Ackermann : There is no quick fix for Lions

Coach Johan Ackermann says that there is no “quick fix”for the Lions after they suffered their third straight loss in Super Rugby with a daunting tour starting next week.

Ackermann felt his team were stung by two pre-match withdrawals and made costly mistakes in their 18-3 loss to the Stormers in Cape Town.

On Saturday morning, captain Warren Whiteley failed a fitness test and lock Martin Muller was laid low by a stomach bug.

Substitutes Willie Britz and Luvuyiso Lusaseni were moved into the run-on XV. Their places on the bench were taken by Warwick Tecklenburg and Rudi Matthee who flew in from Johannesburg about an hour or so before kick-off.

“This week we were forced into many changes because of injuries and then we had two more before the start of the match,” said Ackerman.

“Our character was really tested and when you saw how we played in the second half — you could see we did not roll over and die.

“It was a funny game. We played well in stages and we left many (scoring) opportunities out there.”

Ackermann said the injury crisis is something that the Lions will have to cope with, especially when they head off on the Australasia tour in a week’s time.

“There is no quick-fix for the Lions,” said Ackermann.

“We’ll just have to front up on tour even though it will be a ‘first’ (tour) for many of our players.”