Small punts Janse van Rensburg for Lions
FORMER Springbok wing James Small believes Rohan Janse van Rensburg should get a starting berth for the Lions when they clash with the Sharks in their Super Rugby eliminator at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Having recovered from a lengthy knee injury sustained in April‚ Janse van Rensburg returned to Super Rugby action from the bench last weekend.
Harold Vorster has worn the No 12 jersey with some distinction in his absence.
It has left the Lions’ coaches with a slight selection conundrum ahead of their team announcement today.
Small‚ who represented the Lions and the Sharks in the 1990s‚ said Janse van Rensburg should get the nod.
“If he’s fit‚ you can’t not have [him],” Small said of the inside centre who belatedly charged his way into the Bok team last year.
“The Lions have so many players who have put their hand up.”
Small holds the popular view that the Lions will have too much firepower for the Sharks.
“They have a back three in [Andries] Coetzee‚ [Ruan] Combrinck and [Courtnall] Skosan, who are Springboks and are playing with confidence.
“It’s all about the finishers and the Lions have better finishers.
“They have so many of these guys who have the X-factor.
“I’m a big fan of the Sharks‚ but I don’t know if the Sharks have enough to beat the Lions.
“The Sharks simply don’t have enough on the front foot.
“Their processes and systems‚ particularly on defence, are strong‚ but I’m not sure if they have the individuals‚” Small said.
He has a point when you juxtapose the Lions’ try-scoring with the Sharks’ limitations in attack.
They have scored 38 tries, the Lions 81. – TimesLIVE