Etzebeth not ready just yet
LIONS: ROHAN AND APHIWE PAIR UP IN THE MIDFIELD
Stormers coach Robbie Fleck pretty much poured cold water over the possibility of Eben Etzebeth (below) returning for the Springboks in next month’s series against England.
The influential 26-year-old lock and leader has not played competitive rugby since last year’s European tour after sustaining knee and arm injuries against Wales in Cardiff.
Etzebeth has returned to training, raising expectations that he could be available for the Stormers from next week, but isn’t anywhere near being selected.
“Eben hasn’t even been passed fit medically yet,” Fleck said yesterday ahead of the Stormers’ meeting with the Sunwolves in Hong Kong tomorrow morning.
“He’s definitely been training but I’d say he’s only about 85% ready to return.”
Instead, the target is for Etzebeth to play for Western Province in the SuperSport Rugby Challenge during the first week of June, which coincides with the Boks’ Test against Wales in the US.
But it would be extremely risky to rush him back into international action after that.
“To be honest, we’ll only consider him after the international break,” said Fleck.
“Whether he’s involved with the national side before that is not my decision. That’s up to Rassie Erasmus but we’ve been in contact with the Boks. Eben’s desperate to play again, naturally, but we want to make the best decision for the player.
“If Eben is passed fit medically, then it’s really just about helping him gain some match fitness.”
Etzebeth’s probable absence adds to a growing Springbok casualty list, which includes hooker Malcolm Marx and Etzebeth’s lock partner Lood de Jager.
Incumbent Springbok skipper Warren Whiteley is also in a race against time to overcome a knee injury.
Also see Page 39
The Lions will introduce a potentially explosive midfield combination when they face the Brumbies in their next Super Rugby clash at Ellis Park tomorrow afternoon.
Putting their below-par Australasian tour behind them, Lions coach Swys de Bruin said both starting centres who played against the Highlanders last week, Lionel Mapoe and Harold Vorster, had been ruled out by injury.
“We are resting Lionel as he has a bit of a groin that we nursed on tour, while Harold is a bit flu-ish and is not feeling too well,” said De Bruin yesterday in naming seven changes to the side that lost their tour finale in Dunedin.
“That gives us the opportunity to play (leftwing) Aphiwe (Dyantyi) at No 13 and the guys who know him would know he loves 13, next to Rohan (Janse van Rensburg).
“The plan is to ensure he gets enough ball,” he added.
With Dyantyi moved to the midfield and Ruan Combrinck rotated to the bench, two new wings in Madosh Tambwe and Sylvian Mahuza will face the Brumbies.
“We worked a bit on Madosh’s confidence and we’re bringing him back at the right time I feel. It was a long tour and he did so well at stages,” he said.
De Bruin also lauded flyhalf Elton Jantjies, who will run on for his 100th Super Rugby for the Lions.
“When I was still at the Sharks I wanted to coach him and now I have worked with him for six years,” he said.
“Elton is a very coachable guy and not many flyhalves would have been able to get up from the knocks he had been taking, but he is a senior guy now and vital to our team.”
Jantjies said that, while acknowledging the milestone, he can hopefully make a good impact and inspire the guys around him.
“The highlight was running on for my debut in 2011. It wasn’t the best debut though. It was against the Bulls at Ellis Park and we lost that game,” he recalled.
“I think I missed three or four kicks that day, so it wasn’t special, but it was a big achievement for me personally. Something I wanted to do as a young player.”
Andries Coetzee, Sylvian Mahuza, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Madosh Tambwe, Elton Jantjies, Nic Groom, Hacjivah Dayimani, Franco Mostert (capt), Kwagga Smith, Marvin Orie, Lourens Erasmus, Ruan Dreyer, Robbie Coetzee, Dylan Smith.
Corne Fourie, Jacques van Rooyen, Johannes Jonker, Len Massyn, Marnus Schoeman, Ross Cronje, Shaun Reynolds, Ruan Combrinck.
Bench: