Stephan Lewies has big boots to fill at the Lions

The man tasked with filling the boots and rising as high as Franco Mostert at the Lions says his confidence needs rebuilding.

Mostert was very much the Lions’ talisman in the second row before he moved to Gloucester last season.

In Stephan Lewies the Lions got themselves a one-time Springbok whose ability to rise to the occasion has diminished of late. At least Lewies has set himself on the path to restoration by raising his hand admitting all was not well.

“Confidence‚” said Lewies succinctly when asked what part of his game required the most urgent intervention. “I think every player wants to be confident. The last two years I’ve lacked a bit of confidence. Already I have some confidence back under coach Swys [de Bruin]. Playing with confidence is something I will work on and in all areas getting 1% better.”

The decision to come to the Lions was one that made sense for Lewies. His career was stagnating and throwing his weight behind the trendsetting SA conference seemed a no-brainer.

“I’ve been at the Sharks for eight years. After school I left here to go there. I felt I got to a stage in my career where I wasn’t getting any better‚ and staying the same‚” he said.

“Working in a new environment with new coaches will always add to your game and meeting new players gives you the opportunity to grow.

“Swys coached me at under-19. It helps knowing the coach. I also enjoy the type of game they play. The way they play and the way Swys coaches suits me.”

Speaking of which‚ Lewies also knows the physical demands required to operate effectively in the second row for the Lions is different from what was demanded in Durban.

The Lions vanquish visitors to Ellis Park with an unrelenting high impact‚ quick-tempo game and Lewies needs to get with that programme.

“My fitness has improved immensely already. That is probably the biggest [area] I tried to improve. If you want to play in this gameplan you have to be fit.

“I came close to dying playing at altitude. Obviously when you play up here for the Sharks it is the reality. I don’t think I have adapted to the altitude yet. I think it is definitely a weapon for the Lions and the Bulls.”

Lewies has admired the Lions from a distance but it wasn’t always that way. 

“At age group level it was always tough playing against the Lions. They always had great youngsters. When I made my debut in the Currie Cup in 2013 we always fancied ourselves beating the Lions up here. Then that changed drastically and we [the Sharks] struggled to beat them the last while.

“What they did at this union is magnificent. The hard work they put in speaks for itself.”

With Mostert‚ Ruan Dreyer and Jacques van Rooyen all leaving last season the Lions don’t have the tight five depth that helped make them such a force in Super Rugby.

“With those blokes leaving it opens doors for youngsters‚” said Lewies. “When you look back to that period when the Lions struggled they had players from all over. Those were players other unions didn’t want and they all became Springboks at the Lions.

“It says something about the coaching here. The way they work with people and how they develop a player. I just want to add value and grow as a player.”