More Lions bias.

Considering that the Lions have been SR finalists for the last three years, without knowing the actual stats, i'll venture a guess that they're close to being the most consistent team in the competition. Certainly the most consistent sports team in our country.

Some of their superstars have left but there is nothing to suggest that had those guys not left that the team would have performed worse. Jaco Kriel, Faf, Redlinghuys(pity), Akker, Akkerman, Combrink(always injured). All part of the original team and all still of playing age, Redlinghuys obviously excluded.

Fact is, Coetzee did miss a golden, excuse the pun, opportunity to take advantage of what Mitchel started and Akkerman expanded on.

The Boks, since Coetzee took over, have been a shambles. This past season can be summed up as one bright flash in the pan surrounded by dissapointment. And was our best year out of the last three.

Plum, the Proteas cricket team is slightly more consistent than the Lions...and even with their latest woes, the Blizbokke might be too.

Having said that, I think Coetzee chose the wrong Lions and left out the right ones...sounds stupid, I know, but I have to keep up appearances.The Lions team is better  than the sum of the parts, ...call it coaching, call it luck, but there is some kind of magic there...something unique to team sport. I hope they do well this year too. I don't have much hope for my team.

Lets go back to the last 14 months Of the Meyer era - the win-loss record was -

*   wins    -    8

*   Losses -    7

The losses include the first ever against Japan and the first time the Springboks lost against Argentina at home.   Seriously poor.

Coetzee could have picked better, but as Stormers coach he was  pure BS with no game plan.

Erasmus granted did not have an acceptable won-loss record, but that can in fact be because of -

*   experimental selections in at least 3 tests; and 

*   individual errors in two games.

An away win against the AB's was a massive indication of improvement in the team  and a better game plan.   That plan could have resulted in a Springbok win a home against the AB's = they managed to  snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Be it as it may - I am much more optimistic than I was in and since 2015 about the Springboks.

As to the Lions  I am not sure about them this year,   They have some weak links in the team and I suspect that some new players of quality will come through this season such as Simelane  at 13.   I am still worried about Jantjies - he breaks down under pressure and  wish they retained Van der Walt - he is making hay in Edinburgh.    There forwards are not weakened much if at all.    Lewies is a more physical lock than Mostert and Dylam Smith is good too.

On the whole I think barring injuries the SA Conference which will be much harder to win this year,   The Jaguares performed better last year and may be a serious thread this year,   The other SA franchises seems to be better than they were previously,   

So lets k eep our fingers crossed and hope for better performances by all SA teams..               

Im talking about the Lions SR team. In three years they've lost like six or seven games? No?

Are the Proteas or Blitzboks more consistent than that?

Yes, everybody knows they amount to more than the sum of their parts. The question was, around the fact that we could have transplanted their mentality and synergy in the test setup...and by now have had a team not comprised prediminantly of Lions but delivering a similar and better product.