Jantjies off to France to build up his ‘Pau-wer’
THE aim of the game is to ensure that when the British and Irish Lions do roll in to South Africa later this year, Elton Jantjies will be his best self for the Springboks.
Yesterday, the Lions Rugby Company announced that the team's skipper and stalwart flyhalf will be heading off to France to play for Top 14 club Pau as a “medical joker”.
The transfer is not a permanent one but rather to afford Jantjies an opportunity to reach peak match fitness for when the touring Lions do eventually invade these shores for a three-match Test series against the Springboks, still scheduled to start in mid-July.
As explained by Jantjies in an interview with Independent Media yesterday, the deal starts with immediate effect, and was taken after consultation with all the various stakeholders involved.
Said Jantjies: "It was a collective decision in terms of myself, (SA Rugby director of rugby) Rassie Erasmus, (Lions chief executive) Rudolf Straueli and (Lions coach) Cash (van Rooyen).
"It was made in terms of just looking at me as an individual and how we can get myself into the best possible condition and the best I can be before the Lions tour.
“I've got this opportunity to go and play in the Top 14 – it is a different competition, a different experience, and there are obviously quality teams that I am going to play against.
“It is part of our preparations for the Springboks."
With the availability of Rugby World Cup winner Handre Pollard still in question for the upcoming tour, Jantjies might quite well find himself on the front-line in the coming months when the world's most famous touring team finally start their 2021 odyssey.
As such, and as part of the deal struck between SA Rugby and Pau, Jantjies will be afforded game-time at the club as early as next week if all goes to plan.
In spite of his overseas jaunt, the 30-year-old pivot will still be eligible to play for the Joburg franchise, as confirmed by both player and union.
It was not immediately clear how Jantjies would be managed in such an instance, except that it could possibly be done on a match-by-match basis, with the interests of Springbok rugby the paramount consideration.
It is possible that Jantjies will not be available for the Rainbow Cup, which is still being planned by SA Rugby for an April 23 start, despite reports from the UK that it had been cancelled.
The local Lions will supposedly start that campaign against the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on the Saturday of that weekend, and in the absence of Jantjies will have to rely on former Cheetahs man Fred Zeilinga, Tiaan Swanepoel and a handful of versatile backs, such as Ross Cronje and Morne van den Berg, to hold station in the flyhalf position.
Jantjies is a veteran of 37 Tests, starting 24 of those, and has scored 281 points for the Boks. He made his international debut against Australia in 2012.
Section Paloise – better known as Pau – are currently 13th in the elite French league. They play
Stade Francais next weekend, followed by bottom of the table Agen.