Reports coming out of the Lions camp suggest that the side will need to make do without two key back line play makers for the next few weeks.
Elton Jantjies, who withdrew on the eve of last weekend’s Sharks match as the result of a foot injury, looks likely to be on the sidelines for around a month as a result, while inside centre Alwyn Hollenbach, who only came into the starting line up as a result of Jantjies’ withdrawal, lasted less than half an hour before being forced off with a hamstring injury. The former Free Stater is also likely to be on the injury list for a while – probably around three weeks.
With the Lions enjoying a bye in round 4, the impact of these injuries should be somewhat lessened; however, neither player will be available for the Lions for their next two crunch home games; against the Stormers and Crusaders at Coca Cola Park.
There is a slight ray of sunshine for the Lions, though, in that rookie flyhalf Andries Coetzee played very well indeed on debut against the Sharks; with veteran Butch James able to do a job at inside centre (and obviously play flyhalf too) there should be sufficient cover to get them through this sticky patch.
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Not good news at all …
@Zibbie (Comment 1) : Nah good news to me. Time to blood the youngsters and get them game time and see who step’s up.
@LionsinPTA (Comment 2) :
not every day you get to blood youngsters when a 21 year old gets injured …
@LionsinPTA (Comment 2) :
For once i want the Lions to stop blooding new players for other unions and win some games .
Both big blows. Jantjies’ class is well known, but I also rather rate Hollenbach – big, quick and a good defender.
@Big Fish (Comment 5) : Hollenbach was causing all sorts of trouble for us before he went off… never nice to see someone injured, but I can’t pretend I wasn’t relieved when he needed to be replaced.
We were just talking about a youngster as backup to Jantjies the other day.
Good to see Coetzee playing well.
Get well soon to both, I’m sure a few FL managers are not happy
This is going from bad to worse …
Stormers and Crusaders coming up …eina !
As a positive I liked what I saw from Tiaan Meyer.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 7) : morning
@csb (Comment 8) : morning
@Big Fish (Comment 5) : oh – and morning
@csb (Comment 8) : Meyer is a very good scrummie… hoping you guys can keep him after Super Rugby. His problem at the Pumas is that because he’s so versatile, they’re using him all over the show. He’s not getting much chance to develop his game at scrumhalf
@robdylan (Comment 9) :
Morgen pops
you have your winning mojo back I hope ..
@robdylan (Comment 10) :
From what I saw he is hands down a better option than Bandesio …I reckon Michell should start with him and hopefully get alot more game time at 9.
@robdylan (Comment 9) :
Good morning
@csb (Comment 12) :
Tend to agree.
Bondesio is rather shit.. Sorry..
Goeie more almal
BTW, who was man of the match on Saturday?
Possible Lions starting XV against the Stormers
1. Caylib Oosthuizen
2. Martin Bezuidenhoudt
3. Pat Cilliers/Jacobie Adriaanse
4.
5. Franco vd Merwe
6. Derrick Minnie
7. Josh Strauss
8. Warren Whiteley
9. Tian Meyer
10. Andries Coetzee
11. Micheal Killian
12. Butch James
13. Doppies la Grange
14. Deon van Rensburg
15. Jaco Taute
16. Callie Visagie
17. Jacobie Adriaanse/Ruan Dreyer
18. Hendrick Roodt
19. Cobus Grobelaar
20. Micheal Bondisio
21. James Kamana
22. Guy Cronje(Really impressed in the Varsity Cup thus far and played a blinder for UJ last night vs the Pukke)
@King Shark (Comment 16) : it was given to Bismarck
@Mutley (Comment 17) :
Dont think Visagie will be dropped . i think Pat will be shifted back to 1 and Adriaanse should take the nr 3 jersey . Also Van Heerden should be back for the Province Match . Also dont see Bondisio being dropped .
Don’t take this the wrong way, there is no malice intended with it.
I think whether Jantjies was there or not the result against the Stormers and Crusaders was always only going to have one outcome this season.
Maybe it is better that it his happening against these two teams than against teams where Jantjies’ exclusion would mean changing the outcome from a win to a loss.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 20) :
i dont know . maybe .. But i still think the Lions are in with a shout . Especially against the Stormers
@KSA Shark © (Comment 20) : My thoughts exactly. Well not exactly but close, maybe not close but thereabouts : mrgreen:
My point is, it probably wont matter if Jantjies is fit for those games or not
@KSA Shark © (Comment 20) :
Thats a bold statement the way the Crusaders are going at the moment.
But at the end of the day, Darren, I agree wif you!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 20) : I don’t know KSA. Lions are playing at home, Crusaders still seem to be building up momentum and the Stormers game may come down to penalties where Elton could have really shined.
@Megatron (Comment 25) : I read he was battling leukaemia – really nasty way to go. Condolences to his family.