Boks will go hunting with pride of fiery Lions

SPRINGBOKS coach Allister Coetzee is today expected to announce a team of no less than eight Lions players in the starting lineup for the second Test against France at Kings Park on Saturday.

Lionel Mapoe, who is fit after he missed the first Test against the French with a hamstring strain, will fill the void left by the injured Jesse Kriel at outside centre to join teammates Andries Coetzee, Courtnall Skosan, Ross Cronje and Elton Jantjies in the backline.

With Coetzee having indicated earlier in the week that he will not tinker much with the combinations from the first Test in Pretoria, Malcolm Marx, Franco Mostert and captain Warren Whiteley will be the Lions players among the forwards.

The Lions have been the most successful South African team in Super Rugby so far this season and they have won 12 out of 13 matches. They also boast a highly impressive run of 10 successive wins.

Boks assistant coach Franco Smith said on Tuesday that the dominance of the Lions players in the national team is justified because not only have they been doing very well for their Super Rugby team, they are the best in their respective positions.

“Throughout the three camps that we have had, there were a lot of opportunities,” he said.

“I think on merit the Lions players have been doing well and they deserve their starting spots.

“Some of them are the best players available at this stage in their positions.”

Smith shared Coetzee’s sentiments that they are unlikely to make too many changes and he pointed out the importance of continuity as they move forward in this three-match 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 number 13 alongside Jan Serfontein at 12, the experienced Frans Steyn, who won his first Test cap after almost five years last weekend as a substitute, will once again start from the bench. “There are those who feel that this is a good opportunity to bring Frans Steyn back into the starting lineup at 12 but I will definitely settle for a specialist outside centre,” said Coetzee this week.

“Jan [Serfontein] played an important role for us at 12 and I wouldn’t want to move him because then you are making two changes.

“I would rather stick with Jan at 12 and change with Lionel [Mapoe] or whoever at 13.”

Smith said the unavailability of Kriel, who was one of the try-scorers at Loftus, will have an impact on their system but they have to get on with the business.