How drastically things have changed for the Lions’ big star of the 2014 season. Flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff hardly put a foot wrong a year ago; now he can’t even make the Lions’ Vodacom Cup side.
Boshoff was the Super Rugby team’s first choice No10 at the start of the season but after two poor performances he lost his place to Elton Jantjies and the latter made the most of his chance.
He’s become one of the stars of Johan Ackermann’s team over the course of the campaign and only missed starting when the coach felt he needed a rest. Boshoff, meanwhile, has had to be happy with less than a handful of starts, some at fullback, but most from off the bench.
A year ago Jantjies’ future was a little in the air, as some like to say, while Boshoff was the toast of the town and on the verge of earning a Springbok cap.
Now it’s Jantjies being spoken about as the possible third choice flyhalf for September’s World Cup in England. Boshoff can’t even crack the bench for this the Vodacom Cup semi-final against the Pumas.
Lions boss Johan Ackermann has preferred rookie Jaco van der Walt to Boshoff for the bench role for the Super Rugby match against the Cheetahs, while Russel Winter, the Vodacom Cup coach, has backed Ashlon Davids to wear the No10.
Ackermann though says Boshoff’s time will come again.
“He’s still important for us and has a big role to play. We still believe in his potential but at this stage Jaco van der Walt is more comfortable at 15. Bossie, though, has told us he’s also happy there and we’ll look at that going forward,” said Ackermann about Boshoff’s position.
“Bossie is a match-winner and we haven’t chucked him away, but Elton is in good form and it’s important to give Jaco the exposure ... we’re going to need him in the Currie Cup when Elton’s not here.”
Jantjies will head back to Japan and his Shining Arcs club following the Super Rugby competition. There will then be an opportunity for Boshoff to get back into form and regain the confidence he had last year.
“Bossie will get plenty of time to be important for the team in the Currie Cup,” said Ackermann.
“Right now it’s a gut feeling ... Picking one player and not the other, and all I can hope for is that it works”. - The Star