Excitement builds among SA players ahead of Lions series

The announcement of the British and Irish Lions squad to tour South Africa, which will be televised live across three SuperSport channels on Thursday, makes the forthcoming series more real and is adding to the excitement being felt by the local players vying for Springbok selection.

So says the Cell C Sharks’ Springbok capped No8 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, who said on Tuesday that the once in a generation nature of a Lions tour adds to the motivation of local players.

“It is getting real now and I am not going to kid you, everyone wants to be in the squad to play against the Lions,” said Notshe during a break in the Sharks’ build-up to Saturday’s game featuring a different kind of Lions - the Johannesburg based Emirates Lions.

“We have had alignment camps and there were things that were put out there that I can’t share with you but which are expected of us as South African rugby players. I won’t kid you, everyone wants to play because a Lions tour just doesn’t come around very often. It only comes around every 12 years or so. So it’s a generational thing.

“If you miss it now you miss it completely and you will never get to play against the Lions. Some players have never had it and some players have had the experience. So, it is a huge honour and privilege to get to play the Lions and everyone wants to do it.”

Notshe added though that with the series still a few months away, it was important for players to focus on the here and now, and the immediate challenges facing them in the PRO14 Rainbow Cup SA, or they will not give themselves a chance to be part of the Lions series.

“I am more worried right now about the Golden Lions, meaning Saturday’s game at King’s Park, because you have to be more focused on something that is happening now than something coming in the future,” said the Sharks loose-forward.

“If I don’t play well on Saturday then nothing will guarantee me a chance to play against the Lions. But I can’t lie to you, the Lions coming is a big motivation for all of us and it is something we are all getting excited about. Don’t forget that the Sharks are also scheduled to play against the tourists and that is a motivation too for the reasons I already outlined. The opportunity to play the British and Irish Lions just doesn’t come around often.”

The countdown to the tour starts in earnest on Thursday with the announcement of the 36-man squad – to be broadcast live on SuperSport (SS Rugby and SS Blitz, 1pm).

After months of guesswork, conjecture and speculation, the lid will finally be lifted on the composition of the great touring side; the first to these shores since 2009.

Coach Warren Gatland will also announce his captain, which always has a huge bearing on the tour.

The announcement will be followed by a SKY-produced show (SS Rugby and SS Blitz, 7pm) that reacts to the announcement and will include interviews with Gatland and his new captain.

South African reaction, from Jean de Villiers, Hanyani Shimange and Schalk Burger, all in Cape Town, will follow at 8pm and no doubt include a provocative response or two.