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By Liam del Carme - Beeld
Johannesburg – Springbok centre Jaque Fourie will not complete the Lions’ tour of Australia and New Zealand.
He had been advised to rest for another week after getting a finger in his eye in the match against the Blues.
Fourie joins Cobus Grobbelaar, Louis Ludik and Heinke van der Merwe, whose tours have also been cut short by injuries.
Lawrence Sephaka will get the opportunity on Friday to step into Van der Merwe’s shoes against the Western Force.
Sephaka, who has mostly played on the tighthead side for the Lions, may play loosehead against the Force.
They may also opt for JC van Rensburg at loosehead, but Sephaka and Gert Muller are expected to be the run-on props against the Force.
Sephaka has a lot to prove. His career has not touched the heights that were expected when he made his Springbok debut in 2000.
He made his test debut against the United States in Houston a year later. It was the last test in which Harry Viljoen coached South Africa.
“Lawrence is definitely a lot more settled at tighthead, but loosehead should not be a problem,” former Springbok prop Willie Meyer said on Monday.
Meyer said that it was more difficult in any event to adapt to the tighthead spot if you are a loosehead.
“If he had to play loosehead again now it won’t make a difference because he knows how to hit in. I don’t think shifting him around has damaged his career.
“Lawrence may not have the same scrumming strength as Heinke, but his experience is worth a lot.”
He conceded, however, that Van der Merwe, who injured a knee against the Reds, will leave a void.
“It’s a big setback for Heinke and the Lions. He was the anchor of the Lions’ scrum and built a big reputation. He has improved a lot and gave every tighthead he came across an uphill struggle,” said Meyer.
“He would probably have been on a shortlist for the Springbok squad. It’s not his technique, but his brute strength that makes him such a good prop. His absence will leave a big void at the Lions.”
Johannesburg – Springbok centre Jaque Fourie will not complete the Lions’ tour of Australia and New Zealand.
He had been advised to rest for another week after getting a finger in his eye in the match against the Blues.
Fourie joins Cobus Grobbelaar, Louis Ludik and Heinke van der Merwe, whose tours have also been cut short by injuries.
Lawrence Sephaka will get the opportunity on Friday to step into Van der Merwe’s shoes against the Western Force.
Sephaka, who has mostly played on the tighthead side for the Lions, may play loosehead against the Force.
They may also opt for JC van Rensburg at loosehead, but Sephaka and Gert Muller are expected to be the run-on props against the Force.
Sephaka has a lot to prove. His career has not touched the heights that were expected when he made his Springbok debut in 2000.
He made his test debut against the United States in Houston a year later. It was the last test in which Harry Viljoen coached South Africa.
“Lawrence is definitely a lot more settled at tighthead, but loosehead should not be a problem,” former Springbok prop Willie Meyer said on Monday.
Meyer said that it was more difficult in any event to adapt to the tighthead spot if you are a loosehead.
“If he had to play loosehead again now it won’t make a difference because he knows how to hit in. I don’t think shifting him around has damaged his career.
“Lawrence may not have the same scrumming strength as Heinke, but his experience is worth a lot.”
He conceded, however, that Van der Merwe, who injured a knee against the Reds, will leave a void.
“It’s a big setback for Heinke and the Lions. He was the anchor of the Lions’ scrum and built a big reputation. He has improved a lot and gave every tighthead he came across an uphill struggle,” said Meyer.
“He would probably have been on a shortlist for the Springbok squad. It’s not his technique, but his brute strength that makes him such a good prop. His absence will leave a big void at the Lions.”
