Pride of Lions face up to France
France can expect to face eight Lions in the second Test against the Springboks at Kings Park in Durban on Saturday.
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee is set to name Lionel Mapoe, Andries Coetzee, Courtnall Skosan, Ross Cronjé and Elton Jantjies in the backs and forwards Malcolm Marx — so outstanding in the first Test — Franco Mostert and captain Warren Whiteley.
Mapoe, who is fit again after he has missed the first Test against the visiting French with a hamstring strain, will fill the void left by the injured Jesse Kriel at outside centre.
Coetzee said earlier in the week he was reluctant to tinker with combinations that brought victory in the first Test, indicating Marx, Mostert and Whiteley would start on Saturday.
The Lions have been the most successful South African team in Super Rugby so far this season, winning 12 of their 13 matches. They also boast a highly impressive run of 10 wins on the bounce.
Bok assistant coach Franco Smith said on Tuesday the dominance of the Lions players in the national team was justified because not only had they been doing very well for their Super Rugby team, but they were currently the best in their respective positions.
“Throughout the three camps that we have had, there were a lot of opportunities,” he said.
“On merit, the Lions players have been doing well and they deserve their starting spots at this stage.
“Some of them are the best players available at this stage in their positions.”
Smith shared coach Coetzee’s sentiments that they were unlikely to make too many changes and he pointed out the importance of continuity as they moved forward in the threematch series against France “It is good to have continuity. “Players are playing together and, obviously, it makes a lot of the work easier. But we still have our own language, ethics, way of doing things and they have adapted nicely.”
With Mapoe moving to No 13 alongside Jan Serfontein at 12, the experienced Frans Steyn will again start from the bench.
Smith said the unavailability of Kriel, who was one of the try scorers at Loftus, will have a big influence on their system. But they have to get on with the business, he added.
“We all would have liked to see Jesse out there for another week to build on the performance because he did very well in the first Test and he is settling in the No 13 jersey.
“At this level, continuity is important. But we also know that going forward, we are going to need a lot of players who are developed in different roles,” Smith said.
“I think outside backs are one of the positions where we can always do with another number, and creativity in the role is important.”