Test of character awaits the Lions

SKIPPER RULED OUT FOR UP TO FOUR WEEKS Jantjies first in line to take over the leadership role.

Injured Lions captain Warren Whiteley could miss about four games in the Super Rugby competition. It was confirmed yesterday that Whiteley had picked up a Grade 2 PCL knee injury in last weekend’s 38-35 defeat against the Blues at Ellis Park.

A statement released by the Lions said: “Whiteley will be out for up to four weeks.”

That means Whiteley, who has 83 Super Rugby caps, will miss this weekend’s home game against the Sunwolves, the tough away trip against the Jaguares as well as possibly the clash against the Crusaders at Ellis Park on Sunday, April 1.

Even the home match against the Stormers on April 7 might be touch-and-go, but at least the Lions have a bye on April 14 and Whiteley should be ready for the Waratahs in Sydney on April 20.

Flyhalf Elton Jantjies, who took over the captain’s armband last weekend, could again be asked to take over while other candidates are flank Kwagga Smith, prop Jacques van Rooyen and scrumhalf Ross Cronje.

It was cruel blow to Whiteley, who left the field in the 20th minute. But he had been hobbling from the 16th minute after Blues No 8 Akira Ioane fell awkwardly on to Whiteley’s left knee.

Whiteley said from the bench he could see what went wrong for the Lions.

“I thought we got a bit loose, we started giving too much possession away. We weren’t clinical enough and I thought we weren’t direct enough and we didn’t stick to our strengths,” he said.

“I thought if we kept it a bit tighter we would have got a lot more reward and we started throwing the ball around, although they did put us under pressure.”

Whiteley said the Blues used linespeed against them, but he just felt they were throwing balls away.

“And we all know how good they are with turnover possession, how clinical they are and they feed off that and that’s what they did,” he said.