Cronje expects Lions to come out firing

Rudolph Jacobs

As one of the older heads left in the Lions team, scrumhalf Ross Cronje believes they can get their Super Rugby season back on track this afternoon when they face the Jaguares at Ellis Park.

Cronje made his return from the bench against the Bulls last week after recovering from a longterm shoulder injury, though his comeback game was not a match the Lions will want to recall after they were handed a 30-12 hammering.

“It was nice getting back on the field, but it’s never nice losing, so we are hoping to turn it around this weekend and get the season back on track,” Cronje said.

“Hopefully that was the one poor display for the season and we can put it behind us and get our game plan going again.”

Cronje felt there had been a revival in Australia, while the Kiwi teams remained superb and the Sunwolves shocked the Chiefs last week, leaving the title chase wide open in the early stages of the competition.

“If you look at Super Rugby this year, you don’t know which team is going to win,” he said.

“I think a few guys’ SuperBru (online predictor game) is really struggling.”

There was nothing sinister, Cronje believed, in some of the older guard being rested this weekend.

“I think it’s more a case of the coaches backing the young guys and not really a wake-up call,” he said.

“But it’s a case of shape up or ship out, and a couple of the youngsters have been coming through the system.”

Cronje was excited about young players in the squad like centre Wandisile Simelane, flank Vincent Tshituka and versatile back Tyrone Green.

“The younger guys are pushing the older guys, and a guy like Vince is a big, strong ball-carrier.

“My advice to the young guys would be to be expressive and not hold back, and treat it as just another game.

“He (Tshituka) has run at me a few times and believe me, he is a strong ball-carrier. It’s not easy at all to tackle him, so if we use him correctly, he can be a decoy or a great ball-carrier.”