Battle of the boot could be deciding factor in Sharks game
GET ready for the battle of the booming boot when in-form Southern Kings pivot Lionel Cronje and Sharks star Patrick Lambie slug it out at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.
The winner of this high-stakes duel could decide the outcome as the resurgent Kings bid to prove they belong in Super Rugby next year.
Both No 10s have had injury problems, but Cronje and Lambie are set to take centre stage in Port Elizabeth. Cronje sustained concussion in the second half of the Kings’ last game against the Rebels, but he is expected to be included in the Kings starting lineup.
He underwent the compulsory return-to-play protocol last week when the Kings had a bye weekend, which gave him extra time to recover. “I just got a bit of a hard knock and bit of concussion, but it is all good. It is not something long-term,” Cronje said.
The Kings will enter the game with their confidence sky-high after impressive wins in their previous matches against the Waratahs and the Melbourne Rebels.
Ahead of coming on off the bench during his team’s clash against the Force on Saturday, Lambie had not played for the Sharks since taking a knock against the Waratahs in round three of the competition.
Lambie came on to replace teen star Curwin Bosch, who is linking up with the SA U20 squad. The Baby Boks are preparing for the U20 World Championship in Georgia from May 31 to June 18.
“Curwin was called up for a training camp after our game against the Force,” Sharks coach Robert du Preez said. “We are very pleased to have Pat back. We were a little bit concerned that he wouldn’t come back in time with Curwin’s departure.”
Kings coach Deon Davids has a few selection headaches facing him ahead of Saturday’s clash.
The team were dealt a blow with a season-ending injury to prop Justin Forwood. The 23-year-old loosehead prop, who has been a key member of the Kings team, had his season cut short when he sustained a knee injury against the Rebels.
Team doctor Konrad von Hagen said Forwood would be out of action for up to nine months following the injury, which will require surgery.
Kings hooker Michael Willemse is also set to miss his side’s next three matches following an emergency operation last week.
The 24-year-old was rushed to hospital in George last week for an emergency operation to have his appendix removed.
Von Hagen said the operation was successful and that he would be out of action for up to six weeks.
The Kings will welcome back looseforward Ruaan Lerm this week, who was withdrawn from the team to play the Rebels because of an ankle sprain.
“Ruaan Lerm felt some discomfort and was rested. He will be back and fit for the Sharks match,” Von Hagen said.
The team doctor also confirmed that CJ Velleman, who is making a return from a long-term knee injury, will be reassessed this week before being made available to play.
The looseforward will now join the rest of the Kings squad for full contact training
Malcolm Jaer, who sustained a knee strain on the Kings’ tour of Australia, is responding well to treatment and is expected to make a full recovery in two weeks.