Lions coach Eugene Eloff is confident that his team will be able to redress his team’s line-outs woes ahead of their Super 14 Round Two encounter with the Sharks in Durban on Saturday.
Despite a thoroughly entertaining and at times sublime performance in beating the Cheetahs 34-28 last Saturday, the Lions’ line-outs were a lottery.
Eloff’s men put the ball into 20 line-outs against the Cheetahs. Of those they lost 11 and one was a skew throw. Of the eight that they did win, two were quick throws.
That left them with a meager return of only won six successful line-outs out of 18 – or a poor 33 percent return.
They did manage to steal tree from the Cheetahs, but it still remains a poor performance in one of the game’s key areas.
That they managed to score four tries and wrap up the bonus point inside the first 50 minutes, is testimony of how well they used their opportunities.
However, Eloff readily acknowledges that there is work to be done – especially for a game against a Sharks team that has one of the best line-out units in the country.
“Yes, we’ll have to work on our line-outs,” Eloff told rugby365.com’s Jan De Koning.
“We certainly conceded too many of our own throws,” the Lions coach said, adding: “It can be attributed to rustiness and most of it was timing.
“But there’s nothing else that’s a major concern or that we’ll pay special attention to this week.”
Eloff was also happy to reveal that there are no major injuries in the squad as he starts building for the trip to Durban.
The Lions mentor said he was pleased with what he termed “the ideal start” to the competition, although there is concern about the lapse in concentration between the 50th and 65th minutes.
“We played well for about 50 minutes and then for 15 minutes we went to sleep and went into a defensive mode,” Eloff told rugby365.com.
“I think the players just wanted to protect the [28-14] lead, and it is natural for players to want to play safe when you have a big lead.”
He said his team may not necessary employ the same expansive game plan against the Sharks, as they are a very different team to the Cheetahs.
“It [the game plan] depends who we play against,” Eloff said.
“We’ll study that game [their 20-15 win against the Stormers], but it is a totally different game to what we faced against the Cheetahs.”
Eloff said even though he will make a careful study of the Sharks, the key is still for his team to focus on what they need to do, rather than trying to stop the Sharks play.
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Eloff’s men put the ball into 20 line-outs against the Cheetahs. Of those they lost 11 and one was a skew throw. Of the eight that they did win, two were quick throws.
😯
I didn’t realise it was that bad.
I was not to impressed with OUR LOs either actually. it will be interesting to watch this week.
However, Eloff readily acknowledges that there is work to be done – especially for a game against a Sharks team that has one of the best line-out units in the country.
If we are talking Purely Lineouts then I say we are 3rd.
1. Botha / Victoria
2. Fondse / Bekker
3. Sykes / Muller
Well Loffie here is your problem buddy.
Forget the line-out’s, your team conceded 10 general turn-overs and are coming up against a team that only conceded 3.
You also manage to only score the majority of your tries once a very average if not poor Cheetahs team was reduced to 14 men.
@MorneN (Comment 3) :
Now THAT comment just makes me want to pick the Sharks by 20plus on SB. 😆
@KSA Shark © (Comment 2) :
Yeah…but we’re going for that number 2 spot soon.
Giraffe is not as impressive as he should be… 😈
i’m kakking about our scrums. our guys don’t seem to be ready yet. and the lions were strong. i am excited about the rose-ruan match up though, both have dodgy defence and are good line breakers.
@try time (Comment 7) :
I want to see Smit vs. Heinke.
@MorneN (Comment 8) : me too. Mouth watering.
John will find a way to get the upper hand there.
@MorneN (Comment 8) : @robdylan (Comment 9) :
Can we get Heinke’s neck measurements before and after the game? 😛
@robdylan (Comment 9) :
Well Heinke will do his Bok ambitions the world of good if he shapes here.
This to me will be his single most important match with a view to a Bok career.
Peter believes John is our best tighthead…
@MorneN (Comment 8) :
@robdylan (Comment 9) :
Will that happen though?
Heinke is a loosehead and John didn’t play TH this last weekend. When Bismarck came on John moved to loosehead.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 12) :
I reckon Plum will pick his best front row for this game…
If Beast is fit, then Beast, Bis, John.
@MorneN (Comment 13) :
I’m assuming we’re going with that Front Row too…
Either way – if Heinke comes up against Jannie and delivers a dominant performance…it will still do wonders for his campaign…
@MorneN (Comment 8) : yeah, he seems to have umph and discipline than jannie.
@blackshark (Comment 14) : he already proved last year that he has Jannie’s number. BJ was the only tight head he couldn’t break
LIONS to steal 4 Sharks line-out balls and only loose 3…
You read it here….
@robdylan (Comment 16) :
We were still unteaching him everything he learned from the Cheetahs… 😛
@Hmmm (Comment 17) : They have more chances of stealing the trophy…
@blackshark (Comment 18) :
Hey they are from Gauteng dont give them ideas.
can you believe the comparison between john and jannie is 1 kg? john has a pork pie on jannie. and height is exactly the same. the difference is all skill and what else he offers the team.
Sharks by plenty. 5 log points in the bag. 😈
@blackshark (Comment 18) :
What trophy…Sharks have never even come closed to win a Super Rugby trophy…
@MorneN (Comment 19) :
We don’t steal…we take
@Hmmm (Comment 17) :
There’s confidence, there’s arrogance…and then there’s DELUSION…
@McLovin (Comment 21) :
😆 I take it you have your LMS pick…
@Hmmm (Comment 22) :
More of that delusion I was talking about…
Can we have any other Lions supporter except Hmmm? 🙄
@blackshark (Comment 24) : Nope, saving the Sharks for later on when they play a top side at home. 😉
@McLovin (Comment 26) :
Smart – how did you end up supporting the Stormers?
@blackshark (Comment 27) : hehehe
@Hmmm (Comment 22) : ok… you have obviously been hanging out with DavidS… let me say this slowly…
THE SUPER 10 DOES NOT COUNT