Lions to aid the Bok’s Coetzee

THE LIONS may have won over fans with their style of play last year and they may have gone all the way to the final but they’re going to have to work a little harder this season to help national coach Allister Coetzee reach his target of having a 40 percent black representation in the Springbok team in 2017.

Coetzee’s contract requires him to pick a matchday squad with 40 percent black players in it this year, as opposed to the 35 percent last year, so to achieve his goals, he’s going to need all six Super Rugby franchises to buy into the bigger picture.

The Lions, while criticised in the past for not doing enough to speed up the rate of transformation, have vowed to do their bit to assist the national cause, with coach Johan Ackermann saying he is hopeful of giving all his young black players a fair opportunity in the coming months.

“The players who we’ve got in our squad have all shown they belong here at this level and the juniors are all candidates to be picked for the SA Under-20 team. There’s great talent in our squad ... just look at Hacjivah Dayimani and Madosh Tambwe.”

Both juniors – a looseforward and wing respectively – made the final 40-man squad from which Ackermann will pick his weekly teams for Super Rugby.

Also in the squad are regulars Lionel Mapoe, Howard Mnisi, Elton Jantjies, Courtnall Skosan, Anthony Volmink, Sylvian Mahuza and Fabian Booysen, and newcomers Marvin Orie and Sti Sithole, along with the U20 stars.

“Hacjivah and Madosh were exceptional for the Lions U19 team and hopefully they will get their opportunity during the season,” said Ackermann.

“But we must also be fair with them, like we are with all the youngsters coming through. They’ve got to be able to handle the pressure and make the right decisions. Also, if we give them a chance, we’ve got to give them a fair chance ... not just a one-off game.

“The fact is, I’m really excited about the talent here.”

Two other black players who may get a look-in as the season progresses are Selom Gavor and Victor Sekekete, both of whom played in the Currie Cup last year. It is anticipated that Ackermann will pick weekly matchday squads full of skill and pace.

Tambwe, a strong and powerful winger, is likely to join Skosan on the wing, Mapoe is set to team up with Rohan Janse van Rensburg in the centres and the dynamic Jantjies will reprise his partnership with Faf de Klerk at nine and 10.

Orie will almost surely get a look-in in the second row, possibly alongside Franco Mostert, while on the bench the Lions could pack a real punch with the likes of Akker van der Merwe, Sti Sithole, Dayimani and Mahuza waiting for their turn to make an impact.