However, the Lions are the perennial under-achievers of Super Rugby. They have all the talent, coffers that are overflowing with money, and let's face it, as dangerous as it is to go to Ellis Park, it's still a hallowed ground in terms of rugby stadiums.
The Kings had an amazing season this past Super Rugby season, with a draw against finalists Brumbies and a last-minute win against the Rebels their highlights of the season. Not bad for a debut season.
However, this post is not to gush about the team who ultimately ended up stone last on the ladder. This post is about what I think we will see from a revitalised Lions outfit who should be celebrating their return to Super Rugby by this weekend.
What make me think that they're going to be dangerous this season? Simply put, the answer is "The Kings".
You see, the Kings played out of their skins, and whilst they still ended up rock bottom, the Lions would have learned from that: play with passion, and the wins will come. Do the basics right, and the wins will come. Play the percentages, and the wins will come. Play with belief, back down to no-one, and the wins will come. Play every game like it's a final, and the wins will come.
In a way, the promotion / relegation debacle, whilst it appears to be negative in terms of gaining sponsorship and the commitment of players, is a massive motivation to not finish last in the South African conference.
And the Lions know what this feels like, and will do whatever it takes to not end up last again. For too long, the Lions knew that they were guaranteed a place in the next year's competition. Whilst that does not mean that they didn't play with all their heart, the consequences of failure weren't severe. Now that the consequences are relegation, I'm predicting that we see a very different, more solid Lions outfit taking the field this next season. And I'm sure they'll have a vastly better season next season than many years before.
Now I'll take a really uneducated guess, and will not rule out the chances of the Sharks having to play a promotion / relegation game in the not too distant future. Bear in mind that I'm a Sharks fan.
Anyway, watch this space - I think the season off for the Lions may be exactly what they needed to re-ignite the passion. Who knows, perhaps they'll be the next super power of SA Super Rugby?
Edit 05/08/2013: The Kings won over the weekend, but did not obtain the points differential required to keep them in Super Rugby. This writer (and I use that term VERY loosely) had no idea that this was the only time a promotion / relegation match was to be played.
It all seems a bit of a travesty now, really. I'm happy to see the Lions back in Super Rugby, but my heart goes out to the Kings faithful. Look, go win a Currie Cup and prove to all of us that you deserve your place in Super Rugby again.
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