In the lion's den of Ellis Park, the Johannesburg Lions are gearing up for a rumble in the Currie Cup final against Griquas, but don't expect them to dwell on last year's nail-biting defeat. Coach Mziwakhe Nkosi confirms that last season's heartbreak, where a last-second penalty snatched victory away, hasn’t been a topic of conversation. Instead, they’re focusing on the now, with a clear game plan and lessons learned tucked under their belts.
“As a matter of interest, we haven’t mentioned last year’s final. The players will attest to that – we haven’t mentioned it one bit,” Nkosi stated emphatically. While the ghosts of finals past haunt the corners of his mind, Nkosi is adamant about looking forward. He acknowledges,
"Naturally, as a coach, there are one or two things that play on your mind; there are one or two things we hope to do differently this year."
It's all about tweaking the strategy and hoping lady luck doesn’t turn a blind eye.
Unlike some of their United Rugby Championship peers, the Lions have not been shy about their ambitions to clinch the Currie Cup crown. With a squad that’s remained largely intact throughout the season, they've had the luxury of consistency. Nkosi shared, "It’s been a challenging season. We’ve had oversight of KPIs – we had to give guys who didn’t play a lot of game time, we had to bring youngsters through and integrate the URC guys." This blend of experience and fresh energy is what Nkosi believes could tilt the scales in their favor.
Despite not replicating last year's winning streak, the Lions have shown resilience in spades. A loss to Boland, followed by a scorching battle against the Pumas in Nelspruit, tested their mettle but also prepared them for the pressures of a final. “So it’s had its fair challenges. To lose to Boland in that environment and then to go to the Pumas on a really hot pitch was an exceptional sort of bounce-back from adversity," Nkosi reflected. This resilience is something he counts on to carry them through come Saturday.
The stage is set for a titanic clash at 3 pm in the heart of Johannesburg. Will the Lions roar back to glory, or will the Griquas script their own underdog story? One thing's for sure, the Lions are not looking back; they are all in, eyes on the prize, ready to rewrite last year’s ending.
TEAM: Lions call on Ntlabakanye for Currie Cup final
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In the lion's den of Ellis Park, the Johannesburg Lions are gearing up for a rumble in the Currie Cup final against Griquas, but don't expect them to dwell on last year's nail-biting defeat. Coach Mziwakhe Nkosi confirms that last season's heartbreak, where a last-second penalty snatched victory away, hasn’t been a topic of conversation. Instead, they’re focusing on the now, with a clear game plan and lessons learned tucked under their belts.
“As a matter of interest, we haven’t mentioned last year’s final. The players will attest to that – we haven’t mentioned it one bit,” Nkosi stated emphatically. While the ghosts of finals past haunt the corners of his mind, Nkosi is adamant about looking forward. He acknowledges,
"Naturally, as a coach, there are one or two things that play on your mind; there are one or two things we hope to do differently this year."
It's all about tweaking the strategy and hoping lady luck doesn’t turn a blind eye.Unlike some of their United Rugby Championship peers, the Lions have not been shy about their ambitions to clinch the Currie Cup crown. With a squad that’s remained largely intact throughout the season, they've had the luxury of consistency. Nkosi shared, "It’s been a challenging season. We’ve had oversight of KPIs – we had to give guys who didn’t play a lot of game time, we had to bring youngsters through and integrate the URC guys." This blend of experience and fresh energy is what Nkosi believes could tilt the scales in their favor.
Despite not replicating last year's winning streak, the Lions have shown resilience in spades. A loss to Boland, followed by a scorching battle against the Pumas in Nelspruit, tested their mettle but also prepared them for the pressures of a final. “So it’s had its fair challenges. To lose to Boland in that environment and then to go to the Pumas on a really hot pitch was an exceptional sort of bounce-back from adversity," Nkosi reflected. This resilience is something he counts on to carry them through come Saturday.
The stage is set for a titanic clash at 3 pm in the heart of Johannesburg. Will the Lions roar back to glory, or will the Griquas script their own underdog story? One thing's for sure, the Lions are not looking back; they are all in, eyes on the prize, ready to rewrite last year’s ending.
TEAM: Lions call on Ntlabakanye for Currie Cup final