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Pieter Jordaan
Johannesburg – The Sharks may be the Currie Cup log leaders, but they will not determine whether the Lions’ challenge in the competition ends on Saturday.
Lions flank Derick Minnie believes survival in the Currie Cup is in their own hands, even if the Sharks arrive in Johannesburg full of confidence.
The Sharks are on 46 points and have opened up a substantial lead at the top of the table.
“All the teams appear equally good. It will depend on how we play,” Minnie said at Tuesday’s training session when asked about the Sharks game.
He believes the structure in the Lions’ play is the one thing that has to change after the narrow defeat to the Blue Bulls.
Minnie appears to be quietly confident that the Lions can win if they execute what they train during the week.
Minnie is the kind of player that rather does his talking on the field. He became a Currie Cup regular last year and this year also gained recognition in Super rugby.
With so many youngsters in the current Lions team, it’s easy to forget that Minnie is also only 23.
As ball-carrier and defender he nevertheless has a major role to play in the side and is one of the key figures in the Lions’ Currie Cup revival.
“Things started getting better when Kevin (de Klerk, GLRU president) took over. After that the input of our coaches Dick Muir and John Mitchell also helped,” Minnie said of the reasons for the Lions’ turnaround.
Even so, the Lions are standing in front of a Currie Cup crossroads against the Lions.
While Minnie is the steamroller in the Lions’ loose-trio, the Sharks have one of their own in Willem Alberts.
Minnie and Alberts still played together for the Lions last year before the latter moved to the coast.
“Yes, Willem is strong, but you will bring him down if you tackle him around the legs,” said Minnie, who is likely to play in a changed loose forward combination.
Exciting No 8 Warren Whitely, who left the Sharks to join the Lions this year, is struggling with concussion after the match against the Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.
The experienced Wikus van Heerden, who was sent on as a substitute against the Bulls on Saturday, should replace Whiteley.
Johannesburg – The Sharks may be the Currie Cup log leaders, but they will not determine whether the Lions’ challenge in the competition ends on Saturday.
Lions flank Derick Minnie believes survival in the Currie Cup is in their own hands, even if the Sharks arrive in Johannesburg full of confidence.
The Sharks are on 46 points and have opened up a substantial lead at the top of the table.
“All the teams appear equally good. It will depend on how we play,” Minnie said at Tuesday’s training session when asked about the Sharks game.
He believes the structure in the Lions’ play is the one thing that has to change after the narrow defeat to the Blue Bulls.
Minnie appears to be quietly confident that the Lions can win if they execute what they train during the week.
Minnie is the kind of player that rather does his talking on the field. He became a Currie Cup regular last year and this year also gained recognition in Super rugby.
With so many youngsters in the current Lions team, it’s easy to forget that Minnie is also only 23.
As ball-carrier and defender he nevertheless has a major role to play in the side and is one of the key figures in the Lions’ Currie Cup revival.
“Things started getting better when Kevin (de Klerk, GLRU president) took over. After that the input of our coaches Dick Muir and John Mitchell also helped,” Minnie said of the reasons for the Lions’ turnaround.
Even so, the Lions are standing in front of a Currie Cup crossroads against the Lions.
While Minnie is the steamroller in the Lions’ loose-trio, the Sharks have one of their own in Willem Alberts.
Minnie and Alberts still played together for the Lions last year before the latter moved to the coast.
“Yes, Willem is strong, but you will bring him down if you tackle him around the legs,” said Minnie, who is likely to play in a changed loose forward combination.
Exciting No 8 Warren Whitely, who left the Sharks to join the Lions this year, is struggling with concussion after the match against the Blue Bulls at Loftus Versfeld.
The experienced Wikus van Heerden, who was sent on as a substitute against the Bulls on Saturday, should replace Whiteley.
