Lions’ share a boost for Boks

THE show of faith Springbok coach Allister Coetzee displayed in the Lions players was amazing and in the right spirit, they more than repaid him with their performances.

Some of them, like hooker Malcolm Marx, Ross Cronje and Courtnall Skosan, had big shoes to fill and they did so with aplomb.

There also was Warren Whiteley’s astute leadership and more importantly, the willingness to play and knowing where and when to play.

There were stamps of Lions’ Super Rugby tied with the pragmatism needed to thrive in Test match rugby.

Saturday’s second Test at King’s Park in Durban will be a different beast with the French set to call up their Toulon and Clermont contingent who missed Saturday’s 37-14 defeat at Loftus Versfeld because of the Top 14 final last week.

Whiteley has had a big week with his wife giving birth to their second child and first son, Samuel, while the team went about their business.

“My wife couldn’t be here and she was emotional but today wasn’t about myself. It was about the team. It was important for me not only to do my job, but to contribute towards the team and I feel I may have done that,” Whiteley said.

“We have to enjoy the win but we know there will be a sterner challenge next week.

“The guys were really excited before the game.

“It’s a three-match series, not just a one-off Test and we know we have a job at hand. We’ll keep our feet on the ground because we know the French will come out fighting next week.”

Marx spoke the least of the three Springbok players presented to the media but was the deserved Man of the Match.

Adriaan Strauss’s uninspiring play and leadership last season kept Marx and Bongi Mbonambi out of the team.

He showed the country what they were missing, especially with his rumbustiousness in the breakdown and in the loose.

His lineout throwing will improve over time, even though he found his Lions teammate Franco Mostert regularly but those are kinks that can be sorted out over the course of the series.

There were also rumours of Bismarck du Plessis making a Test return but Marx put those doubts to rest.

Marx was aware he needs to reproduce such a performance again but the future is not something he’s worried about.

“I was nervous like any other player in the team but it was a team effort. We spoke of playing as a team and being a brotherhood and that’s what I think we did.

“We did speak of the French being physical and I do think we fronted up,” Marx added.