AUDIO: Lions happy with their 'discards'
LISTEN as Lions coach Zacharia de Bruin explains how they will be dealing with the rash of departures ahead of the 2019 Super Rugby season.
De Bruin, speaking to the media at the team’s training base in Johannesburg, suggested they will rely on their trusted method of bringing players through the academy and developing the talent which other unions have discarded.
The Lions, the three-times losing finalists, have lost players like Ruan Dreyer (to Gloucester), Jacques van Rooyen (Bath), Corné Fourie (Stormers), Franco Mostert (Gloucester), Jaco Kriel (Gloucester) and Rohan Janse van Rensburg (Sale Sharks).
Among the new arrivals at Ellis Park are two who have followed the well-treaded from Pretoria to Johannesburg – tighthead prop Frans van Wyk and hooker Jan-Henning Campher.
“Frans van Wyk arrived from the Bulls yesterday [Thursday], so I’m excited about him,” De Bruin said.
“He knows a lot of the players. I think his culture and the type of guy he is, he will fit in with us.
“He is a tighthead that can play loosehead. We’ve got Jacobie [Adriaanse, tighthead prop]. He is battling a bit with a calf [strain] at the moment. Johannes Jonker is out [injured] till the end of March, with a shoulder, so we were a bit thin on the tighthead department.
“We’ve got Carlü Sadie [from the Stormers], who looks very good. So we just needed another tighthead and that’s why we went for him [Van Wyk]. I’m excited about him.
“The other new arrival is Jan-Henning Campher from the Bulls, as one of our hookers,” De Bruin added.
The Lions coach also spoke of the second row ‘acquisition’ – Stephan Lewies (from the Sharks), who will be tasked with filling the vacancy left by the departure of Springbok Francois Mostert.
“Stephan Lewies is a very good runner,” De Bruin said.
“He is good under the high ball, is a good line-out player. He is a bit different from Franco, but he brings other strengths – that’s why we went for him.”
Week 2 of 2019 completed! 🦁💨
Photos: Lions Rugby Company/ Monique Naude#LionsPride pic.twitter.com/0OPt3QM8Az— Emirates Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) January 18, 2019
De Bruin was also pleased that a number of players – like Albertus Smith and Harold Vorster – have arrived back from Japan.
“It [preparations are going well so far. We waited for the Japan guys a bit and then there are a few injuries that we are still carrying over from last year.
“However, it’s going really well there’s a massive excitement,” De Bruin explained.
De Bruin said they are not planning to rush into the market for any high-profile replacements.
“We back our systems,” he said.
“We are not known for just buying players.
“If you look in the past six years – how many players we’ve released – and then we bring our youngsters in.
“What we [also] do like is to bring a guy in that’s not number one at one of the other franchises.
“It works like a charm for us.
“If you bring the number three prop or number four prop from the Stormers, like we did with [retired Springbok] Julian Redelinghuys from the Sharks, he became a Springbok here.
“That sort of a thing that works for us for some or other reason.
“We love that, to back your own players and believe in them and trust them,” De Bruin explained.
By Josh Isaacson
@isaacson_j
@rugby365com
They’re back!
After their stint in Japan, we are happy to have Emirates Lions players, Kwagga Smith, Harold Vorster and Ruan Combrinck back in the Lions Den!
Photo: Lions Rugby Company/ Monique Naude#LionsPride pic.twitter.com/q9fCSQ2pPb— Emirates Lions (@LionsRugbyCo) January 18, 2019
