Jantjies to run Lions show

 

The 23-year-old flyhalf's only other starting chance was in 23-37 loss to the Sharks in Durban on March 8.

 

Since then the 2-cap Springbok has played in the Vodacom Cup before taking up a spot on the bench for the Lions' last three Super Rugby fixtures.

 

Jantjies is one of five changes made to the Lions team that suffered a 3-18 reverse in their most recent game against the Stormers, before their bye.

 

In the backline, Marnitz Boshoff drops down to the bench to make way for Janjties and Francois de Klerk regains his place in the side at the expense of Ross Cronje at scrumhalf.

 

Deon van Rensburg has recovered from his injury problem and replaces Anthony Volmink in the side. Van Rensburg will start at right wing with Courtnall Skosan shifting across to the left wing.

 

There are also a couple of changes in the forward pack. 

 

Captain Warren Whiteley has made a full recovery from injury and will start at eighthman in the place of Willie Britz, while Martin Muller is also back after missing the game against the Stormers with a stomach bug. 

 

Luvuyiso Lusaseni moves to the bench. 

 

Lions head coach Johan Ackerman is delighted to have his captain back in the side, for his leadership and the balance it add to his loose trio. 

 

"I think Warren Whiteley, just the character that he is, he is contagious in his excitement and the way he speaks to the players. 

 

"So it is great to have him back and then obviously as a player he gets through a lot of work, he is one of our main line-out forwards and defensively he gets around the field and makes a huge number of tackles, so Jaco [Kriel] and Derrick [Minnie] who [play] more to the ball, can hopefully do some damage there against the Chiefs," Ackerman said.

 

Ackerman added that he will give everyone a chance to play on tour and explained his selections.

 

"At prop I like to rotate a bit, that is why I brought Jacques van Rooyen in on the bench in place of Corne [Fourie] and at hooker we are all excited to see Armand van der Merwe earning his first cap. 

 

"He had a great Varsity Cup and unfortunately Willie Wepener did not pass his fitness test.

 

"At the back we have had a bit of rotation with the nines and the tens, so Faf [De Klerk] and Elton [Jantjies] are back and at wing we have got Deon van Rensburg back from his injury," Ackerman said.

 

The Lions enjoyed their bye week and have used it, and the option of staying in Auckland for a few days before travelling to Hamilton, as a good period of recovery.

 

"It [the bye] was good, from a personal point of view it was good, we all had some time to spends with the families before we got back into training on Friday.

 

"We obviously focused heavily on recovery in the last few days, a lot of extra stretching and mobility exercises.

 

"It gave us an extra day to get over the jet lag, so that was good for us, we arrived here late on Saturday evening and Sunday we started with our recovery process. 

 

"The week has been good so far with training and the fact that we had those extra two days to travel.

 

"We have been fortunate to stay in Auckland, we are only leaving for Hamilton tomorrow [Thursday]. 

 

"The weather here has been very good, we have trained so far without rain but the forecast we have got is that it is going to rain in Hamilton so we obviously have to adapt if that is the case," Ackerman added.

 

Lions: 15 Chrysander Botha, 14 Deon van Rensburg, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Stefan Watermeyer, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Francois de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley (captain), 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Jaco Kriel, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Martin Muller, 3 Julian Redelinghuys, 2 Robbie Coetzee, 1 Schalk van der Merwe.

Replacements: 16 Armand van der Merwe, 17 Jacques van Rooyen, 18 Ruan Dreyer, 19 Luvuyiso Lusaseni, 20 Willie Britz, 21 Ross Cronje, 22 Marnitz Boshoff, 23 Jacobus Jonker.

 

Date: Satuday, May 3

Venue: Waikato Stadium, Hamilton

Kick-off: 19.35 (07.35 GMT, 09.35 SAST)

Referee: Chris Pollock (New Zealand)

Assistant referees: Mike Fraser (New Zealand), Mike Lash (New Zealand)

TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)