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Johannesburg - Springbok flyhalf Elton Jantjies will not take any part in the Lions’ pre-season outings in the Neo Africa Tri-Series in Cape Town.
Jantjies, the star flyhalf that guided the Lions to their Currie Cup victory last season, is currently sidelined with a broken bone in his hand, and will be managed to full fitness to ensure he is ready for the start of the season on February 24.
Coach John Mitchell will at least have another Springbok stalwart in Butch James available for the pre-season clashes, as he looks to take the momentum and confidence from the Currie Cup victory into the Super Rugby season.
“We’re not too bad, we’re managing fitness on a number of players,” Mitchell said as he put his team through their paces at their Johannesburg Stadium base.
“Elton has a broken bone in his hand, and we certainly won’t risk him in the pre-season games. We will maintain a conditioning focus as we prepare for the season,” Mitchell added.
Two more players who won’t be involved in the pre-season games are midfielder Waylon Murray and prop CJ van der Linde.
Murray had a freak accident and tore his knee ligaments after a fall in his kitchen, the same ligaments he tore that saw him miss the majority of the season in 2011.
Van der Linde is still recovering from his groin operation, which he had done after the World Cup, and expects to be ready by the time the Super Rugby action gets underway late in February.
Murray unfortunately is likely to miss a large portion of the season because of the knee injury before he will rejoin the Lions.
