s still a game that you’ve got to prepare for. You’ve got to get the guys right up there, and you’ve got to win the game.
I am loath to ask the coach to single out players, I know you hate doing this, but of the youngsters who are coming through the Lions’ rank, are there any names that we should be looking out for?  Do you think that you will be able to spring some surprises on the fans this season with a new name who will shine in Super Rugby?
There are only three senior recruits really. We’ve got Sithembiso Sithole, the prop from Western Province and we got Marvin Orie and Johannes Jonker from Border. That’s basically it. Otherwise it’s our youngsters. Saying that, some of our youngsters have really put up their hands and Ruan Ackermann, Cyle Brink – they are only youngsters, 20 and 21 years old – they have put up their hands but it won’t be fair for me to mention any more of the young guys coming through until they have proven themselves a bit more.
