Captaincy curse strikes again
PROUDFOOT: WALLABIES WILL HAVE A POINT TO PROVE
Rudolph Jacobs
The Golden Lions could field a third Currie Cup captain in as many games when they host the Free State Cheetahs at Ellis Park on Saturday.
Scrumhalf Ross Cronje captained the side in their first game against Griquas, but has since been called up for Springbok duty.
Lock Marvin Orie, released from the Bok squad for their Australasian trip, captained the side last weekend in their 38-35 win over the Blue Bulls at Loftus but left the field with a leg injury in the second half.
With Orie in doubt the next in line is centre Lionel Mapoe (below), who took over as skipper at Loftus and another Bok that was released after the trip to Argentina. Mapoe confessed that a stern message was delivered at halftime when they were trailing 28-21 in Pretoria.
“Going into halftime we knew we had a job to do and I know we have a lot of young players, but they really showed some character. It was very special,” he said after their back-to-back wins of the campaign.
“Every game is a tough game. We can’t really say any game is easier but we do enjoy playing at home and we call Loftus our second home ground, so it was good to get a win there.”
Two big moments saved the day for the Lions as first prop Sti Sithole won a penalty from a defending scrum late in the game and then star No 8 Hacjivah Dayimani won a crucial turnover inside the red zone.
“If it wasn’t for my team-mates, I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did, it was a team effort and I just did the easy part,” said Dayimani, who scooped his second straight man of the Match-of-theMatch award and scored a brace for the second week running.
“When the second half came around we said listen guys we must dig deep, make wide calls and don’t give away penalties and just fight.”
Newly-included Kolbe can create ‘something from nothing’.
The Springboks will have to revisit what worked for them in Durban before this weekend’s Rugby Championship clash against Australia in Brisbane, according to forward coach Matt Proudfoot.
After a flushing out session the Boks resumed their preparations with some technical sessions at their Brisbane hotel, before heading to the Churchie Grammar School for a field session late yesterday afternoon.
“We felt we played really well in Durban and let ourselves down in Argentina with our execution,” said Proudfoot.
“So we are looking for the same consistency and to play with the same level of physicality like in Durban.”
While the Boks and Argentina both recorded one win from their opening two matches, the Wallabies are still looking to get onto the board after suffering consecutive defeats at the hands of the All Blacks.
With the Boks exposed at the breakdowns in Mendoza there will be more urgency required by the likes of flank Francois Louw, No 8 Warren Whiteley and hooker Malcolm Marx, although Proudfoot believed the entire team will have to be on higher alert.
“Our execution, whether at breakdown or from set piece, needs to improve across the board.
“The Wallabies will be determined to bounce back and will no doubt be in our faces, so we need to prepare with the same intensity that we can expect from them on Saturday.”
New addition, utility back Cheslin Kolbe, joined the Boks from France and could be an option either at fullback or right wing, or otherwise act as backup.
“We are excited to have Cheslin in the side; I think he deserves his chance in the group because I think he has really performed well (in France for Toulouse),” said Proudfoot.
“I obviously know him well from my coaching days at the Stormers, and he is the type of player who can really create something out of nothing.”
Proudfoot believed this weekend will be about two teams looking to bounce back.
“I think this game is going to be crucial for both sides, to see how each one responds. It will be a tight game played on the advantage line by both sides who will be looking to get on the front foot.”
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