Bok call-ups to test Lions' pedigree
The loss of three frontline players to the Springbok squad will be a serious test for the table-topping Lions as they seek to defend their Currie Cup title.
The Johannesburg side pulled clear at the top of the Currie Cup standings with a tough 28-22 victory over the Sharks on Saturday, but the wind would have been taken out of their sails somewhat with the news that flyhalf Elton Jantjies, utility back Jaco Taute and prop CJ van der Linde will not be available for the next two weeks.
Jantjies delivered another impressive performance against the Sharks, and he joins Morne Steyn, Johan Goosen and Pat Lambie as flyhalf options in Bok coach Heyneke Meyer's squad for the last two matches of the Rugby Championship.
Van der Linde and Taute have both recently recovered from injury, but their absence will also be felt as the Lions look to retain the Currie Cup in the year that they were relegated by SARU from Super Rugby.
Lions coach Johan Ackermann praised his charges for the character they showed to come up victorious after they trailed 16-6 at the half-time break.
"The character was tested and the guys showed character, so I am very proud of them and grateful," Ackermann said.
"The good thing about the win is always it keeps the excitement in the camp up and that is the positives."
However, the former Bok lock felt the team still had a lot to improve on if they wanted to defend their title successfully.
"There are a lot of things that we can correct but it is better to win than to fall behind and start chasing on the log," he said.
"There is still a lot of work to do and we are still a way off from where we want to be but hopefully in the next few weeks we will become even better."
The top-of-the-log clash saw the Sharks move into the second place on the log, three points behind the Lions and a point ahead of Western Province.
Sharks mentor John Plumtree lamented the fact his side let the match slip out of their grasp and their inability to execute properly.
"We just didn't build enough pressure, the times we had the ball and put pressure on them we looked – after four, five phases – like we could break them," Plumtree said.
"That was our main focus this week we tried to just keep it simple but the guys couldn't execute so it is disappointing.
"We aren't going to win the Currie Cup unless we can do our share of attacking and building pressure."
The Sharks will host the Bulls in Durban next week while the Golden Lions will next face the third-placed Western Province in Cape Town.
