JOHANNESBURG – Despite Montpellier wanting seasoned 37-year-old Jannie du Plessis to return to France to cover for the losses of players to injury and national duty, the veteran tighthead prop will stay at the Lions and play Super Rugby this year.
Instead, the Lions have parted ways with Johannes Jonker, who arrived in Montpellier yesterday to fulfil a second spell as a medical joker. This time he will cover for among others, Montpellier’s Six-Nations-involved prop Mohamed Haouas and the injured Antoine Guillamone. It is the second time Jonker will feature for the club at Top 14 level, having been a medical joker for the injured Du Plessis in 2017-18. With 25-year-old Jonker out of the Super Rugby picture, Du Plessis and Carlu Sadie will battle it out for the No 3 jersey this year.
Meanwhile, another veteran in Springbok flank Willem Alberts (35) - who played for the Lions in his younger days - has finally put pen to paper with the Johannesburg-based team and will play for the Lions for the foreseeable future. Alberts has joined his former team after turning out for Stade Francais on 79 occasions in the last four years. Before that he played for five seasons with the Sharks and between 2005 and 2009 turned out for the Lions. He will be officially unveiled as a Lions player in the next few days.
The franchise also confirmed yesterday that they are in discussions to bring former captain and flank Jaco Kriel back to Johannesburg from Gloucester, where he has played for the last two seasons. Kriel has endured an injury-plagued stay in England, playing for Johan Ackermann’s club, but could be back in action by March. He is currently nursing an injury.
Also, seasoned fullback Andries Coetzee has returned to the Lions following his short stint playing in Japan. He, will, however, not feature for the Lions in their Super Rugby opener against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires this weekend. Also, not in the mix this week are exciting centre Wandisile Simelane and wing Jamba Ulengo. They may come into contention for next week’s game against the Reds at Ellis Park. The Lions yesterday announced their 25-man squad for the match against the Jaguares.
The Emirates Lions touring squad for our opening Vodacom Super Rugby match this weekend against the Jaguares in Argentina. #LionsPride pic.twitter.com/hd8KxkDytd
— Emirates Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) January 27, 2020
Tour squad:
Backs:
Tiaan Swanepoel, Courtnall Skosan, Tyrone Green, Shaun Reynolds, Manny Rass, Dan Kriel, Duncan Matthews, Elton Jantjies, Andre Warner, Morne van den Berg
Forwards:
Ruan Vermaak, Vincent Tshituka, Marnus Schoeman, Ruben Schoeman, Len Massyn, Hacjivah Dayimani, Marvin Orie, Wilhelm van der Sluys, Jannie du Plessis, Carlu Sadie, Sti Sithole, Frans van Wyk, Dylan Smith, Jan-Henning Campher, Pieter Jansen