Man oh man, I had a good chuckle just now… I found this pearl on Rugby365.  I just had to laugh, even though to hardened Lions supporters this might not sound so funny.

This is what Rugby365 reports:

The long-awaited appointment of a defensive coach at the Lions Super 14 franchise was announced by Kevin de Klerk, president of the Johannesburg-based outfit, on Thursday.

The man for the job is the relatively unknown Simphiwe Ntshingwa, a 29-year old primary school teacher from Seshego in Limpopo Province.

Ntshingwa has a serious challenge ahead of him as the Lions, currently second from the bottom on the Super 14 log, have broken a number of unwanted records for poor defence recently, most notably in conceding more than 70 points on two occasions to the Chiefs and Waratahs respectively.

Despite previous comments denying the need for a defensive coaching specialist, Lions head coach Dick Muir was very positive about the appointment: “Simps may not be well known outside Limpopo rugby circles, but I am 100 percent convinced that he will add a massive amount of value to the Lions, this season and in years to come.”

Although little else is known about Ntshingwa, an information pack released by the Lions details his previous coaching experience as guiding the Limpopo Under-17 Development Team to consecutive losing semifinals in the annual Rural Youth Rugby Tournament sponsored by SARU in 2008-2009.

An Internet search also revealed Ntshingwa to be the deputy president of the Limpopo branch of the South African Primary School Teachers Union (SAPSTU), and a long-time friend and school mate of controversial ANC Youth League president Julius Malema.

Ntshingwa, who is thought be on holiday in Abu Dhabi at the moment, couldn’t be reached for comment.

The winless Lions enjoy a bye this weekend after a strenuous five week tour of Australia and New Zealand, with their next outing scheduled to be a home clash against the in-form Reds on 10 April.

What is this unknown and unqualified Malema-friend going to achieve at the Lions, I ask you. Do the GLRU think their supporters are braindead and will stand this kind of folly much longer?

This is not about colour or giving or not giving a deserved chance to a disadvantaged individual, this is about not appointing a person with the rugby pedigree to do the job required. Surely the defensive coach of UJ or one of the senior Clubs would have been better suited. Hell, get an expert in from overseas to shore up defences!

Are they trying desperately to run the once-proud Lions Union into the ground?

Now do the excercise yourself, I’m not even going to bother, and compare the credentials and experience of this… this… this “Defensive Coach” to the defensive coaches of the other Super 14 sides and tell me I do not have the right to ridicule this decision and the situation…

The mere fact that the Lions have not had a defensive coach going into the Super 14 tells a story of it’s own and now makes the picture as clear as mud regarding their obvious lack of any kind of cohesive defensive structure in 2010!

Seems to me as if the supposedly “New Broom” in Union President Kevin de Klerk is just as incapable to sweep clean around Doornfontein as what his predecessors were.

Tell me Dick Muir, are you OK with this, is it business as usual… I hope not! I hope you threw all your toys out of the cot in protestation about the situation.

I’m not a Lions supporter as you well know, but this makes my blood boil.

I say to the Lions supporters, start the fires and start the Rugby Revolution at your Union, they are selling you guys down the river, big time!

Oh, I nearly forgot to add, the Rugby365 Article was written by Afril Pool….

Motivational on our friendly Lions website