Lourens to hunt with the Lions
Erasmus moved to flank ahead of crunch semi
Lions coach Swys de Bruin referred to it as a horses for courses change‚ and on recent evidence the unleashing of Lourens Erasmus is a timely one.
By moving to flank the regular lock will have more space to roam the wide open spaces when the Lions take on the Waratahs in the second Super Rugby semifinal on Saturday.
He replaces the in-form Cyle Brink, who sustained a shoulder stinger in a shuddering tackle in last weekend’s victory over the Jaguares.
Erasmus‚ however‚ brings a lengthier stride that enables him to affect plays in extreme areas, and it taps into the Lions’ strategy of doing everything at full gallop on Saturday.
“There’s not much in it‚” said De Bruin.
“Our four‚ five and seven in general attack play together a lot‚” he said about going for Erasmus at seven and not Franco Mostert.
The Lions have deployed lock Mostert at flank earlier this season, but this time De Bruin opted to play to the player’s strengths.
“Franco is doing so well at lock‚ lately. We might swap the roles at certain stages.”
Erasmus is not unfamiliar with the backrow.
“Lourens played number eight at U21 level and he played loose-forward at school‚ at Garstfontein‚” he said.
“It is more about the team than who is five and who is seven. We will move them around.
“When he came on (last weekend against the Jaguares) he showed a lot of pace around the park.”
The loss of Brink‚ who has been in superb form‚ comes as a setback.
Brink‚ who resisted overtures to join the Bulls‚ has been an influential ball carrier for the Lions of late‚ even in the wider channels.
“It is a huge blow. It will be for any team but we trust our system. At one point in the season we lost the spine of our team‚” said De Bruin.
The Waratahs named their team earlier on Thursday, and when De Bruin was asked what impact the introduction of hooker Tolu Latu would have for the visitors‚ the coach turned the conversation to where he believes the threat will come from.
“Kurtley (Beale)‚ (Bernard) Foley‚ (Israel) Folau. You’ve got to watch those.
“Those are the threats ask me‚” he said.
Folau, in particular‚ holds considerable peril for the Lions‚ especially if presented opportunity from errant kicks.
“Obviously when I kick it has to be on point‚” nodded scrumhalf if you Ross birthday.
“We’ve got to have competitors in the air. If I have a good kick without a good chase‚ it is technically a bad kick.
“They’ve got a good counterattack so when we kick we have to do it properly‚” said Cronjé.
The Lions team is – Andries Coetzee; Ruan Combrinck‚ Lionel Mapoe‚ Harold Vorster‚ Cronjé on his 29th Aphiwe Dyantyi, Elton Jantjies‚ Ross Cronjé, Warren Whiteley (captain)‚ Lourens Erasmus‚ Kwagga Smith, Franco Mostert‚ Marvin Orie, Ruan Dreyer‚ Malcolm Marx‚ Jacques van Rooyen
Substitutes: Corne Fourie‚ Johannes Jonker‚ Dylan Smith‚ Hacjivah Dayimani‚ Marnus Schoeman, Dillon Smit‚ Courtnall Skosan‚ Howard Mnisi.
Lourens played No 8 at U21 level and he played loose-forward at school‚ at Garstfontein