AUDIO: Lions centre relishes Bok test
LISTEN as Lions centre Harold Vorster chats about the challenge of playing against in-form Springbok centres Lukhanyo Am and Andre Esterhuizen.
The Sharks host the Lions in a Super Rugby Round 15 match in Durban on Saturday.
Vorster started for the Lions in their 38-29 victory over the Highlanders last Saturday – making a timely return to form, after being dropped from the starting team as a result of poor form.
The Lions midfield of Vorster and Springbok Lionel Mapoe will need to be at their best if the Johannesburg-based franchise is to avoid a repeat of the embarrassing 5-42 loss in Johannesburg back in April.
Vorster did not feature in that horror show – with Springbok wing Aphiwe Dyantyi wearing the No.13 jersey, with Mapoe at No.12.
The 25-year-old Vorster said he enjoys being back in the frontline of the Lions’ battle.
He described his axing as a “wake-up call” from coach Swys de Bruin.
“I am hungry again,” he said, adding that it was mostly a mental issue to get his form back.
Vorster – with 50-odd Super Rugby caps to his credit – has made 166 metres, from 43 runs, seven clean breaks and beaten eight defenders during his 215 minutes of game time.
He featured in six games for the Lions during their 2019 campaign.
Vorster has been effective on defence, having made 31 tackles and missed only four.
Mapoe has been instrumental to the Lions’ cause – the Johannesburg franchise scoring 41 tries.
Mapoe is also the defensive general among the Lions backs’, with an 87 percent tackle success rate – which includes 84 attempted tackles, of which 73 tackles were successful.
Am appears to be the biggest threat for the Sharks. His contribution includes nine clean breaks, 10 try assists and 29 defenders beaten.
Am has made 61 successful tackles, from 76 attempts during his 695 minutes of game time in 2019.
Esterhuizen is known for his defensive capabilities, but has made 94 passes during his 651 minutes of game time – which includes 45 carries and 10 clean breaks.
Esterhuizen is hard to beat on defence, with 62 successful tackles out of 70 attempts.
Vorster said that he will not focus too much on the threat of Am and Esterhuizen, but rather on how the Lions can beat the Sharks with teamwork.
“We just focus on ourselves focus – on what we do as a team,” he told a media scrum at the team’s training base in Johannesburg.
“The good thing about Super Rugby is that you measure yourself against the best in the world and that’s good to be part of,” Vorster said.
The Lions currently sit in sixth position on the Super Rugby table.
Depending on the results of other games, the Lions could be back at the top of the South African conference.
It would require the Bulls to lose to the Brumbies on Friday and the Jaguares going down to the Waratahs on Saturday.
Of course, the Lions have to beat the Sharks.
However, if the Lions lose and the Bulls and Stormers win their games, the Lions will find themselves at the bottom of the South African conference.
Vorster added that he is expecting a physical and tough challenge from the Sharks on Saturday.
“I think the Sharks are a really good team,” he said, adding: “They are well trained and physical. They are very good on attack and defence.”
By Josh Isaacson
@isaacson_j
@rugby365com
