Cash applauds his ‘vintage’ stars

“Vintage” forwards Jannie du Plessis, Willem Alberts and Jaco Kriel, vindicated the Lions’ faith in them by delivering massive performances at the weekend, said delighted Lions coach Cash van Rooyen.

The Lions scored five tries to two as they steamrolled the Cheetahs 39-23 in their Currie Cup clash in Bloemfontein on Saturday and veteran stars Du Plessis and Alberts were among the try-scorers.

“They were like good red wine; Jaco played well, Willem was very good and so was Jannie,” said Van Rooyen after the match.

“I think we had a good week and the message was clear, they understood the way we wanted to play and were excited about it,” he added.

It was the Lions’ third straight win in the competition and they have moved up to fourth place on the points table.

“We have another big game at home this weekend against the Sharks, who showed their quality against the Bulls,” said Van Rooyen.

“After that we play away against the Bulls and the Pumas, so the Currie Cup has come alive.”

Van Rooyen said every player deserved credit for the commanding performance but he made special mention of the “older guys” in the squad.

“It was nice to sit upstairs and see the guys express themselves a bit,” he said. “I think it started up front for us; they really did well and laid a good platform. And, to see tight forwards like Jannie scoring a try was very pleasing.

“I think it also showed in the way that guys like Jaco, Willem and Jannie can still play at this stage (of their careers).”

Van Rooyen said the performance was a step up from the week before, when the Lions knocked over the highly-rated Western Province.

“I am really proud of the guys and the effort they have put in. They really stuck their hands up and put their bodies on the line,” added Van Rooyen.