Never rains, but it pours in Lions' jungle
Lions coach John Mitchell’s injury nightmare just went from bad to worse. Or, as they say: ‘It never rains, but it pours.’
It has been confirmed that another one of the team’s senior players, centre and sometimes captain Doppies la Grange, will miss up to three months after undergoing surgery to repair his injured elbow.
La Grange suffered the injury in the heartbreaking 19-24 loss to the table-topping Stormers at the weekend.
It has left the Lions’ midfield stock threadbare thing – with La Grange joining Alwyn Hollenbach (hamstring), Waylon Murray (knee) and Dylan des Fountain (knee) on the sidelines.
More importantly it takes to a round 15 the number of players in contention for the matchday 22 who have already been injured this season.
These include La Grange (elbow), Hollenbach (hamstring), Murray (knee), Des Fountain (knee), flyhalf Elton Jantjies (foot), scrumhalf Michael Bondesio (hamstring), prop Patric Cilliers (illness), wing Lionel Mapoe (hamstring), prop JC Janse van Rensburg (toe), prop CJ van der Linde (groin), utility forward Wikus van Heerden (concussion), wing Michael Killian (hamstring), hooker Bandise Maku (shoulder), lock Ruaan Botha (ankle) flank Michael Rhodes (knee).
Lions coach John Mitchell, even before the latest setback, spoke of the need to look past all the injuries and see it as an opportunity for a new player to step in.
“That is what we are dealt with and you can’t control or worry about broken bones and ligaments that get twisted,” Mitchell said.
With fullback Jaco Taute having already featured at outside centre at the weekend, Mitchell will now be forced to call in some youngsters to help plug the gap. Ruan Combrinck, who was on the replacement bench against the Stormers, may get a starting spot this week.
Veteran Springbok World Cup-winner Butch James can play at centre as well.
It is hoped that fellow Bok Elton Jantjies will recover in time to face the Crusaders in Johannesburg on Saturday, which will facilitate James’ shift to the midfield.
Jantjies started training on Monday, while scrumhalf Michael Bondesio also appears to be on the mend.
Lions captain Josh Strauss, who left the field in the encounter with the unbeaten Stormers, appears not to have taken a serious knock and could be considered for the match against the Crusaders.
