Hubris, the Lions’ worst enemy

The Golden Lions Rugby Union (GLRU) has finished the year in an exceptional manner. After an underwhelming Super 15, where the team didn’t win a single home game, the Lions surprised the South African rugby community by winning the Currie Cup last month, and in some style.

Ellis Park (aka Coca-Cola Park) was roaring with admiration for a team that had finally brought some smiles back to Doornfontein after a decade of underachievement. For a union and franchise situated in the economic heart of South Africa, the last 11 years have been a story of disappointment and false dawns. A functioning and efficent GLRU will worry their rivals elsewhere across the republic.

It was this background of under-promise and over-performance that made Saturday’s victory so satisfying, especially for fans who have backed the red-and-whites since the days of the Transvaal. Who knew there actually were so many Lions fans in Johannesburg? At times I wondered if Johannesburg had become the province of all others except their own, with this perception squashed upon arrival at Ellis Park for the final against the Sharks.

While fans and administrators should rightfully drink while the bar is open, it should not be forgotten that just 18 months ago the GLRU and its representative sides were in a very bad state. One swallow does not a summer make, and while those at the GLRU have made pragmatic tones in the press these past weeks, I hope fans and administrators don’t expect the Lions to steamroll their opposition in next year’s Super 15.

John Mitchell has built a durable and tight-knit group which plays an exciting and invigorating brand of rugby. But, given that the other South African franchises will be at full strength, the Lions won’t find the going easy. Can they beat any of the other Super 15 sides on their day? Certainly. Will they perform at peak every match day? Unlikely.

A mid-table finish seems doable. If they did make the play-offs, that would be a magnificient achievement but in reality both the Sharks and the Victor-less-Bulls arguably have more depth, even with the departures in Pretoria, which is real currency in such a long competition.

The Stormers too will have their moments, but how they have been classed as South Africa’s best hope for next year by bookmakers is puzzling. Their tight five appears to still be vulnerable, and if Andries Bekker were to get injured, don’t have anyone near his class to replace him. The Cheetahs will be feisty as usual, and should be taken lightly by their opponents to their peril.

It’s a good time to be a Lions fan, but if the last decade has taught us anything, hubris is what champions get drunk on before being hit by a car. Lions fans should hope for an improved performance next year, but not miracles.