Cronje, Adriaanse and Ferreira add their names to list of injured Lions
JOHANNESBURG: While the Lions players spent most of yesterday nursing bumps and bruises, coach Swys de Bruin spent it deciding who to take to Argentina and who to leave behind.
He’ll name his tour squad today before they fly out tomorrow morning, but three players who definitely won’t be in that group are scrumhalf Ross Cronje, prop Jacobie Adriaanse and lock Andries Ferreira.
Cronje, who has started all five of his team’s Super Rugby matches so far this season, suffered a rib injury against the Sunwolves at the weekend and will stay home this week, along with Adriaanse (sprained ankle) and Ferreira (lower-back spasm).
They are expected to be back to full fitness next week, ahead of the Crusaders game.
The list of injured Lions players is now a long one and also includes Courtnall Skosan, Warren Whiteley and Jaco Kriel, none of whom will be back anytime soon.
With Cronje out of the trip to Buenos Aires for the return match against the Jaguares, De Bruin is sure to hand promising youngster Marco Janse van Vuren his first start in Super Rugby, while fit-again Dillon Smit could be his back-up on the bench.
The Lions are well stocked in the front row so Adriaanse’s absence shouldn’t be felt too severely, and De Bruin was likely to bring back Jacques van Rooyen and Ruan Dreyer this week anyway after they sat out last weekend’s escape against the Sunwolves.
And, in the second row, in Ferreira’s absence, De Bruin can consider Marvin Orie, Lourens Erasmus, Robert Kruger and even Franco Mostert, who could move back to lock from flank this week.
The Lions have struggled in Argentina in the last two years, losing to the Jaguares on both occasions, albeit with a weakened team, and De Bruin will be very keen to set that record straight on Saturday.
For this reason he is likely to play a strong side, even if it isn’t the team that’ll do duty against the Crusaders the following week.
Robbie Coetzee could replace Malcolm Marx at hooker, while Cyle Brink is expected to return to the flank after resting last weekend, while Hacjivah Dayimani could also get a look-in again this week.
He played on the wing for the Lions against the Griffons in the Rugby Challenge this past weekend, and is said to be in the reckoning in both positions going forward.
There could also be a change in the centres where Howard Mnisi may get a run – either in place of Harold Vorster or Lionel Mapoe, while fullback Andries Coetzee could be rested to allow Shaun Reynolds or Ashlon Davids to come in at No 15.
“We’ve got to back our rotation system so some guys will stay behind,” said De Bruin.
“Everyone understands the situation. Some guys who are not in the frontline have to be blooded and given a chance somewhere ...”