Johannesburg - “We move the piano, and the backs play it,” was the romanticised expression that Julian Redelinghuys used, and that surely should give a modicum of insight into how the Lions pack will undertake the new United Rugby Championships (URC) season, starting this weekend.
Redelinghuys attributed the phrase to former Lions coach Swys de Bruin, but it is a philosophy that this Lions team will no doubt follow in the coming months, starting with the Bulls today at Emirates Airline Park (kick-off 4.05pm).
The former Springbok prop now works as the Lions’ scrum coach. During his all too brief playing days, he was a beast of a scrummager and now as coach, has imparted all that monstrous knowledge to his forwards.
And it will be important that the Lions grasp those lessons as there is an opportunity this weekend to conquer the Bulls up front. Moreover, a strong set piece is one of the key characteristics of this Lions side. The Joburgers use it in attack and defence as a platform to build territorial pressure.
“Every championship team over the years has to have a good set piece. The forwards have to operate,” Redelinghuys decreed.
“Obviously,” he added, referring to Carlu Sadie and Vincent Tshituka, “we lost a couple of players as well but it was lekker to have a pre-season.”
With this in mind, Redelinghuys revealed that at the recent indaba between coaches and the URC, the officiating around the scrums and contact areas, specifically the breakdowns, were discussed.
The Lions did not always get the purchase they deserved at scrum-time last season, but will hope with new, closer inspection, they will earn an advantage.
Said the 33-year-old: “There were a couple of pointers that they raised.
“The one thing that they brought now into it is the break-foot, where the hooker is not allowed to move his foot back until on the ‘engage’. That will bring a little bit more stability (to the scrums).”
Springbok Ruan Dreyer, meanwhile, shared similar sentiments. The 31-year-old will start at tighthead against the Bulls, and knows exactly what the set piece means to the Lions.
“The scrums are one of our weapons and we pride ourselves on them,” he said.
“So, we have definitely worked on it and hope to take it forward from last year. The Bulls are a big pack. They are strong and physical and they will also have some experience in the front.”
“All of the South African teams have quality packs,” Dreyer continued, “and I don’t think you can say there is a team here that you can take advantage of.”
LIONS STARTING XV:
15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Quan Horn, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Morne van den Berg, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Ruhan Straeuli, 6 Sibusiso Sangweni, 5 Reinhard Nothnagel (capt), 4 Ruan Venter, 3 Ruan Dreyer, 2 PJ Botha, 1 Sti Sithole;
Replacements:
16 Jaco Visagie, 17 JP Smith, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Pieter Jansen van Vuren, 20 Emmanuel Tshituka, 21 Sanele Nohamaba, 22 Gianni Lombard, 23 Zander du Plessis.