Coach Swys de Bruin says he chose to extend his contract with the Lions because he believes in the future of the franchise.

On Tuesday, the Lions confirmed that they had extended the contract of De Bruin by a further two years. After initially serving as assistant to former coach Johan Ackermann from 2013, De Bruin took over the top job last year.

Since gaining promotion to Super Rugby in 2014, the Lions have gone from strength to strength, boasting runner-up finishes in all of the last three seasons.

‘There have been opportunities, to be honest, it is a big world out there,’ De Bruin told the media in Johannesburg on Tuesday when discussing whether he had received other offers.

‘After big consideration with my family and my agent, James Adams, we came to the conclusion that it is the right thing to stay,’ he added. ‘We have not finished what we started.’

The vision is clear for the 59-year-old as he looks to grow and develop his youthful squad, with the Lions currently sitting at the top of the South African conference.

The Lions will tackle the Sharks at Ellis Park this Friday, with De Bruin taking the interesting decision to start regular winger Aphiwe Dyantyi at outside centre.

‘He played 10 as a schoolboy and then he played a bit of 13, then full 15, then wing, and became a Springbok wing,’ De Bruin explained. ‘So he is a footballer wherever you play him. Later we will play him at wing again, but there are certain concepts at 13 that are good for him and his development.’

Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images