Warren Whiteley has had a tricky personal season leading the Lions to their first Super Rugby final.

Lions skipper Warren Whiteley has revealed he survived an attempted hijacking by gun-weilding men on the road to the Super Rugby final.

Whitely has been cleared of a calf injury to lead the Lions into Saturday night's final in Wellington against the Hurricanes.

It's been a watershed season for the Lions who have reached their first final. But it hasn't all been easy.

Whiteley opened up about thieves trying to steal his car in the leadup to the last time the Lions played the Canes in Johannesburg.

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The big loose forward was another victim of the dangerous streets of Jo'burg.

Whitely said he had just left the captain's run at Ellis Park which is situated close to the city centre when he was confronted by men with guns at traffic lights.

"They didn't take my car," he told Supersport.com.

"But they took my wallet and phone."

Strangely the thieves didn't appear interested in his Lions training gear.

"They never wanted my kitbag full of kit, they threw that back into the car."

Whiteley, shaken by the incident, reported it to his team management.

The Lions subsequently conceded 50 points to the Hurricanes in their worst performance of the season.

It's been another tricky buildup to the latest clash with the Hurricanes for Whitley though certainly not life-threatening.

He's delighted to be cleared by the team's medics to front in the final in a season where he gave up a chance for an Olympics medal to play Super Rugby for the Lions.

Whiteley, a member of the South African sevens team that beat New Zealand in the final of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, decided to switch his focus to 15s and a place in the final is strong reward.

"It was the most difficult decision of my career. There was never any guarantee to go to the Olympics and make the side. I knew I had to work my way into the side but I really wanted to stay here and contribute," he told Supersport.com.

"It was a goal of ours to win Super Rugby and I followed my heart. Coach Ackies helped me a lot in the decision to play this weekend.

"For me it wasn't about missing a few Super Rugby games, but on missing out on the fruits of three years' work with a team I love. I couldn't turn my back on this, especially after all of the hard work we put in. Plus I know that there are sevens contracted players who have put in the hard work day in and out preparing for Rio while I had been putting in all my energy for the Lions.

"I don't think it was a wrong decision, I'm happy with it and I'm excited about playing this weekend."

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