Lions: No plans to alter game style for final

Cape Town - Lions captain Warren Whiteley says they have to be “more clinical” when they tackle the Crusaders in Saturday’s Super Rugby final.

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The Lions arrived in Christchurch on Tuesday (13:00 SA time) where the Lions skipper addressed reporters.

Whiteley said the Lions will not go into their shells and play a more conservative game plan in the final.

"We always take risks - you have to be willing to tap and go, take a quick lineout, try something new, be innovative. That's what we are about," he said, as quoted by the New Zealand Herald website.

"Similarly the Crusaders look for opportunities all over the place, you can't change the way you play just because it is a final. We'll stick to what we know although we have to be more clinical than in the last two weeks. The Crusaders are extremely clinical - they punish you, on any opportunity they get.”

The Crusaders have won their last 14 games and are heavy favourites to lift the Super Rugby title for a ninth time.

Whiteley heaped praise on the Kiwis but said the final was a nevertheless a “fantastic opportunity” for his players.

"The Crusaders have been phenomenal in the last couple of weeks, stepped it up in all areas. They are really confrontational in everything they do, very accurate, and their discipline (against the Hurricanes) was very good. They are just a great side,” he said.

The Lions will be looking to make it third time lucky in the Super Rugby final, having lost the showpiece matches to the Hurricanes in 2016 (20-3, Wellington) and Crusaders in 2017 (25-17, Johannesburg).

Both teams will name their respective line-ups on Thursday, with Saturday’s match scheduled for 09:35 (SA time).

Lions touring squad for Super Rugby final:

Backs

Andries Coetzee, Ruan Combrinck, Ross Cronje, Elton Jantjies, Lionel Mapoe, Howard Mnisi, Courtnall Skosan, Harold Vorster, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Shaun Reynolds, Dillon Smit

Forwards

Ruan Dreyer, Malcolm Marx, Franco Mostert, Marvin Orie, Kwagga Smith, Dylan Smith, Jacques van Rooyen, Warren Whiteley (captain), Cyle Brink, Hacjivah Dayimani, Lourens Erasmus, Corne Fourie, Johannes Jonker, Marnus Schoeman