VIDEO: Lions' SOS to Sharks: 'We need Batho'
REACTION: The Lions have lost the services of star flanker Izan Esterhuizen in their rout of the Sharks in the opening round of the Currie Cup at Ellis Park on Saturday.
The 24-year-old Esterhuizen was carted off the field just before half-time with a leg injury, and afterwards, coach Mzwakhe Nkosi confirmed that his season could be over.
Nkosi also mentioned that the Lions have no choice but to bring in their Junior Springbok Bathobele Hlekani as soon as possible.
He is only set to join the Lions from the Sharks at the end of the year, but according to their media manager, Nyaniso Sam, the Lions are working hard to get the flanker in Johannesburg as soon as possible.
“We are trying to get Batho to join ASAP, hopefully after his Springbok commitments,” Sam indicated.
Hlekani is one of three SA Under-20s stars to be invited by Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus to train with the national side as they prepare for the Rugby Championship.
“It’s quite serious, it looks like a season-ender,” Nkosi confirmed.
“We will probably try and get Batho to Joburg sooner rather than later. The prospects aren’t great.
“Ja, he’s [Esterhuizen] probably out for the season, so we have to scramble hard. I just spoke to the CEO, we will have to source another openside flanker sooner rather than later,” the coach said.
The Lions scored an emphatic 46-5 win over the defending champions Sharks, and the gulf between the two sides couldn’t have been bigger.
The Lions – comprising several United Rugby Championship players – were way too clinical for a young Sharks side that survived on scraps and were overwhelmed for most of the game.
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“I wouldn’t say more experienced, we are probably a more settled team. Nico Steyn just turned 22, and Jarrod Cairns has only just turned 23.
“SJ Kotze is still 21, RF Schoeman hasn’t turned 22 yet. We are probably a whole lot more settled than JP’s [Pietersen] team.
“When SJ came on, I thought he made a difference.
“I am happy with the level of performance.
“We were a bit apprehensive. We haven’t played a game. The Pumas have played two or three games, Griquas have played one, and Province have played two.
“So, we and the Bulls have gone in cold.
“So, we were apprehensive before today [Saturday]. So it’s good, we got the cobwebs out, and secondly, we got a result like we got,” Nkosi mentioned.
The duo of Angelo Davids and Rabs Maxwane caused chaos on attack, and Nkosi highlighted their role, especially that of Davids, who joined from the Stormers, where he didn’t get much game time.
“If you can have guys like Angelo and Rabs on the edges, you want to get the ball to them sooner rather than later.
“That’s who we are and how we want to play.
“Angelo will hit his straps. He must have had three games in two seasons. He has gone frustrated, his game hasn’t improved at the trajectory that he’d liked.
“So, hopefully we can, before the start of the URC, get him to a place where he can compete.
“And obviously there is a vacancy with the departure of Edwill [van der Merwe], so hopefully he can put his hand up to stake a claim in that URC team.”
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