Super Rugby finalists the Lions are adopting a unique strategy to counter a long flight from South Africa ahead of playing this weekend - and they say they've already successfully used it before.
The Lions arrived in New Zealand yesterday after beating the Waratahs at home in Johannesburg in their semi-final on Sunday morning NZT, leaving them just three days to prepare for Saturday's final.
But the team has taken measures already to make sure they're at peak condition when the whistle blows at AMI Stadium.
Coach Swys de Bruin told reporters today his team have drastically altered their sleeping pattern to the point that midday NZT feels like "morning" for them.
"We just woke up," he said at today's press conference.
"Our lunch will be later and our dinner will be very late," he said.
De Bruin said the team will use the adjusted routine right through until gameday, having previously used it in their long trip to Sydney earlier this year when they faced the Waratahs in round robin play.
They won that game 29-0.
The Lions and Crusaders face off for this year's Super Rugby title at 7:30pm.
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