Lions fans will have to wait on the next ‘Joost’
Coach Swys de Bruin decides to take a chance and not name a specialist scrumhalf deputy for the Super Rugby opener against the Sharks.
Ross Cronje. Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images.
The sight of the next “Joost” – 21-year-old Marco Janse van Vuren – making his Super Rugby debut is one the rugby public will have to wait for.
The Lions on Thursday decided not to include a scrumhalf on the bench for Saturday’s Super Rugby battle against the Sharks at Ellis Park.
It’s an interesting move from head coach Swys de Bruin, who seems to have erred on the side of caution.
Except for Springbok incumbent Ross Cronje, there’s no other senior scrumhalf in the Lions’ Super Rugby group.
And, building on that, De Bruin is also conscious of the gap in experience, which is rather big.
Janse van Vuren, who delivered promising performances in last year’s Currie Cup, is an exciting prospect but he also made a fair amount of mistakes too.
Given the stakes, the Lions seem to have gone for the relatively risk-free approach.
However, De Bruin insists they actually do have a deputy for Cronje.
“We actually do have a scrumhalf ‘on the bench’,” he said.
“He’s just playing in another position. We’ve got good cover there in Andries Coetzee. He played Craven Week there at school and I think it’s going to be easy for him to move there should be require him.”
However, it still represents somewhat of a risk because of the Lions’ expansive game-plan, which requires good game management from a halfback.
Another selection headache is the centres, who all actually feature in the match 23.
Harold Vorster and Lionel Mapoe continue their profitable relationship from 2017 with Howard Mnisi providing midfield cover.
Rohan Janse van Rensburg is also present but will most likely be used as a wing.
“It was pretty much horse for courses for the way we think the Sharks will play,” said De Bruin.
“There’s nothing special there. Our backs moved quite a lot between positions.”
Lions: Andries Coetzee, Sylvian Mahuza, Lionel Mapoe, Harold Vorster, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Elton Jantjies, Ross Cronje, Warren Whiteley (c), Cyle Brink, Kwagga Smith, Franco Mostert, Andries Ferreira, Ruan Dreyer, Malcolm Marx, Jacques van Rooyen. Bench: Robbie Coetzee, Dylan Smith, Jacobie Adriaanse, Marvin Orie, Marnus Schoeman, Hacjivah Dayimani, Howard Mnisi, Rohan Janse van Rensburg.
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