Cheetahs transition is a measured process - Smith

The Lions managed to make a successful transition from a Currie Cup-winning team in 2015 into major Super Rugby contenders.

Unfortunately, a misguided decision to take a significantly weakened squad on tour to Argentina at the tail end of the campaign last year proved fatal and denied the Joburg franchise a home final.

The rest is history. The records will show that the Lions fell one game short of becoming the southern hemisphere's top dogs, going down 20-3 to the rampant Hurricanes in the final.

 Their opponents in Saturday's opening 2017 Super Rugby encounter are the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein. Kick-off is at 15h05.

 The Cheetahs are in similar territory to that of the Lions, having romped to victory over the Blue Bulls in the 2016 Currie Cup Final - ending the season unbeaten.

 Unlike the Lions, whose resources were heavily taxed by Springbok call-ups, the Cheetahs haven't had to contend with that problem. However, after last season's 'perfect 10' the Cheetahs' fans have similar expectations.

Saturday's cat fight in the Free State capital and a date with the Bulls next week may go a long way towards determining whether the Cheetahs, captained by Torsten van Jaarsveld in the absence of Francois Venter,  can also make that successful step up.

 But for now, coach Franco Smith, who probably still enjoys the Freedom of Bloemfontein, has no lofty expectations and is looking for nothing more than improvement from week to week.

 In fact, he is loathe to use the word 'building'. He maintains that it should be a measured process.

(Video by Brenden Nel)

Smith says even although his charges never lost a match on the way to Currie Cup glory, they are by no means the finished product.

(Video by Brenden Nel)

Likewise, his opposite number Johan Ackermann isn't making any brash predictions. He knows how important early momentum is in this tough competition and how much more difficult it is to fight back from being on the back foot.

The Cheetahs have only managed a single Super Rugby victory over the Lions since 2011, a 26-5 victory on the hard brown winter turf at the home of the Griffons in Welkom in 2012.

Results since 2011:

2016: Lions won 39-22 in Johannesburg

2015: Lions won 40-17 in Bloemfontein   

2015: Lions won 34-29 in Johannesburg   

2014: Lions won 60-25 in Johannesburg   

2014: Lions won 21-20 in Bloemfontein   

2012: Cheetahs won 26-5 in Welkom   

2012: Lions won 27-25 in Johannesburg   

2011: Lions won 25-20 in Bloemfontein