The Highlanders concede luck helped them beat the Brumbies in the first round of the Super Rugby finals but reckon they’ll need more than that to overcome the Lions.
The defending champions arrived in Johannesburg on Monday talking up the quality of South Africa’s best team, who they say will provide a sizeable challenge in the semi-finals in on Sunday (AEST).
Coach Jamie Joseph has scrutinised the 15-9 win over the Brumbies in Canberra on Friday and described it as one of their worst performances of the season.
While wintry weather and a committed Brumbies performance were mitigating factors, Joseph marked the performance six out of 10 and says the players have owned up to shortcomings.
The fuming Brumbies were denied victory when an apparent late try to Lausii Taliauli was disallowed by match officials.
“That was a wake-up call for our team. We obviously didn’t play to our potential, which was very disappointing,” Joseph said.
“We were fortunate, in many ways we scrambled and got through.
“The boys are pretty keen to rectify that and play our style of footy against a very good Lions team.”
Joseph has added utility back Marty Banks and forwards James Lentjes, Joe Wheeler, Greg Pleasants-Tate and Craig Millar to his tour squad.
Prop Millar is a replacement for tighthead Siua Halanukonuka, who tore ankle ligaments in Canberra and will also miss the final if the Highlanders qualify.
Joseph appreciated a gap of nearly nine days between games, removing some of the fatigue factor brought on by travel.
His team have played successive games in Port Elizabeth, Buenos Aires, Dunedin and Canberra since the competition resumed in July.
In contrast, the Lions have played their past 13 games in South Africa, including nine in Johannesburg.
Their past offshore game was the 34-15 loss to the Highlanders in round three.
Joseph says the quality of the Lions is of more concern than the respective build-ups. “Travel’s travel. I think the guys are OK,” he said.
“Since they’ve been back in South Africa, the Lions have just gone from strength to strength.
“Unlike the other South African teams, they play a running game of football.
“They can maul, they can scrum, so they’ve got a total game which is one of the big reasons why they’re still here.”
Kirky
Roar Rookie
A good solid South African rugby comment! ~ ''It's irrelevant" rubbish mate it's most certainly relevant!! Who gave the Official stamp of approval to the draw for this years Comp anyway? ~ it's rigged to benefit the South African Conferences, everyone knows it!
Kirky
Roar Rookie
That's what I was pretty much alluding to, the hair, a very good fly half tho!
Kirky
Roar Rookie
That's the principle reason it should be an easy win to the Highlanders, they've travelled. played all the top sides and they'll be very aware that they need to show these guys that they got privileges no other team got, like hardly any travel, 13 games against not much opposition and their last 9 games in Johannesburg! ~ Severely flawed, and a jacked up and unfair draw! Expect those privileged ones to be eating grass most of the game come the weekend!
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Lucky!!!! I don't think so, the Highlanders at least played rugby and scored 2 tries to zip'!, The Brumbies if they had been awarded their so called ''god given" try well deserved, it would have been an affront to the Highlanders nous as a good rugby team, especially when you consider the Canberrans played rubbish all year and should in my opinion never have been in the finals, as they were as per the other Aussie Franchises, just making up the numbers. Everyone knows that the Highlanders are a very, very, good rugby team and I really don't see the Lions getting over the top of them, Home advantage that they've had all Season or otherwise ~ be assured there won't be any gaping holes for any Lions to run through at ease like the tired old Crusaders let them get away with. They have pretty youthful unit all over the Park and like you say mate it could be in the halves, but I consider through sheer speed and experience at the top level and match hardened as they are through playing the top teams in most cases twice. ~ they'll be kicking on the the Canes Home Ground in the Final, they should be too good for the Lions, end of. So I reckon it'll be a Hurricanes, Highlanders final at the Cake Tin in the Final, both those teams (commiserations to the Chiefys' and no disrespect} deserve to be there and there's no way do the Locals want to see the Lions getting flogged by their Hurricanes on their patch!
taylorman
Roar Guru
Ha ha, yes Smith looks like he might be on the next Americas top model, where Faf looks like he might be welding a sword in the next Game of Thrones season in his spare time. ?
felix
Guest
Well Kirky I was of the thinking A.Smith is the prettier boy in rugby,Faf just has the hair going for him :-D haha
KiwiHaydn
Guest
Will have to disagree with you there. Although you can take a drop goal at any time during a match, it's not always the best option to "take whatever u can" or "take the points when you have the opportunity", i.e. sometimes it's better to push on for 7 than settle for the 3. As great as DC was, he only kicked 8 drop goals in a 112 match international career. You are right though, the ability to think on your feet is definitely key.
CUW
Guest
yes and it was the pack that won the final :) long time to recall but i do remember Nasi Manu playing with one eye and refusing to go off. also think BB missed a lot of kicks at goal. AND someone dropped a goal :) i also remember that there was a dispuited try to highlanders. as for the test, cant even remember what happened :P
Apelu
Guest
Did you wtch Sopo'aga played in last year's Final and in his debut test at Elis Park?
Die hard
Roar Rookie
I suppose we are all guilty of that from time to time ☺
CUW
Guest
dude , u can kick a drop goal in the first minute of a match!!! this is knockout rugger, all that matters is getting one point more than the opposition. so u take whatever u can , not try to entertain and score trys and all that. go watch the semi final - Carter kicks a drop around 50 minute mark. that is the difference between a great player and a good player. thinking on his feet!!!! that is the "head" u need from ur fly half at any level in a crunch match - take the points when u have opportunity.
Baylion
Roar Rookie
BBA, there are some that I would bring in although not necessarily based on current form Looking at domestic players: 15 Jesse Kriel - he has started showing his form there since the Bulls moved him back to fullback 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit - he's playing 5 at the Stormers but I think Mostert is a better 5 4 Eben Etzebeth 17 Trevor Nyakane 18 Frans Malherbe 19 RG Snyman 22 Pat Lambie 23 Francois Venter
Kirky
Roar Rookie
Pretty boy Faf is still lacing A.Smiths boots up at the moment, perhaps he may at some stage get to be as competent as the All Black, ~ we will see this weekend!
BBA
Guest
I feel sorry for Ackers, I feel that if the Lions team doesnt win the whole thing others in SA will stay say that his game plan doesn't work either, and that SA should stick with what they are good at but just do it better mantra. Win or lose from here (and any of the teams left can win it from here) the Lions game plan has worked, that it is similar in terms of philosophy to a Kiwi team's approach and it has been effective as the Lions have beaten all the other South African teams, means the tactics are effective. He has also demonstrated that size is not the be all and end all in rugby. The real sadness for South Africa is that you get the feeling that the Lions might beat a team made up of the rest of the South African teams. However when you add the best of the other franchises to the Lions team Im not sure they get that much better, however the AB's do gain when they add the best bits of all 5 of their super rugby teams.
taylorman
Guest
yeah exactly, they made a choice to gain an advantage through not travelling. So far it is paying off. How long that continues is another thing.
Scrumma
Guest
As sharp as their forwards allow them to ?
Scrumma
Guest
Because the highlanders ruled the skies in that match
Uncle Eric
Guest
And the point of your comment is?
KiwiHaydn
Guest
And when exactly was Sopoaga supposed to kick a drop goal? When they were on attack looking to score and Moore picked up the ball from a kick in an offside position, or during the last 8 minutes when they were camped on their own goal line?
taylorman
Roar Guru
Good point as well, here we have two very astute coaches, one who's been there and done that, and the other who has built this side up beautifully, and is both playing a game that is against the local trends, and is prepared to make tough decisions. Good to see some focus back on SA rugby for a change as well.