Marco intent on making his mark as a regular Lions, Bok No 9
THE ONGOING UNOFFICIAL Search for a Springbok No 9 continues this weekend in far-off Buenos Aires where young Marco Jansen van Vuren gets a rare chance to stake his claim.
The 21-year-old Lions player will make his first start at Super Rugby level against the Jaguares (11.40pm SA time), running out in place of injured current Springbok first choice scrumhalf Ross Cronje in a game of big importance for the visitors.
The Lions have struggled of late, losing to the Blues and only just getting past the Sunwolves last weekend, and tomorrow they play at a venue where they haven’t won in two years.
Making their visit even more demanding is the fact the Lions are not in any kind of form, and they’ll also have one eye on next week’s replay of last year’s final, against the Crusaders at Ellis Park on Easter Sunday.
Coach Swys de Bruin will hope young Jansen van Vuren, who doesn’t carry any baggage from those previous visits to Buenos Aires, can help spark the Lions into life.
The former SA Schools and SA Under20 scrumhalf, who many feel not only has a Joost van der Westhuizen look about him but plays a similar game too, will be eager to make the most of his opportunity.
The Lions have yet to find a regular back-up scrumhalf since Faf de Klerk left after last year’s competition and it’ll be hoped Jansen van Vuren can tick all the right boxes.
Utility back Dillon Smit, who’s on the bench tomorrow but has been injuryprone since joining the Lions, and fullback Andries Coetzee are the other scrumhalf options De Bruin has.
National coach Rassie Erasmus is also on the look-out for a Test No 9 and besides Cronje and possibly Louis Schreuder, there are not too many sticking up their hands.
Jansen van Vuren will be one Erasmus will consider for the future, but also the Sharks’ Cameron Wright and the Bulls’ Embrose Papier.
Besides Jansen van Vuren coming into the starting XV, utility forward Robert Kruger also gets a start at blindside flank, with Kwagga Smith moving to No 8 and Cyle Brink back at openside.
Captain Franco Mostert is also back in his more familiar role of lock, while in the front row, props Ruan Dreyer and Jacques van Rooyen return after a week off. Robbie Coetzee also gets a chance to start at hooker in place of Malcolm Marx.
Lions: Andries Coetzee, Sylvian Mahuza, Lionel Mapoe, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Elton Jantjies, Marco Janse van Vuren, Kwagga Smith, Robert Kruger, Cyle Brink, Franco Mostert, Marvin Orie, Ruan Dreyer, Robbie Coetzee, Jacques van Rooyen. Replacements: Malcolm Marx, Dylan Smith, Johannes Jonker, Lourens Erasmus, Len Massyn, Dillon Smit, Howard Mnisi, Shaun Reynolds