It’s Elton v Curwin in battle of the No 10s

REMEMBER when Elton Jantjies burst onto the scene… he was only 19 and steering the Lions backline. Fast forward a few years to today and there is another 19-year-old who is the talk of the town… his name is Curwin Bosch and he plays for the Sharks.

Jantjies, now 26, is still the man in the Lions hot seat, and he’s still up there with the best No 10s around, but there are now growing calls for Bosch to be the next man to don the Springbok flyhalf jersey, and not Jantjies, the man who wore it on a number of occasions last year.

It is not surprising Bosch, who was a star in the junior ranks, is being talked about as the next big thing, considering the influential role he has played in helping the Sharks to register four wins in five outings so far in Super Rugby this year. Whether at flyhalf or at fullback, Bosch has shone this season, but he faces a huge challenge this weekend.

Jantjies has not quite hit top form yet in 2017, but he’s been steady enough and may just blossom this weekend in what is the Lions’ biggest game to date this year. He loves playing at Ellis Park and has often produced his best in the local derbies.

This is a big one for Bosch… he’s up against a team that hasn’t lost at home in eight previous Super Rugby matches, that loves playing in front of their own fans... and he’ll face plenty of pressure from the Lions’ loose-forwards and their back division. The question is how will the rookie No 10 cope on the big stage?

It’s a showdown South Africa has been waiting for… the wily, now mature, at ease Jantjies up against the free-spirited, free-running Bosch. Let the battle commence.