SA latest – Late blow for Stormers
14 Apr 2011
Keo.co.za brings you news from South Africa’s Super Rugby franchises.
Late blow for Stormers – Peter Grant has been withdrawn from Saturday’s match due to a knee injury.
Grant has not recovered from a knock he sustained in training this week and will not be risked against the Lions. Gary van Aswegen will take his place at flyhalf, while Lionel Cronje has been promoted to the bench.
Lions bank on Burton – Burton Francis will start at flyhalf for the Lions against the Stormers.
Lions coach John Mitchell has decided to back Francis at flyhalf, as Andre Pretorius is injured and Elton Jantjies is battling for form. Michael Killian is the other change to the backline, while five more changes are made to the forwards.
Patric Cilliers makes way for Jacobie Adriaanse at tighthead prop while Wikus van Heerden returns from injury to partner David de Villiers in the second row. Michael Rhodes and Cobus Grobbelaar are the new flank pairing.
Lions – 15 Michael Killian, 14 Lionel Mapoe, 13 Waylon Murray, 12 Doppies La Grange (c), 11 Deon van Rensburg, 10 Burton Francis, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Warren Whitely, 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar, 5 David de Villiers, 4 Wikus van Heerden, 3 Jacobie Adriaanse, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg. Subs: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Patric Cilliers, 18 Franco van der Merwe, 19 Dries van Schalkwyk, 20 Rory Kockott, 21 Elton Jantjies, 22 Jaco Taute
Overseas clubs chasing Sarel – Sarel Pretorius is likely to accept one of many overseas offers if he doesn’t make the Springbok side this year.
Pretorius’s agent told Beeld that a number of top New Zealand, French and Australian teams are interested in signing the scrumhalf. His contract expires at the end of the current Super Rugby competition, so if it’s clear that the path to the Springboks is blocked, he may take up one of those offers.
With Fourie du Preez, Francois Hougaard and Ruan Pienaar in the Bok mix, and Ricky Januarie a Peter de Villiers favourite, it is unlikely that Pretorius will feature for the Boks in 2011.
58 Comments
Pages: « 1 [2] Show All
14 Apr 2011, 20:42 pm
Gary needs to step up and perform this Saturday
I have a feeling that he will.
Stormers pack should give him some good forward momentum.
Lions no walk in the park, but I;m backing my team.
If they cannot beat the Lions, even at Ellis Park, they aren’t going to progress very far in the knock out stages…
14 Apr 2011, 21:13 pm
@Pick the team in August not March(stormersboy)-51: Stormers will beat Lions on Saturday. By now much don’t know, but it should be plenty. The Lions are ravaged with injuries after the Sharks game, there are 5 out injured. Stormers will be too good for these Lions mate.
Gary is a good replacement while Grant is out.
14 Apr 2011, 21:19 pm
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-50: I am now thinking Mitchell was right, that Jantjies should not have been with the Boks eoyt. He lost some confidence there. But probably was not ready for the big stage yet. Mitch was right. Then we have to remember he lost all that conditioning work with the Lions being away. Think had he stayed home, Jantjies confidence for the S15 might have been a whole lot better. Well it might have been just not sure. He was really good in the CC last year.
Now getting dropped will dent his confidence even further. I blame it on the Bok coaches for taking on the eoyt. He was not ready. Some have that bmt as we spoke about the other day and some just don’t, some have to grow into it.
Feel for Jantjies actually. He now is down the pecking order in the fh position in this country. Lambie is way, way ahead at this stage. Of most that is. Hope his finger stands up after that op. It should. They took the pin out today. Looking forward to seeing him next week. Also read that Deysel could be back next week. But Plum will see how he goes with the VC side this weekend to determine that.
14 Apr 2011, 22:10 pm
elton, mcloed, lambie went on the eoyt to observe how things are done in the bok camp and get familiar with the ‘structures’, granted mitch wanted jantjies home for conditioning, but mitch’s DoR muir said it will be beneficial for the boy to be introduced to the bok set up now rather than later.
Eltonis going to have to guts it out, nobody is guaranteed a cruise in rugby! You either cut the mustard or ship out and be the butt of jokes like earl rose!
U20 irb players of the year 2009 & 2010 respectively, aaron cruden, julian savea are not having such a lekker time at the canes. Cruden came with BIG hype in NZ last year and by all accounts he had a forgettable first season of super rugby!
You also look at a guy like kade poki – devastating for the baby blacks in 2008 and under robbie dean’s wing but had to endure being out of the match 22 most of the time & eventually going to the highlanders to get decent game time & now he is showing some spark!
Buck up elton!
15 Apr 2011, 02:21 am
Sarel should play his cards carefully and hang tight until post RWC when the new Bok coach is announced. A new man with some fresh ideas and he could well find himself in the Bok squad.
15 Apr 2011, 07:15 am
So another Stormers player gets a 2 week break. This will be good for the business end of the season. JDV, Elstadt, Habana, Grant all getting a 2 week break…..this is good because they are all key players.
15 Apr 2011, 07:16 am
@Yetirat(Yetirat)-55: Agree 100%. Same goes for a guy like Francois Louw who wants to go to Bath.
15 Apr 2011, 08:41 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-37: Come on mashini, how can you say that, Sarel is a brilliant wing too!! Lol
Pages: « 1 [2] Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.