Lions prepared for altitude

THE Lions’ planning for today’s showdown did not begin last Sunday, after the 26-21 first Test defeat in Durban, but two years ago and it took them via the Pittsburgh Steelers to Pretoria.

The Lions medical staff have worked with experts from the NFL franchise in a bid to minimise the impact playing at altitude will have on the squad at Loftus Versfeld.

Pretoria is nearly 5,000 feet above sea level and some of the players, Ronan O’Gara in particular, struggled with conditions on the highveld earlier in the tour.