LIONS FACED WITH 'INTERESTING DYNAMIC'; Planet Rugby

IN THE SPOTLIGHT: JAN DE KONING CHATTED TO LIONS COACH SWYS DE BRUIN ABOUT A PRE-SEASON THAT SEES THE TEAM BEREFT OF A CHUNK OF THEIR FRONTLINE PLAYERS.

De Bruin, who took over from Johan Ackermann as head coach after the latter moved to Gloucester last year, is adamant that the absence of so many players will not be a hindrance to the back-to-back Super Rugby finalists.

"We have a very interesting dynamic here," he told rugby365, adding: "We have some players in Japan [including the likes of Lourens Erasmus, Franco Mostert, captain Warren Whiteley, Lionel Mapoe and Elton Jantjies], one in Montpellier [prop Johannes Jonker], Kwagga [Albertus Smith] at the Sevens and Trokkie [Ruhan Janse van Rensburg] at Sale Sharks.

"We are waiting for about eight players to still return, but most of them will be back next week," De Bruin added.

"Most of these players have been in our system for a number of years, so there should be no problem of them slotting in."

The good news is that the captain, Whiteley, has fully recovered from the groin injury that sidelined him for six months last year and has gad some invaluable game time in Japan.

"He has had a few outings in Japan," De Bruin said of Whiteley, adding: "He played a full 80 minutes this past weekend and told me afterwards it went well.

"There is no concerns about his [groin] injury, so that is very good news."

There are a couple of players who will miss the start of the season while still recovering from injury - Springbok wing Ruan Combrinck (shoulder surgery) and Bok flank Jaco Kriel (shoulder surgery).

"Jaco should return by the end of February," De Bruin told rugby365.

he Lions will eventually have the bulk of the team that reached back-to-back finals the last two years.

The only key personnel people missing are Springbok scrumhalf Francois de Klerk (joined Sale Sharks), loose forward Ruan Ackermann (moved to Gloucester), his father Johan Ackermann (now the Gloucester coach) and defence coach JP Ferreira (joined Munster).

By Jan de Koning

@king365ed

@rugby365com"He could miss the first two rounds of Super Rugby [against the Sharks on February 17 in Johannesburg and the Jaguares at Ellis Park a week later].

Sounds like the Lions will be in pretty good shape. Of course they have an easy schedule again this year, e.g. not playing the Chiefs and playing the hapless SA teams like the weeee stormers shows this clearly.

The Chiefs aren't really much of a threat, JW.

They can be thankful they're not facing the Lions this season.

CC, Lions get to play the Saders at home, the only tough games they have on the road are against the Canes and the Landers (& not clear yet if the Landers will be that good this year). It's an easy schedule no doubt about it.

They should make the finals where once again it will be a rude awakening for them.

I was told by you and your fellow kiwis that the Lions had an easy route to the finals in 2016 and that they didn't deserve to contest it that year. Something about the format blah, blah, blah. It didn't make any difference to you that we cleaned your boys up in their own back yard ... they simply weren't deserved finalists.

Then I heard the same kind of story last season. A thousand excuses as to why we didn't belong there and you did. Hakwazee was rather emotional about it if I recall correctly

Well ... seems I've heard this story before JW.

All your boys should be in the play offs and the rest of us should not.

Same old nonsense year in year out.