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Swys to call meeting with Lions leadership

Cape Town - Lions coach Swys de Bruin will seek urgent input from his management team regarding his side's poor starts in this year's Super Rugby tournament.

Against the Rebels, the Lions were 33-5 down but came back to secure a stunning 36-33 win at Ellis park back on March 16. 

On Friday against the Sharks, though, there was no spectacular comeback. 

Instead, De Bruin's men were hammered 42-5 for what is their worst result in recent memory. 

Speaking after the match, De Bruin's frustration was clear, and he identified his side's poor start as the biggest cause for concern. 

"I'm going to have a look at. I'm going to go and sit with my management team and have a deep look with the leadership group about why we don't start well," he said.

"That's the biggest work-on at this stage.

"Physically, they had us from the word 'go' and it's a thing we have to get right.

"We were never, ever in this game. Why? I don't know ... I'll start with myself and go and have a look at what happened.

"They were just all over us physically ... at the breakdown especially."

De Bruin also questioned the commitment and effort of his charges.

"It's really disappointing. I'm not here for winning or losing. I'm here for effort and character and guts and I didn't see that. That's the concern," he said.

"I've lost before in my life, many times. I can lose if you get effort, but I didn't get effort today."

The Lions leave on Tuesday for their Australian tour where they will take on the Brumbies (April 13), Chiefs (April 19) and the Crusaders (April 26).

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