Lions hoping Van den Berg will give them the boost they need

The Lions will be hoping that Springbok scrumhalf Morne van den Berg, who has joined the team from the national camp, will be the elixir that boosts their chances of getting their first victory in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship this weekend against Benetton.

The Lions have been pretty dismal thus far, losing badly to Cardiff in the opening round and then falling short against Italian strugglers Zebre on Sunday afternoon. Their second game in Italy is their final tour match and an opportunity to try and lift themselves off the bottom of the log with two defeats from as many matches.

The Lions haven’t shown much fight thus far in matches, and it is easy to see why a lot of their fans must be frustrated. The same coaching team that hasn’t produced results for four years running is simply doing the same things over again, hoping for a different result and thus far it hasn’t worked.

Van den Berg, who played in the Durban game against Argentina, has been with the Springboks and missed out on the Currie Cup campaign with the Lions, and the first two games because of national duty but he is hoping to be the difference this weekend for the team.

BOK HALFBACK A “BOOST”

On Tuesday, forwards coach Barend Pieterse said that they hoped Van den Berg would be a boost for the team.

“Krappie (Van den Berg’s nickname) is here with us,” Pieterse said. “He was actually here before we even arrived in Treviso, so he is well rested. He brings a lot of energy and new ideas to the team that he would’ve learned at the Boks.

“It’s great to have him here.”

Pieterse added the team needed to work on the mistakes they made against Zebre in order to get their first win.

“If we can fix the small mistakes, the results could look very different. There was improvement from Cardiff to Zebre, now we need to take the next step in Treviso.”

Also on the media call was flyhalf Chris Smith, who said his teammates needed to realise that the URC was a marathon and not a sprint, and that despite their poor start, they could rectify it reasonably easily with solid fundamentals over the long term.

MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT

“It’s definitely something that’s been going through my mind and something we as a group need to realise,” Smith said in answer to the question.

“It is a marathon and a long competition. It’s not an easy competition. The reality is that winning away from home is difficult. It’s not an easy task. You just don’t travel and pick up a victory.

“We know that we need to be better; we all know that. However, we are creating good pictures, which is keeping the group positive. We are close, and we will get there, and hopefully this weekend will be the turning point where we can start building some momentum.”

Smith added that the “positive mindset” in the side would help fuel their recovery.

“We’ve woken up with a really positive mindset. Obviously the results haven’t gone our way, and we’re disappointed, but that’s the beauty of this competition, there’s always another opportunity.

“Benetton are a quality side, stacked with internationals. They know how to put you under pressure. It’s definitely going to be a pressure game, and hopefully we can match their test-match intensity and bring our own version of that. We know the beast that lies ahead, but we’re definitely up for it.

“We’ve got exciting backs alongside a young and dynamic pack. I’m here to serve and drive the team. My job is to direct them and give them the freedom to express themselves, play their natural game and show the exciting Lions’ brand of rugby we all know.”

The Lions will name their side for the clash on Friday.