Spencer boost for Lions
Carlos Spencer will start at flyhalf for the Lions on Friday while Jano Vermaak is on the bench.
According to reports in Australia, the former All Blacks pivot ran well during Wednesday’s training session and is likely to play against the Waratahs. JP Joubert will start alongside Spencer, but Vermaak, back from a lengthy injury layoff, should get a run in the second half.
Wing Wigan Pekeur, who flew into Australia on Monday, is also rushed into the match 22 following the tour-ending injury to Dusty Noble.
Lions -15 Earl Rose, 14 Tonderai Chavhanga, 13 Walter Venter, 12 Doppies la Grange, 11 Wandile Mjekevu, 10 Carlos Spencer, 9 JP Joubert, 8 Todd Clever, 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar (c), 5 Willem Stoltz, 4 Franco van der Merwe, 3 Kevin Buys, 2 Hannes Franklin, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Subs: 16 Charles Emslie, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Jacques Lombaard, 19 Robert Kruger, 20 Jano Vermaak, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Wigan Pekeur.
March 10th, 2010 at 9:11 am
Spencer… boost huh?… i dont rate this Dragon!
March 10th, 2010 at 9:18 am
Lions can win this
March 10th, 2010 at 9:19 am
Lions are moving in the right direction , rome wasnt built in a day.
March 10th, 2010 at 9:27 am
I don’t know why JP gets an extended run. I would like to see Coetzee with Spencer. Coetzee’s kicking at the back of the scrum is poor though. I would have stayed with the same team that played the Brumbies (except for Rose). Opposition must have a good chuckle when they read our team sheet and see the Pearl as the last line of defense.
March 10th, 2010 at 9:31 am
How is that a boost?? Agree with spinnekop re: Rose…..Inspector Gadget would have trouble tackling my gran
March 10th, 2010 at 9:32 am
@Spinnekop: Yah…my granny will sidestep ER
March 10th, 2010 at 9:32 am
@Storm outta hell: sidestep=handoff too
March 10th, 2010 at 9:58 am
Spencer is no boost imo…
Glad to see Jano back. The Lions must hope he gets his form back quick, a very good player for them…
March 10th, 2010 at 10:35 am
I think they’ll have more structure with Francis there. And they need more dependancy, not more unpredictability. Spencer does not have to prove himself to anyone, but his style of play is more suited to a team that has it’s combinations a little better established.
March 10th, 2010 at 11:03 am
@Storm outta hell: To be fair, your gran is pretty good at crash ball.
March 10th, 2010 at 11:52 am
Lions can beat the Tahs. Think both the lowly SA sides – Sharks and Lions will win in Round 5.
Hope Jano is his former self he’s a super player. Can’t Francis play fullback in place of Rose? Even better, call up Earl Lewis?
March 10th, 2010 at 11:59 am
You have a slim chance to be successful if you make 13 changes in two weeks.
March 10th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
Come on! WTF!!!?!! Earl Rose back in the squad?
There must surely be some higher force involved here! (Political??)
If 90% of the rugby public in South Africa can see he’s not good enough, how can the coaches he plays for not?
Ridiculous
March 10th, 2010 at 12:39 pm
Please get rid of Earl Rose!!!!???? Where are Alwyn Hollenbach,Marius Delport and Jannie Boshoff?
March 10th, 2010 at 12:54 pm
Week 3 on tour, with 2 more games in NZ to come after this weekend.
Wheels to come off any time from now on …
March 10th, 2010 at 1:11 pm
Down with Earl Rose !
March 10th, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Marius Delport must be the most overrated ,arrogant player out there. If we had to have a current “joggie” in SA , he would be the best bet…
March 10th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
I mean “Jorrie” , Not Joggie
March 10th, 2010 at 1:27 pm
King Carlos is whinging about a lack of supporters at the stadia…he should have thought of that before he signed up for the Lions at the ‘coke tin’…
March 10th, 2010 at 1:37 pm
@Storm outta hell: I think it was more about the the attendances in New Zealand. When he was playing for the Blue’s the stadiums were always packed.
March 10th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
Crikey just realised the Lions are playing the Tahs. Tahs will decimate this Lions team. The only hope for the Lions is if they go for the Chiefs game plan again but this time try and score more points than the tahs.
March 10th, 2010 at 3:29 pm
@race of tan: I best you 5000 keo dollars on a win for the Lions.
March 10th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
To all the Earl Rose haters, I understand your pain BUT back you 100%.
Earl you skinny WPian get out of my team. Go home to the mountain hey, like we don’t want you hey. Go join Loffie at Boland and take your less talented little brother with you, hey.
March 10th, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Aag no, not another Lions article. If it is not about the Lions, it is about ex Lions players in other Provinces
March 10th, 2010 at 4:19 pm
@Storm outta hell: I do believe that the canes have quite a following in WP land (mostly WPians)and will fill one section of the stadium.
Your thoughts on these traitors?
March 10th, 2010 at 4:24 pm
@RedLion: 25
Sad, but true.
A throwback to the days when the Springbok was a symbol of Apartheid and people of colour chose to support the All Blacks instead.
16 years on, these people still haven’t moved on
March 10th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
You should see all the SA supporters of the All Blacks at the George 7’s… That ****’s just wrong.