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Elton Jantjies (captain) of the Lions and Siya Kolisi (captain) of the Stormers during Saturday’s SuperFan match between Emirates Lions and DHL Stormers at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on September 26, 2020 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi / Gallo Images)
- Rassie Erasmus has ended the 10 debate, announcing Elton Jantjies as the Springbok flyhalf’s first immediate pick.
- Starter Handre Pollard will be out for nine months after injuring his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for French club Montpellier.
- Jantjies faces stiff competition for the jersey from Damian Willemse and Curwin Bosch.
Springbok rugby director Rassie Erasmus stopped the mid-fly debate on Monday when he declared World Cup winning center pivot Elton Jantjies the new starter, following the long-term firing of Handre Pollard.
World Cup star Pollard tore his anterior cruciate ligament (anterior cruciate ligament) in his knee this month while playing for French club Montpellier and is in a race against time to be part of the British and Irish Boks team. Lions Tour, after nine months of exclusion. .
In the meantime, there was a mad race over who would possibly replace him in the meantime, should the Boks choose to honor the Rugby Championship.
Erasmus was unequivocal: Jantjies is the immediate first choice.
“I have a lot of faith in Elton,” Erasmus said.
“When he plays in a good structure, with a good group of forwards, it’s incredible. In my opinion, Elton would be the immediate first choice, just because of his potential and what he’s done before.
“There were moments before the World Cup where Elton was pushing a lot for Handre’s place, but in the end Handre was obviously number one and he did quite well.
“[But] There are some guys who will push Elton really, really hard. Damian Willemse is definitely someone who can do it for you at 10 and 15. You still have guys like Frans Steyn, who, if he’s still around and still in shape, can take 12th place or be on the bench and cover 10 and 12 for you.
“You have Curwin (Bosch) and if he has a good streak … that’s why I’m so excited, whether it’s the Rugby Championship or the Currie Cup / Super Rugby double round. I love it when there are long competitions like we are going to have now. from October 10.
“The coaches are tested, the conditioning coaches are tested, the players are tested. You have to go to Griquas in Kimberley and try to win there and then go to Nelspruit next week.
“That’s where the players move and get tough and figure out if they can do it or not. Sometimes in a five-week Currie Cup, you can’t really learn a lot from that.
“If we go into the Rugby Championship, those names I’ve mentioned will probably be the media in the mix. Of the guys left behind, there’s the [likes of] Kade Wolhuter and so many young people who come “.
Jantjies, 30, said after the weekend’s Super Fan Saturday rugby friendly restart between the Lions and Stormers at Loftus that he was not interested in a matchup with Willemse, 22.
However, Willemse will provide some pretty tough competition, especially if he sets at No. 10 in the Stormers, as expected.
Bosch, once the Sharks get back in sync after their beating of the Bulls last weekend, is also expected to mount a strong challenge.
But Erasmus ruled out Pollard’s absence, who could be too short on time for the match when the British and Irish Lions arrive in South Africa next year.
“Yes, losing Pollard is always a heavy blow,” Erasmus said.
“We know what he can do and what he did, so I don’t even need to discuss how great he is. On the other hand, I don’t think there is more of a team man or someone who serves the team.” (they all did) than Elton Jantjies.
“He stood out at the World Cup; the way he helped us win the World Cup, while playing only three games and when we went to the six-two (bench) division. It was incredible.”
