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The Lions

Wally

Academy Player
Joined
May 22, 2004
Messages
330
Finished the season with 0 wins and 13 losses. They've been the worst performing team in the competition since their inclusion a few years ago. The question is what is South Africa going to do about them? They obviously need extra funding to attract better players/coaches or to be tagged out for the Spears franchise.
 
I can't find the two articles I saw yesterday but basically one said that SARU will be meeting with the Lions management to discuss plans and the other said that previous ex-Lions players who played through their golden era in the mid 90's, like Kobus Wiese and Hennie le Roux, were offering to be technical advisors.

The Lions have been bad for ages now, but this year has been worse, and I blame Muir for the most part. He simply can't be head coach of a team. His management decisions baffle me.
For example during the Sharks 2008 campaign there was some crazy stat that no player played in a position 3 times in a row. He had a weird belief that all backs should be utility backs, just in case. And in the 2007 S14 final he takes off players like Smit with 5 mins to go, I mean, really! And we all know what happened there.

As a back coach, sure he's actually pretty good, look how good the Boks backs were in the Tri-Nations. But take away his ability to manage and select players! The fact that he keeps on choosing Spencer should be case in point!
 
Oh I'll also add that the Lions won't be replaced, their stadium was upgraded for the FIFA WC
 
Well the Southern Kings also have a brand spankin new stadium which was built for the FIFA WC mind you.

I really believe they should have a relegation match (perhaps two, one in Johburg the other in at the Kings home ground) and see who gets to play each year.
Only for the bottom placed SA team of the super 14 though, so obviously this time it would be between them and the Lions.
 
Ay you right, forgot about that stadium. And it's quite nice!
I agree that a relegation match would be fair, and maybe put some fire under the asses of teams as well. EP (aka the Kings) seriously need to get into the CC!
Although I think, as bad as the Lions are, they would murder the Kings anyway. BUT if they can lure the kind of players they had against the B&I Lions on a permanent basis they'd have a good chance.
 
yeah, that wasn't a half bad team, would probably have been above even the cheetahs in this years Super 14.

EP seriously needs to get back into Premier devision CC, unfortunately I don't think the eastern cape has the sort of funds needed to
produce a decent academy system, which means no decent first class rugby players apart from the natural born ones.
 
I've been a lions fan all my life, and this season has been heart breaking.

The management of the lions are still donig things the amateurish way. They don't have the funds. They buy Waylon Murray, a bok, but then lose another bok, in Heinke van der Merwe.
There have been discussions of new sponsors, but they are losing another sponsor.

Things have just been shocking at the once powerhouse of SA rugby.
 

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