Lions coach Johan Ackermann has named a squad of 33 players to compete for the 2014 Super Rugby title, with only two capped Springboks in the mix amongst a bevy of unproven players.
A fair few of those selected have earned their stripes for the Lions in Currie Cup rugby and Ackermann will also take comfort from a handful of experienced players in the mix who have played a fair bit of Super Rugby before, both for the Lions and for various adopted franchises last year.
Franco van der Merwe, Derick Minnie and Willie Wepener will be key players up front, all boasting solid experience at this level, while the likes of Michael Bondesio and Elton Jantjies (once fit) will need to guide a backline featuring Lionel Mapoe as its only other established star.
Former Sharks age-group player Luvo Lusaseni has been included amongst the locks. Meanwhile, a strange selection sees experienced campaigner Bees Roux omitted in favour of a group of younger props.
Lions squad:
Michael Bondesio
Marnitz Boshoff
Chrysander Botha
Willie Britz
Andries Coetzee
Robbie Coetzee
Ruan Combrinck
Francois de Klerk
Ruan Dreyer
Corne Fourie
Deon Helberg
Alwyn Hollenbach
Elton Jantjies
JW Jonker
Jaco Kriel
Luvuyiso Lusaseni
Lionel Mapoe
Malcolm Marx
Derick Minnie
Franco Mostert
Martin Muller
Julian Redelinghuys
Courtnall Skosan
Warwick Tecklenburg
Franco van der Merwe
Schalk van der Merwe
Deon van Rensburg
Jacques van Rooyen
Coenie van Wyk
Anthony Volmink
Stefan Watermeyer
Willie Wepener
Warren Whiteley
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So far the joke of the season is the omission of impressive centre Stokkies Hanekom……its pathetic in fact
@Saffex (Comment 1) : not if you witnessed his spectacular disappearing act on defence against Frans Steyn on Friday night
@robdylan (Comment 2) : Did you see the match? I cant see why Hanekom, a 13 would be marking Frans a 12……if you had seen Stokkies playing last year, you will know what I am talking about…….the Lions are an average bunch of players with a handful of good ones……Stokkies is one of their best and not making the squad is insulting and tells the story of Ackerman as a coach
The problem for JA is to get as much experience as possible into the squad, especially at the start of the season and then bring through the inexperienced guys.
At centre we already have two injury-prone centres in Hollenbach and Mapoe but they are experienced so to add an inexperienced and injury-prone Stokkies might not have been the best option. One tend to forget that Stokkies has only played 16 first class games even though he’s 24 already. JW Jonker is another experienced player having played Super Rugby with the Cheetahs.
Stokkies will get his chance through the season
@Baylion (Comment 4) : Sorry have to disagree…..Stokkies is by far the best centre at the Lions…….he looks the only centre capable of bigger things…….reminds me of a young Jacques Fourie……..Stokkies should have been the first name on the squad sheet at centre…….Ackerman has stuffed up bigtime here
Dont rate JW Jonker at all and Mapoe is an average centre but a far better wing
@Saffex (Comment 5) : Well, I would also have preferred to see Stokkies in the squad rather than out 🙂
Captain?
I have to agree with Saffex here…Stokkies is their best centre but a mile. Defense is about attitude, they were getting klapped in a warm up game so cant imagine their being much fire in him. Is he not perhaps injured? That does seem to happen a lot to him.
@Grasshopper (Comment 7) : your boy
@Grasshopper (Comment 7) : Whitely has been named as captain I think
Warren is the captain
@Saffex (Comment 5) : @Saffex (Comment 10) :
Stokkies has been way off form in the warm up games and quite frankly was very poor on Friday night. I believe that the thinking is that he needs game time at Vodacom Cup to try and regain some form and confidence.
@steve (Comment 12) : Lets hope that is the case for given who the Lions have at their disposal I find it alarming that they have left out one of their best
Not very often that I agree with Saffex, but Stokkies Hanekom must indeed be the shocker of the season. He’s a really good player, I don’t know how he fails to make the squad. His got X-factor, you cannot coach that!!!
@Ludz (Comment 14) : You should always agree with me!!