Super Rugby Unlocked: Lions’ Jantjies must now own ‘Bok first-choice’ tag

Elton Jantjies will get another golden opportunity to stake his claim for the Springbok No 10 jersey in the absence of injured Handre Pollard when the Lions face the Sharks in the opening Super Rugby Unlocked clash at Kings Park on Friday evening (Kick-off at 7pm).

But the man who can be dubbed “Mr Cool” faces an appetising head-to-head encounter with another strong contender for the Bok flyhalf position, Sharks “Golden Boy” Curwin Bosch.

The Lions captain and flyhalf general must now take ownership of tag of being this country’s first-choice No 10 and underline his pedigree.

The two sides both ended on the wrong end of the scoresheet in the Super Fan Saturday matches a little more than 10 days ago but Jantjies certainly appeared to be the standout figure during last weekend’s Springbok Showdown at Newlands.

What did count more in Jantjies’ favour though, was that he played behind a Green pack that dominated while opposing flyhalves Damian Willemse and Bosch looked shaky behind a losing Gold pack.

Bosch, coming back from a shoulder injury, didn’t fire in Cape Town, but back in more familiar surroundings, could be back to his own self.

By contrast, Jantjies could face a more stern challenge in the expected wet conditions where the Lions pack may not dominate.

“It is obviously a different scenario having a combined Super Rugby and Currie Cup in one,” said Jantjies this week ahead of the start of the new local competition.

“It is something we have adapted to and it will be both challenging and exciting.”

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The growth of the Lions as a competitive unit will be tested after going down 34-21 to the Stormers during the Super Fan Saturday encounter just short of  two weeks ago.

“We have committed ourselves as a group during lockdown and we got a glimpse on where we are during Super Fan Saturday.

“We have good leaders back like Jaco Kriel and Ruan Dreyer as well as former Bulls skipper Burger Odendaal. When Jannie du Plessis and Willem Alberts speak, players listen and absorb what is said.”

Despite being the captain, Jantjies said every player was a leader in his own position and had detected great excitement and energy at training.

“We are trying our best and are being hard on one another. Let’s hope it counts on the field of play,” he added.

Jantjies stressed the importance of the team now having 70 or more minutes behind them, but anticipated a very different kind of challenge in Durban.

“It might be humid and it might be raining, but we must gear up for anything that confronts us.”

Jantjies’ head-to-head with Bosch could go a long way in determining who comes out on top in this first fixture of the Super Rugby Unlocked competition. And whether he likes it or not, as this country’s first-choice flyhalf, the Lions captain’s performance will be closely watched and scrutinised.

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