Buys boost for Lions
14 Feb 2010
Tighthead Kevin Buys is set to return from injury for the Lions’ encounter with the Chiefs on Friday.
Buys, the Lions’ find of last year’s Currie Cup, missed their 26-13 defeat to the Stormers, with Ross Geldenhuys starting in the No 3 jersey. However, Lions management confirmed to keo.co.za that Buys’ omission from their tournament opener due to a lower back injury was merely precautionary and he’ll be fit to face last year’s losing finalists.
The Kiwi’s scrum was solid against the Sharks and marched them back at times, but Buys’ return would be timely for the Lions’ set-piece. However, his greatest advantage is in the loose. In a Lions side lacking quality ball-carriers due to the departure of Willem Alberts, Buys’ prowess will be vital in bossing the collisions against a typically physical New Zealand outfit.
The team’s medical report from the Stormers match was also positive, with no serious injuries apart from the usual bumps and bruises and cramp that numerous players suffered from in the summer heat.
Coach Dick Muir, understandably unimpressed with their woeful first half showing, made four substitutions at the break. These were all tactical, including high-profile signing Carlos Spencer and his halfback partner JP Joubert.
By Grant Ball
25 Comments
14 Feb 2010, 18:51 pm
am I the first Lion here?
14 Feb 2010, 18:51 pm
Dragons!
14 Feb 2010, 18:51 pm
yessssss
14 Feb 2010, 18:52 pm
Also ran dragons….
14 Feb 2010, 18:55 pm
Go Lions! I saw some promising stuff yesterday, but the Chiefs got their tails up, so expect a hard battle this weekend.
14 Feb 2010, 18:56 pm
Chiefs gonna be tails-up come Friday after their win at Shark tank…Lions have to up their game or it’ll be two home losses…
14 Feb 2010, 18:56 pm
@Jacques Snyman Website Design:
14 Feb 2010, 18:57 pm
Heard it from Garth Wright…
14 Feb 2010, 18:59 pm
heheheheh, ching
14 Feb 2010, 19:10 pm
Buys??
Easy fiver for Chiefs whether he plays or not.
Bath (Watson, James and Claasen) is killing the London Irish at the moment.
14 Feb 2010, 20:34 pm
At this rate the Lions will only be looking forward to the Cheetahs game
15 Feb 2010, 05:28 am
Buys is a beast, but they will still struggle.
15 Feb 2010, 07:05 am
I will never understand why the Lions offered Carlos Spencer a contract. He is a waste of money and is also bad for South African rugby development.
Burton Francis left the Bulls to get game time, only for the Lions to buy Spencer. Francis performed far better on Saturday than Carlos did and should always start ahead of him.
Huge waste of money. What is he going to teach the youngsters? How to waste good possesion by kicking it away and crabbing across the field?
15 Feb 2010, 07:46 am
@WOLFMAN21:
Yeah Spot on, He has been terrible in the GP over the last two years. He just creates confusion but I think he may help more as a backline coach.
15 Feb 2010, 08:33 am
@WOLFMAN21:
Calm down , clearly from the 2nd half sub Muir made it clear Carlos will be also a backline coach and nt only the prime pivot
he’s one person who’ll add tremendous value to rose and burton, mind u when Rose was at pivot the lions backline looked the sharpest.
from what we saw carlos will definitely not be starting every game and he can impart the x factor onto rose francis. imagine what they’ll be like next year
15 Feb 2010, 08:37 am
@Papoose: I am pretty calm thanks!
Perhaps he can bring something as a coach, but for me it seems like short term foolishness. It will be interesting to see how many games he plays this year, but after Saturday’s game, I hope it is suggested to Spencer that his future lies in being a coach, and they limit his game time.
I doubt his input will be worth the apparent millions being paid to him.
15 Feb 2010, 10:03 am
@WOLFMAN21:
Yer don’t think Spencer could believe his luck when the Lions came knocking, his only option really was to retire back to NZ. The Lions will do nothing this year and finish in the bottom 3 again.
15 Feb 2010, 10:06 am
Lions were rubbish in the first half on Sat
And Stormers were rubbish in sec half but Lions have little quality so could take advantage.
Lions will be best served starting Jacques Coetzee and Earl Rose at 9/10 respectively.
Coetzee is a livewire and adds impetus to attack,Rose looks comfortable at 10,passing far more accurate and utilises space well.
ex:
9.Coetzee
10.Rose
11.Chavanga
12.Spencer
13.Hollenbach
14.Mjekevu/Delport
15.Francis
15 Feb 2010, 10:11 am
@mshiniwami: Rubbish or completely outplayed and not allowed to perform well?
15 Feb 2010, 10:13 am
@mshiniwami: Can Francis play 15?
He looks an accomplished 10
15 Feb 2010, 10:22 am
@WP_:
No bud,the Lions were rubbish.They couldnt maintain possession,their lineout was flaky,set pieces inconsistent,midfield defence was straight out of “dont do this manual”,Spencer kicked away all possession they did have and gave away a **** load of penalties-IN THE VERY SAME MANNER over and over.Obviously didnt watch Fridays game to see the law interpretations because Mokuena and Grobelaar were atrocious in first stanza.In sec half things got better for them and had better ball control and made their tackles in midfield.Stormers didnt score a single point in sec half.coincidence??
Francis played most of his junior rugby at 15 for Bulls.they can try him there at least.But he is predominatly at 10.
15 Feb 2010, 10:23 am
Coetzee did look impressive on Saturday. But the problem with the Lions is very simple – You cannot run everyball, even the ones in their 22 was sent down the line. That will not win you matches as 1 turnover and it is 7 points against you.
15 Feb 2010, 10:24 am
I must admid that I only saw from minute 35 onwards so didn’t see oupa Spencer kick everything.
15 Feb 2010, 10:52 am
@mshiniwami: Earl Rose players a running game. When he gets tackled, Francis can slot into first receiver. Earl might be better in a second receiver position where there is more space.
15 Feb 2010, 12:12 pm
20. WP_ :
Francis can even play prop, since the Lions seem so comfortable with finishing in the bottom three
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