BIG BOOTS TO FILL
LIONS: COETZEE IN FOR MARX IN NEW-LOOK TIGHT FIVE
De Bruin has a plan for in-form Marnus Schoeman.
The Lions might have dropped one of their best players in flank Marnus Schoeman, but coach Swys de Bruin said there is a plan in place for him on the bench in their final Super Rugby tour game against the Highlanders in Dunedin tomorrow.
The Lions team announced yesterday showed six changes, all up front, with three props on the bench, while De Bruin kept his backline unchanged for the game.
“We looked at the stats afterwards and they didn’t do too badly against the Hurricanes. There were two soft moments on defence, but apart from that they in
general performed well.”
De Bruin said with hooker Malcolm Marx having had to return home, they will use both prop Jacques van Rooyen and Schoeman as hooker options from the bench should starting hooker Robbie Coetzee have to come off.
“Jacques scrummed very well this week in training in the hooker position, while Marnus could take care of the lineout throw-ins if required,” he said.
“It’s a tough tour, but the guys are loving it and everyone is in great spirits.”
Coetzee has replaced Marx, while Johannes Jonker has come in for Jacobie Adriaanse at tighthead.
Two new locks will start with Andries Ferreira and Marvin Orie replacing Lourens Erasmus and captain Franco Mostert who has again moved to flank where he has replaced Schoeman.
Schoeman is on loan for the competition from the Pumas but De Bruin said he had made a valuable
impact.
“Marnus is definitely someone we are interested in. He is a team man, he made a lot of tackles, he is very good from the bench but also to start,” he said.
“But if you play him and Kwagga (Smith) together you lose a bit of height in the lineouts, so sometimes it’s easier to bring him or Kwagga from the bench to lift the intensity, but he has fitted in well with us.”