Lions will play only one training session before the third consecutive Super Rugby final

The Lions will play in the Super Rugby final Saturday night against the Crusaders with a single training session in the can.

Bruin's Swys coach takes a less offensive approach to his third consecutive final, having arrived in Christchurch late Tuesday night with his team of 25 players.

In order to avoid jet lag, South Africans will not adapt to New Zealand's time zone.

"Our days will be moved four hours, we will only get up at eleven o'clock in the morning, we will have breakfast, we will have dinner at 23 o'clock or 23.30, we will go to bed at 1 o'clock in the morning, "de Bruin said.

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The Lions adopted the same system earlier in the season when they traveled to Sydney and faced the Waratahs 29-0 to kick off their mixed bag of a tour Australasian.

After defeating the Waratahs, they were beaten by the Reds in Brisbane before the Hurricanes and Highlanders overturned them in consecutive weeks.

The Lions have once again ducked a season game against the Crusaders of Christchurch, but they now appreciate the opportunity to do something that no team has done before – beat the Crusaders in a playoff match in Garden City.

"Christchurch, what a great place to play," said Lions captain Warren Whiteley after landing in the city on Tuesday night. "It's the country of rugby-man … traditionally, one of the best places to play.

" Nobody gives us a chance and it's just because of the quality Crusaders. They are just a fantastic side. But we know, being in a final, that you give yourself a chance. We will do our best.

"It's a rugby match and anything can happen."

Whiteley, who had to watch his team lose the final last year to the Crusaders in the sideline due to injury pool, is one of a group of Key lions responsible for matching the side of the house All Black-loaded to the front.

He, the hooker Malcolm Marx, the flanker Kwagga Smith and the lock Franco Mostert are among the best of the match in their positions, even if it will probably take more than a big job to do switch the reds and blacks.

"Throughout the park, they have just been phenomenal, and the last two weeks they have stepped up their efforts in every area," Whiteley said.

"They are confronted in everything they do and they are very accurate, their discipline was particularly good last weekend, they are just a good team."

Lions: Andries Coetzee, Ruan Combrinck, Ross Cronje, Ruan Dreyer, Elton Jantjies, Lionel Mapoe, Malcolm Marx, Howard Mnisi, Franco Mostert, Marvin Orie, Courtney Skosan, Kwagga Smith, Dylan Smith, Jacques van Rooyen, Harold Vorster, Warren Whiteley (Capt), Cyle Brink, Hacjivah Dayimani, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Lourens Erasmus, Horn Fourie, Johannes Jonker, Shaun Reynolds, Marnus Schoeman, Dillon Smit

– Stuff