Lions Will Attack 'Phenomenal' Crusaders - Warren Whiteley

The Lions will throw caution to the wind in an effort to beat the Crusaders in the Super Rugby final on Saturday night.

The Lions have a powerful pack led by monster hooker Malcolm Marx but captain Warren Whiteley — who missed the 2016 and 2017 finals because of injury — said they could not attempt to maul their way to victory.

"We always take risks - you have to be willing to tap and go, take a quick lineout, try something new, be innovative. That's what we are about," said Whiteley, after the Lions landed in Christchurch last night.

"Similarly the Crusaders look for opportunities all over the place, you can't change the way you play just because it is a final.

All things considered, I say the Lions don't have much choice but to fight fire with fire and attack. The less defending they do the better. Their nous at set piece time and breakdown power could swing it. 

Who is Keohane? Hansen is just doing the typical "being polite" thing. 

They will surely relish being considered a no-hope underdog, though.

Coke head? Nice. Always a great source of credible info. Maybe he snorted himself into a daze like a shaman and saw the future 

Coke head? Nice. Always a great source of credible info. Maybe he snorted himself into a daze like a shaman and saw the future 

I think the Lions have the breakdown prowess and set piece game to trouble the Saders. The less defending they do the better, but they have to be accurate. Theoretically they have all the tools to win the game, but the Saders make this look like a routine. Away from home, it gets much tougher! It's not as impossible as many think in my opinion, but the potential for the Saders to pile on points is always present. 

A team with nothing to lose and no expectations from the stands is always a danger, Cloudy

Or let's say little to lose, in this case, not quite nothing.

If the favorites always won no one would watch the games. Lions are a very good team and they have a chance of winning it. 

PS if the Saders lose I think we will have to come up with a conspiracy theory. I await the advice of our SA poster friends on this topic.

A fair game is all I want. Nothing more, nothing less. May the best team Lions win!