12/02/2008 22:22

Liam Del Carme

Johannesburg - Cobus Grobbelaar does not know for how long he will captain the Lions but he wants the team to get into the habit of winning right at the start of the Super 14 rugby competition.

Grobbelaar is expected to stand in for regular captain Ernst Joubert, who is injured, when the Lions play the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein on Saturday

The powerful flank forward, who also captained the side on occasion last year, does not intend to return a leaking ship to Joubert.

"I'm actually looking forward to it. It's a challenge and it's going to be very exciting," Grobbelaar said here on Tuesday.

The Lions open their campaign without some of their regular first-choice players. Those who take their places must start on a positive note, says Grobbelaar.

"Just as it is an opportunity for me to captain the side in Ernst's absence, they also have a chance to show what they can do," he said.

"They look really keen. But they realise an opportunity can be taken away just as quickly as it is given.

"The players in the squad have been training together for a long time and fortunately the squad was not trimmed down. I don't foresee any problems."

The skipper will be under the spotlight for another reason on Saturday. With the experimental laws being used for the first time this weekend, his performance as fetcher flank will be closely watched.