At the halfway stage of the league phase of the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, it’s quite simple as far as the Lions are concerned. And that’s exactly how their coach Ivan van Rooyen likes it.

The Lions are just outside the top eight and looking like true playoff prospects for the first time in the history of the competition. The simplicity of the task that lies before them is to keep doing what they’ve done for the past few seasons – stick together and play for each other.

And Van Rooyen will aim to keep his team firmly focused on that goal with a formula that has always worked for him.

“I want to keep everything I do as simple and effective as possible,” said Van Rooyen. “That’s one of my life philosophies. So between my faith, and my family and friends, that’s where I find my balance and energy.”

The challenges this Lions team has faced over the past few seasons have galvanised a team that Van Rooyen says came into this season with a renewed energy about it.

“Part of the culture at the Lions is having each other’s backs during the tough times. There is a nice energy in the group. There are a lot of good people around us as a team.”

It’s an energy and philosophy that starts with the coaching group. To be more precise, it starts at 5:30am every single weekday.

“We’ve got an extremely good relationship as a coaching group. As coaches we gym together at 5:30 in the morning, and I know that in that time before our 7am coaching meeting we’re going to pick each other up, share some good laughs, go deep if we have to and start the day in the right manner. We really want to have an impact in each other’s lives and bring that positive energy to the players. You look at any of the good teams in the world, the ones that have that special magic do well.

“As coaches we wake up every day and ask, ‘How are we going to get the best out of these players? How are we going to get the mix right for them to perform?'”

Keeping things as simple as possible is a core philosophy in the coaching group. It’s something Barend Pieterse brought with him to the team when he joined the coaching staff this season.

“I believe simplicity is key,” said Pieterse. “My two years coaching in Japan changed my whole philosophy in terms of simplicity – it needs to be very simple there. A rugby player has to remember so much during a game, and that’s why I think simplicity is key.”

A simple message with a clear purpose. And it’s proving highly effective for the Lions as the complexities of the challenges that have faced them over the past few years have shaped the philosophy of a team that looks like it’s about to reach its true potential.