The Lions, who reached the URC playoffs for the first time last season, will be the surprise package, according to former Bok Breyton Paulse.
The Lions celebrate winning the URC SA Shield last season. Picture: Gallo Images
Springbok legend Breyton Paulse has tipped the Lions to be the team to watch of the South African franchises in this season’s United Rugby Championship (URC).
The sixth season of the competition is set to kick off this weekend, and the Lions face a tough opening fixture against defending champions Leinster at Ellis Park on Saturday.
It will be an interesting encounter, as Leinster often travel with a weakened team to South Africa, and if they do that again it could be a golden opportunity for the Lions to pick up a good win over a team that usually finishes the URC very strong.
Last season the Lions found themselves on the receiving end of that strong finish, going down against the internationally laden Irish giants 31-7 in their penultimate pool game, and 59-10 in the competition quarterfinals, with both games played in Dublin.
Despite those heavy losses it was still a groundbreaking campaign last season for the Johannesburg side as they won the South African Shield, made the URC playoffs for the first time and qualified for the Champions Cup, also for the first time.
Head coach Ivan van Rooyen was also justifiably rewarded by being named URC Coach of the Season by his peers, among several other individual player awards earned by the Lions, and Paulse was hopeful that the Lions could do even better this season.
Lions surprise
“I think for the South African team that will surprise this United Rugby Championship season, I want to go with the Lions,” Paulse said.
“They really play for each other and they play as a team, even with constraints around budget and not having the level of big names other teams have.”
The Lions will, however, have to do the job without one of SA’s most exciting rising talents, scrumhalf Haashim Pead, whose exit to the Stormers – reportedly for more game time after finding himself behind Bok Morne van den Berg and Nico Steyn in the pecking order – was confirmed by the union on Monday.
Elsewhere among the South African teams, Paulse believes both the Stormers and Bulls have strengthened their squads with the right players and can target another good season in the URC.
“I feel that the Stormers have bought well this year with the likes of Cheslin Kolbe, Siya Kolisi and Wilco Louw. Then you also have the rise of a player like Yaqeen Ahmed. It’s going to be massive,” said Paulse.
“But it all comes down to keeping your players fit and not having injuries in key positions like Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu or Ruhan Nel, who has been an inspirational captain.
“The Bulls have also bought well. And then we’re still waiting for the Sharks to unlock their potential. Maybe this time around JP Pietersen has learnt a lot and he’ll get those players to fire for him.”
