A number of Lions players, including Erich Cronjé, will be aiming to impress as they kick off their season against Leinster on Saturday.
Lions utility back Erich Cronje is tackled by Edinburgh’s Matt Currie during a URC match at Ellis Park last season. Picture: Gallo Images
Lions utility back Erich Cronjé says he enjoyed his recent stint training with the Springboks and is hopeful that a strong start to the season in the United Rugby Championship (URC) can get him into the frame to be picked for their end-of-year-tour games.
Cronjé and fellow Lions back Henco van Wyk were invited to help make up the numbers and train with the Boks ahead of the third Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test against the All Blacks at the FNB Stadium at the start of the month, after their impressive showings for the Lions in their RGR tour match.
That seems to have lit a fire in 30-year-old Cronjé, who now knows he is on the national team’s radar, especially after assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said that Van Wyk and he could bash down the door, and he is now targeting some top performances for the Lions to give him that chance.
“It’s special to get a call-up, to train and learn from the best in the world at the moment. It was a great experience for me,” said Cronjé earlier this week about training with the Boks.
“I am always eager to learn from the best in my position and to learn from guys who have 140 caps, like Eben Etzebeth. It was a great experience. I didn’t think I would get the call-up, but I believe in God and everything that comes with it.
“I want to be one of the top performers in our team and get a call-up for the end-of-year tour with the Springboks. The reality is that when you get older, the opportunity becomes less, but I always have that belief.
“That’s why I’m doing this. That’s why all of us are doing this, to get the opportunity to get a call-up and to express yourself.”
Start of season
The Lions kick off their URC season with a clash against defending champions Leinster at Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon, and after suffering two heavy losses to the Irish giants in Dublin late last season, at the end of the pool phase and in the quarterfinals, they will be eager for some revenge.
Leinster often travel to South Africa with a weakened side as well, which will open the door for the Lions to start their campaign with a full house of points.
Cronjé, who usually plays in the midfield, has been deployed on the wing by the Lions more recently and has excelled, and that versatility will stand him in good stead when it comes to his Springbok ambitions.
“At the Springboks, they call it being a hybrid. It’s always good to be a hybrid. I did play wing when I was with the Southern Kings,” explained Cronjé.
“I’ve been playing in this position, and it’s always nice to play both and to have experience there. I have a lot of caps at centre and wing, so it’s nice for me.”
