- Title: Lions seek maiden Super Rugby title against Crusaders
- Date: 4th August 2017
- Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (AUGUST 4, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CRUSADERS PLAYERS KICKING BALL CRUSADERS COACH SCOTT ROBERTSON WATCHING TEAM TRAINING CRUSADERS PLAYER HOLDING BALL VARIOUS OF CRUSADERS CAPTAIN, SAM WHITELOCK, AT TRAINING PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES JOURNALISTS ASKING QUESTIONS (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) CRUSADERS CAPTAIN, SAM WHITELOCK, SAYING: "The boys are nice and relaxed at the moment, not too hyped up. I know tomorrow we will be ready." WHITELOCK SPEAKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (ENGLISH) CRUSADERS CAPTAIN, SAM WHITELOCK, SAYING: "To go out there and become one of those guys that's won the title, would be amazing. There's a number of guys in the side that feel exactly the same." VARIOUS OF LIONS PLAYERS TRAINING COACHES WATCHING ON LIONS COACH JOHAN ACKERMANN AT TRAINING VARIOUS OF LIONS PLAYERS TRAINING SUPER RUGBY TROPHY PHOTOGRAPHERS TAKING PICTURES LIONS CAPTAIN JACO KRIEL AND CRUSADERS CAPTAIN SAM WHITELOCK STANDING WITH TROPHY WHITELOCK SMILING SUPER RUGBY TROPHY KRIEL SMILING KRIEL AND WHITELOCK STANDING WITH TROPHY
- Embargoed: 18th August 2017 16:33
- Keywords: Rugby Super Rugby final Johannesburg Lions Crusaders New Zealand
- Location: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
- City: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Rugby Union,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0016SQS667
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The Lions go in search of a rare South African Super Rugby triumph as they chase a maiden title against seven-time winners the Crusaders on Saturday (August 5) at Ellis Park.
It is the second season in a row that the Johannesburg-based side have made the Super Rugby decider, but were toothless in their 20-3 defeat to the Hurricanes in Wellington in 2016 and so three-time winners the Bulls remain the only South African winners of the competition since 1996.
Saturday's final is also a farewell for coach Johan Ackermann, who leaves for English side Gloucester after the competition, with a sell-out 62,000 crowd set for his send-off.
Both teams go into Saturday's decider with 16-1 records in 2017, but home advantage for the Lions at the altitude of Ellis Park, even against a more pedigreed Crusaders side, could swing the game in their favour.
Ackermann has named an unchanged line-up from the team that has played throughout the knockout stages, with influential skipper Warren Whiteley still missing through injury.
The Crusaders are also unchanged from their 27-13 semi-final win over the Waikato Chiefs last weekend, and have reported no ill-effects from their dash across the Indian Ocean. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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