Strydom punts Lions for play-off spot
The Lions are not being given a snowball's hope in hell of making the Super 14 play-offs, but fly-half Louis Strydom says nothing could be further from the truth.
The Lions are not being given a snowball's hope in hell of making the Super 14 play-offs, but fly-half Louis Strydom says nothing could be further from the truth.
Dismissed as no-hopers and also-rans after they lost some key players to injury in the pre-season, the Lions are keen to prove they can do a lot better than last year's 12th place finish and can in fact make the play-offs.
Strydom, speaking to rugby365.com acknowledged that the loss of World Cup Springboks André Pretorius and Jaque Fourie, as well as captain Ernst Joubert, would have an impact on the team.
However, he is confident those stepping into the void will not let the team down.
The 27-year-old Strydom is one of the players that has to step in. He comes in for veteran Springbok No.10 Andr̩ Pretorius Рwho won't play any Super 14 rugby this year, after undergoing foot surgery to repair the damage he suffered during the year-end match against the Barbarians at Twickenham in December.
Pretorius, who has frequently had his career interrupted by a surfeit of knee and ankle injuries over the years, is generally regarded as one of South Africa's most gifted players.
And Strydom, in only his second season of Super Rugby, knows some serious questions will be asked of him this season – defensively, on attack and tactically.
However, he is adamant he is up for the task.
“I have a very good Super 14 track record,” he told rugby365.com.
“Last year I played the first six rounds [of the Super 14, when Pretorius was sidelined with hamstring/buttock problems]. We won four of those six games,” Strydom said of consecutive victories against the Highlanders, Crusaders, Western Force and Reds.
After five rounds, which included back-to-back victories in Australia for the first time, the Lions were third on the standings.
However, a run of injury setbacks saw them record just one win in the second half of the season – against the Hurricanes.
The cynics point to a lack of depth as the reason why the Lions should again be hovering in the bottom half of the standings.
However, Strydom feels the Lions will be a different proposition this year.
“As a team we are very exited about the Super 14,” he said.
“We can do very well, because I believe we are one of the South African teams that has the best shot at coming out on top,” he said, adding that their goal is to make the play-offs.
He knows the spotlight will be firmly on him, as he takes over from Pretorius again.
“I want a solid season,” he said of the task ahead.
“I want to be consistent in my performances, take it game for game and improve consistently throughout the season.”
He is adamant that even with the injury setbacks, the Lions do have the right mix to be a success.
“We have a very well balanced team. We are good on defence, very good on scramble defence, our attack is exceptional, we have pace all over the park, our forwards are very physical, our tactical kicking and goal-kicking is great … so overall we are very sound,” he said, adding that he feels there are no obvious weaknesses in the Lions outfit.
By Jan de Koning