Ackermann’s selection headache

Lions boss Johan Ackermann. Photo: Gavin Barker

Lions boss Johan Ackermann. Photo: Gavin Barker

Published Nov 25, 2015

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Currie Cup winning coach Johan Ackermann will have some tough selection decisions to make when the Lions kick off their Super Rugby challenge next year.

A host of stars from last year’s campaign, but who missed the Currie Cup competition for various reasons, will be back in Joburg to prepare for the expanded Super Rugby competition.

Lionel Mapoe, Elton Jantjies, Warwick Tecklenburg and Andries Ferreira will return from Japan having completed short-term deals, while hooker Akker van der Merwe will be back from France. Also, the likes of Ruan Combrinck, Harold Vorster and Derick Minnie, who missed some or all of the Currie Cup because of injury, will also be available to Ackermann.

Furthermore, scrumhalf Faf de Klerk and prop Corne Fourie, who played such a big role in the Lions’ impressive Super Rugby run earlier this year, but turned out for the Pumas in the Currie Cup, will be back. There are also several new faces in the 50-plus strong group picked by Ackerman to prepare for the competition which now also includes the Southern Kings, Sunwolves of Japan and at this stage, the Los Jaguars of Argentina.

Among the more familiar names are JW Bell, Dillon Smit, Cyle Brink and Victor Sekekete, but there are also several other youngsters, mainly from the Under-21 ranks, who’ll be hoping to make an impression on Ackermann in an attempt to crack the final squad.

What is certain though is Ackermann will have a tough task whittling down the training group to just a squad of 30. With some of the more recognised players missing the Currie Cup, rookies like Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Steph de Wit, Fabian Booysen and Lourens Erasmus all performed well enough to ensure there will be pressure on some of the more established players.

Ackermann said it was important to cover all the bases in the pre-season.

“It is a big squad but we have to make sure we’ve got the depth we’ll need to be competitive. And at loose forward we’re already going to be without Kwagga Smith, who’s with the Sevens, and Warren Whiteley may join him there too,” said Ackermann.

“I want to give everyone a fair chance to make the final squad, but in the case of many of the youngsters it’s a good thing that they get to train with us to pick up experience and familiarise themselves with our structures.

“We only started again this week after a long break so it’s very much baby steps right now. Some of the players have some catching up to do in the conditioning department, but in four weeks’ time we’ll all be on the same page.”

The Lions open their Super Rugby Challenge with a game against the Sunwolves in Tokyo on February 27.

Lions squad Outside backs: Andries Coetzee, JW Bell, Ruan Combrink, Lloyd Greeff, Courtnall Skosan, Sampie Mastriet, Anthony Volmink, Koch Marx, Selom Gavor

Centres: Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Stokkies Hanekom, Howard Mnisi, Harold Vorster, Lionel Mapoe, Jacques Nel, Gerdus van der Walt

Flyhalves: Marnitz Boshoff, Jaco van der Walt, Elton Jantjes, Ashlon Davids

Scrumhalves: Ross Cronje, Faf de Klerk, Ricky Schroeder, Dillon Smit, Marco van Vuren

Loose-forwards: Warren Whiteley, Fabian Booysen, Ruaan Lerm, Jano Venter, Steph de Wit, Jaco Kriel, Derick Minnie, Warrick Tecklenburg, Ruan Ackermann, Cyle Brink

Locks: Victor Sekekete, Robert Kruger, Lourens Erasmus, MB Lusaseni, Franco Mostert, Martin Muller, JP du Preez, Andries Ferreira, Bobby de Wee

Hookers: Robbie Coetzee, Malcolm Marx, Akker van der Merwe, Ramone Samuels

Props: Jacques van Rooyen, Dylan Smith, Corne Fourie, Julian Redelinghuys, Ruan Dreyer, Justin Ackerman, Pieter Scholtz - The Star

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