High praise for Nohamba in role of Lions catalyst
• Restored to his customary position, scrumhalf delivers in style
Springbok alignment camp invitees Sanele Nohamba and Morné van den Berg came in for lavish praise after they helped engineer a stunning 40-10 United Rugby Championship (URC) victory for the Lions over the Sharks at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Nohamba, who was restored to his customary position at scrumhalf, took to it like a duck to water while Van den Berg, his replacement in that position, continued in the commanding role with aplomb.
The Lions, who had suffered twin defeats to the Bulls in their most recent URC matches, bounced back emphatically with a win that revises their prospects of securing a spot in the top eight. They are in 11th place, three points behind eighth-placed Benetton.
Lions coach Ivan van Rooyen expressed his admiration for the contribution of his scrumhalves.
“It’s simply amazing having guys of that calibre and character in the team,” he said.
“The great thing about players like Sanele and Morné is that they’re not only preoccupied with giving their all for the team, they are tough, mentally strong players who make good decisions on the field and can unlock opportunities.
“These guys are always ‘allin’. Not to mention their versatility in terms of being able to cover more than one position and the ability to unlock defences and create scoring opportunities. “It’s a privilege.”
The Lions made a fast start and kept the Sharks scoreless in the second half as they streaked well clear, accumulating 21 points in that period.
It condemned the Durbanites to their 10th defeat in 11 URC matches this season.
The Sharks fielded a slightly experimental team at Ellis Park and while they may feel they have bigger fish to fry in the Challenge Cup, the manner in which they suffered their latest defeat will do little to calm the waters at the franchise.
The Sharks showed admirable fight after falling well behind but they were frustrated after being held up twice and had Aphelele Fassi’s touchdown disallowed after the TMO spotted Ntuthuko Mchunu had charged into the side of a ruck recklessly.
Stand-in captain Bongi Mbonambi could hardly hide his frustration with referee Aimee Barrett-Theron and descended into a deeper sulk after being sin-binned for collapsing a maul.
Lions captain Marius Louw, a former midfield operator for the Sharks, explained his contrasting afternoon. “I think it is natural to want to deliver a good performance against your former team. But it is about controlling your emotions.”
The Lions kept their composure and finished the match with a flourish.
“I’m proud,” Van Rooyen said. “The past two weeks, we spoke and worked hard to regain momentum. Physically and mentally. The guys adapted well and stayed in the moment. The guys played with freedom and the decision-making was good.”
The Lions will not have competition duty until March 23 when they are away to Connacht, but they will see action in two practice matches against the SA U20s and the Pumas.
“It will be for guys who are coming back from niggles and injuries.
“We also have a group of 20 to 24 players who haven’t played recently. It is a case of increasing game time for some and decreasing for others,” Van Rooyen said.
THE GREAT THING ABOUT PLAYERS LIKE SANELE AND MORNÉ IS THAT THEY’RE NOT ONLY PREOCCUPIED WITH GIVING THEIR ALL FOR THE TEAM, THEY ARE TOUGH, MENTALLY STRONG PLAYERS WHO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS