Lions look to change of tack
Wed, 09 Mar 2011 15:08
Bandise Maku, speaking to Jan de Koning, said the Lions, looking to end a 17-match losing streak, may opt to play more of a territorial game against the Cheetahs on Saturday.Brussow returns to haunt Lions | Smit finally leads the Sharks | Global news...
The Lions, looking to end a 17-match losing streak, may opt to play more of a territorial game against the Cheetahs on Saturday.
Springbok hooker Bandise Maku, speaking to rugby365.com in the build-up to the Bloemfontein derby, admitted that they may have to change tack somewhat after yet another close loss.
Having lost the last game of the 2009 season, then all 13 matches in 2010, the Lions have also been beaten in the first three weeks of the current season - going down 20-24 to the Bulls, 16-19 to the Stormers and 32-41 to the Blues.
While they have showed plenty of promise and lost of enterprise, their inability to close out matches in which they have held the lead late in the game is a major concern.
Asked how they are going to turn it around- and turn close defeats into victory - Maku said it is all about "concentrating on the small details".
"We are obvious doing some things right, but there are some small details we have to focus on if we want to be successful on Saturday," Maku told rugby365.com.
The one-Test, 24-year-old hooker said the nice thing about the Super Rugby competition is that you get another chance the following week.
And they are determined to do what it takes to get that first win.
"We still want to play a high-tempo game, whether we are on defence or attack," he said, adding: "We have to make sure we have good set pieces, that is the base from which we can launch our game.
"We also need to control possession, that is something we can work on this week, along with our defence - to ensure we stop them behind the gain line."
Asked what changes they may make to ensure they end their losing streak, he spoke of the need to find the right balance between attack and defence.
"The biggest things is that we need to be able to vary how we play.
"We also need to get into the other team's half, get up the other side of the field.
"The last few games we have been caught in our own half and teams have capitalised on our mistakes.
"We need to be able to concentrate for the whole game, including those last 10 minutes, and not make mistakes in our own half."
Maku said he was "feeling good" and looking forward to this weekend's game.
He added that he was enjoying every moment of the extra game time he is getting at the Lions, since his move from the Bulls this year.
"If you play more it means you can only get better," he said, knowing that with regular game time he increases his prospects of adding to the Test cap he won against Italy last year.
He added that he has plenty he would like to improve in his own game.
"I am determined to get better each week," Maku said, adding:"I have a chance to start again and hopefully I can perform to the best of my ability."
By Jan de Koning