Currie Cup final: Lions out to ‘tell a different story’
Lions coach Mziwakhe Nkosi is happy with how his team is playing, but hopes they avoid last year’s Currie Cup final mistake.
The Lions are favourites to rewrite the script in their second Currie Cup final in two years, after infamously falling due to their own disastrous decision-making last year.
Coach Mziwakhe Nkosi recalled how his side effectively gave the title away, but said this year would ‘hopefully’ be different.
Last year, the Lions opted to keep the ball in play when the hooter sounded while they were 14–13 up against the Sharks. This led to a penalty for holding on, and former Lions flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse slotting a 59m kick to snatch the win.
Lions favourites to atone
A year later, the Joburg side has a chance to atone for that mistake. They host the final after again topping the table in the league phase.
This time it’s against the Griquas, who have their own demons to exorcise after falling in the 2022 final to the Pumas.
But the Kimberley side have it all to do. The Lions smashed the Griquas in their league phase match at the same venue five tries to one (score 37–7) a week before the semis.
The Lions dominated that game, winning all six of their scrums and 14 of their 16 lineouts. They stole the ball at breakdown four times compared to the Griqaus’ two, and forced two penalties to the Griquas’ none.
They also only conceded three penalties to the Griquas’ 11, and made 89 of their 101 tackles compared to the Griquas’ 146 of 184 (79%).
Still, Nkosi’s thoughts were only on Saturday’s game, which kicks off at 15:00.
“It’s good for our franchise to get into two finals in two years,” the coach said. “I can’t remember the last time that’s happened. It’s something to write home about for the Lions.
He said ‘all we can do is hope’ the players do not make the same mistake.
Side shows cohesion though captain’s injury hurts
The Lions coach was grateful the returning United Rugby Championship players had slotted into the side well in the three matches leading up to the final.
Their performance against Boland in the semi-final (score 67–19) was also positive, though scrappy play in the second half showed they need to go back to basics in training ahead of Saturday.
The knee injury sustained by captain PJ Botha was also a concern.
This article first appeared in The Citizen.
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