Long since the glory days: Matfield cites poor facilities, mediocre coaching at once proud Lions

Sub-standard training facilities and a mediocre coaching group are severely hampering the Lions' efforts to recapture the glory years of the mid-2010s, when they were a dominant force in Super Rugby.

Springbok legend Victor Matfield pulled no punches when asked by an Irish journalist this week to explain why the men from Doornfontein are struggling to keep up with their better-performing counterparts in the URC.

The question was borne from the fact that a full-strength Lions couldn't tame an effective Leinster C team.

The towering former lineout magician is, in fact, well suited to provide an assessment as he was roped in as a coaching consultant by Swys de Bruin during the Lions' 2017 Currie Cup campaign. 

"They've struggled for the last few years," Matfield told a media call hosted by the URC this week.

"There was a three-year period where they really did well under Johan Ackermann and Swys by keeping a group of young, underrated and hungry players together for almost five years, knowing exactly how they wanted to play and gaining confidence to dominate in Super Rugby."

Matfield was in charge of several training sessions at the Johannesburg Stadium, an increasingly dilapidated white elephant from South Africa's hosting of the All-Africa Games in 1999.

He would have, no doubt, taken note of furnishings at the stadium, which is a short walk across the road from Ellis Park, that don't exactly do the stature of the franchise justice. 

"For me, where Ellis Park is situated and where they train [at Johannesburg Stadium] is a big problem," said Matfield.

"I really don't think a lot of players actually want to go there to train to be honest. The facilities aren't up to the standard of other teams."

However, the 45-year-old is more