Rugby: Lions coach Johan Ackermann playing down hometown semifinal chances

Lions coach Johan Ackermann ahead of the Super Rugby match against the Chiefs. Photo/Photosport

Despite winning regular-season honours and controlling home advantage at altitude in Johannesburg, Lions coach Johan Ackermann makes a great case for starting underdogs against the Hurricanes.

Saturday's Super Rugby semifinal at Ellis Park is, after all, a rematch of last year's final, where the Wellington-based franchise dominated their rivals 20-3 in horrible conditions at Westpac Stadium.

And in their previous meeting, the Hurricanes were even more rampant, prevailing 50-17 in Johannesburg.

"That's why we've got the utmost respect for them," Ackermann told Radio Sport Breakfast.

"But it is a playoff, there's a lot of pressure on and when they came to us last year, they weren't the champions - they were on their way to becoming that. Now they're the defending champions and have that added pressure.

"I think we can just play with a lot of freedom. I must be honest, I don't think anyone is giving us a chance to win, so we can just go out and play, and hopefully be competitive."

Yeah right!

The Lions may not have played any New Zealand sides this season, but it's still a stretch to make the Hurricanes such overwhelming favourites, based purely on the travel factor.

"They are the defending champions, and have proven in the last few weeks that they are a top side by beating the Crusaders and beating the Brumbies away from home," insisted Ackermann. "So it's obviously a mammoth task to play against them ... they're just a quality team."

Listening to Ackermann, who leaves South Africa to coach Gloucester after Super Rugby ends, you almost believe this result is a fait accompli.

But the Lions should be a much tougher proposition than last year, when they surprised everyone with their improvement.

Before Ackermann's arrival at the franchise in 2014, it had gone 12 years without a winning record. Since then, he and captain Warren Whiteley have turned those expectations around.

If anything, these Lions should be a tougher proposition for their losing experience last season.

"Obviously, we're proud of the boys and how this season went," said Ackermann. "We kept our consistency up to teach the playoffs and a number of the guys have proven themselves at this level.

"Some of the guys got injured - our two starting props from last year - and also one or two guys retired, but the core is there, and they picked up that experience last year in the final and the playoffs.

"The only question that hasn't been answered from our team's side is we haven't played any New Zealand opposition and we saw what happened with the Stormers last year, when they got to the playoffs and played the New Zealand sides."

While the absence of Whiteley, now Springbok skipper too, is a loss, he was also missing last season, when the Lions defeated the Highlanders in the semifinals.

"We have a lot of faith in Jaco Kriel leading the team and we've got a lot of faith in our senior players," said Ackermann.

The former Springbock lock was not surprised at the Hurricanes benching All Blacks wing Julian Savea and still expect him to play a prominent role in the contest.

"I actually predicted it," he said. "I just had this funny feeling during the week, when we looked at them and started analysing them, they would get some guys back from injury and July would maybe miss out.

"Gossen and Milner-Skudder and Barrett are in such great form, and we felt they would use [Savea] as an impact player off the bench ... and so it happened. We're not too surprised by that."