Lions inconsistency was their own worst enemy this season

After all the promise and all the fanfare of specific weeks in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, it is hard to escape the fact that the Emirates Lions once again missed out on the top eight as well as qualification for the Investec Champions’ Cup.

And while it was heartbreaking to see the Ospreys sneak in with a bonus point win over Cardiff in the final game of the league stages, the reality for the Lions is that it is another season of what could have been.

The Lions have already made changes - bringing in new assistant coaches while keeping Ivan van Rooyen at the helm, and while they came close this time, some deep introspection is seriously needed if they are on the right road.

Because, as every Lions fan will sheepishly admit, their inconsistency in results cost them a chance of the playoffs, and while there were heroic victories, most notably with 14 men at times, they were still not on the same level as some of the top sides in the competition.

It could be argued that they don’t have the same player budget, but the decision to stick to the championship winning core of a superb under-20 group, adding a handful of imports has paved the way well for them.

And yet, while these players mature into Springbok prospects, there is still something missing from the Lions season.

Credit must be given to the fact that the likes of Asenathi Ntlabakanye, PJ Botha, Ruan Venter, Emmanuel Tshituka, Quan Horn, Henco van Wyk and others have come through the Lion's system and many of them were rewarded with invitations to the Springbok alignment camp earlier this year.

But while they can, often at their home base on the highveld, punch above their weight, it is hard to see the season as anything but a marginal success, and if this was any other team, there would be serious discussions regarding whether they are able to take another step up next season and what would be needed to do so.

While the Sharks and Bulls have been recruiting, the Lions have done very little of that, snapping up players from Griquas and Varsity Cup while losing the likes of Jordan Hendrikse and Tshituka, which may only be felt in a few months time.

The Lions positivity and their willingness to run the ball has always been their strong suit. Their ability to come through in the last 20 has often saved them, but this season it has been their resolve when down to 14 men that has shown the best of them.

Their win in Galway against Connacht with 14 men, which was the first win ever for a South African side in the Irish province in the URC was spectacular, but just as quickly as that sunk in, they fell back into mediocrity again.

The same with their game against Munster, the game that was supposed to help other SA sides and showcase themselves as a top eight contender. The limp response, which was also seen in the Bulls derby months before showed most of their fans that once they got their hopes up, they were likely to be disappointed.

The 14-man win over Glasgow once again showcased the best of the Lions resolve, attacking play and some of the best counter attack that has been seen in the League this year. But why is it so few and far between?

The Lions certainly have the players who, when they get on the front foot, can be an attacking tour de force, but too often those cracks appear and they allow other teams in.

And it is hard to escape the thought that often its one step forward, two steps back for the Lions at the moment.

And whether they have the resources, or coaching staff to make that change is a debate worth having?

Because, as Einstein said, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the definition of madness.

And the Lions have the basic firepower, but if they are to compete with the bigger sides, they need to be consistent and showcase the belief in themselves and they may need to take some tough decisions.

Or this cycle will just continue.