Lions captain Warren Whiteley has urged his team-mates to be mentally prepared for their Australian tour when they are scheduled to play against the Force‚ Rebels and Brumbies in the coming three weeks.
The Lions hit the road leading the South African Group with 32 points‚ 10 clear of the Sharks‚ after eight matches following a hardfought 24-21 win over a determined Jaguares in Johannesburg on Friday night.
Looking ahead to the trip‚ Whiteley said the Lions need to be mentally strong because their next three opponents will be difficult to beat in their own backyard.
“We need to be mentally switched on to avoid making things difficult for ourselves because travelling to Australia is never easy‚” he said after the Jaguares victory.
“Every Australian side for the last 50 to 60 minutes is a fight and we need to be switched on to avoid making things difficult for ourselves.”
Coach Johan Ackerman echoed his sentiments and also pointed out that they have travelled well in the past despite having a number of players who have never been to Australia before.
“It is always easy at home and any away game is difficult but we have travelled well in the last few years‚” Ackerman said.
“The guys have enjoyed touring‚ there is a little bit of inexperience in our team because some of our guys have not been there before. Believe it or not‚ a guy like Jaco Kriel will be in Canberra for the first time.
“We are going to have to take it week by week and prepare as well as we can.”
There are rumours that either the Force or the Rebels may be cut for next season’s restructured Super Rugby from Australia. Ackerman said those teams will be highly motivated to show that they deserve to stay in the competition.
“What we have seen in the Kings display where they shocked the Waratahs on Friday is what we are going to encounter with the Force and the Rebels‚ because they are two desperate sides.
“There are rumours doing the rounds that one of them is going to be cut. The Brumbies are possibly the best Australian side and they will be up there‚ but we have control of everything.
“We control our attitude and the way we are going to train and prepare. We first have to check who is cleared to go on tour‚ get on the plane and go to prepare as well as possible.
“If we can start well against the Force on Saturday we will put ourselves in a position to have a very good tour overseas.”
When they return from Australia‚ the Lions have tough matches against the Bulls‚ the Kings and the Sunwolves at home before rounding off the round-robin stage with a trip to Durban to take on the Sharks.
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
Lions know they will need to be mentally tough for Aussie tour
Lions captain Warren Whiteley has urged his team-mates to be mentally prepared for their Australian tour when they are scheduled to play against the Force‚ Rebels and Brumbies in the coming three weeks.
The Lions hit the road leading the South African Group with 32 points‚ 10 clear of the Sharks‚ after eight matches following a hardfought 24-21 win over a determined Jaguares in Johannesburg on Friday night.
Looking ahead to the trip‚ Whiteley said the Lions need to be mentally strong because their next three opponents will be difficult to beat in their own backyard.
“We need to be mentally switched on to avoid making things difficult for ourselves because travelling to Australia is never easy‚” he said after the Jaguares victory.
“Every Australian side for the last 50 to 60 minutes is a fight and we need to be switched on to avoid making things difficult for ourselves.”
Coach Johan Ackerman echoed his sentiments and also pointed out that they have travelled well in the past despite having a number of players who have never been to Australia before.
“It is always easy at home and any away game is difficult but we have travelled well in the last few years‚” Ackerman said.
“The guys have enjoyed touring‚ there is a little bit of inexperience in our team because some of our guys have not been there before. Believe it or not‚ a guy like Jaco Kriel will be in Canberra for the first time.
“We are going to have to take it week by week and prepare as well as we can.”
There are rumours that either the Force or the Rebels may be cut for next season’s restructured Super Rugby from Australia. Ackerman said those teams will be highly motivated to show that they deserve to stay in the competition.
“What we have seen in the Kings display where they shocked the Waratahs on Friday is what we are going to encounter with the Force and the Rebels‚ because they are two desperate sides.
“There are rumours doing the rounds that one of them is going to be cut. The Brumbies are possibly the best Australian side and they will be up there‚ but we have control of everything.
“We control our attitude and the way we are going to train and prepare. We first have to check who is cleared to go on tour‚ get on the plane and go to prepare as well as possible.
“If we can start well against the Force on Saturday we will put ourselves in a position to have a very good tour overseas.”
When they return from Australia‚ the Lions have tough matches against the Bulls‚ the Kings and the Sunwolves at home before rounding off the round-robin stage with a trip to Durban to take on the Sharks.
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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