Cape Town - Former Junior Springbok Marco Jansen van Vuren is set to start at scrumhalf for the Lions in Saturday’s Super Rugby clash against the Jaguares in Buenos Aires (kick-off 23:40 SA time).
Regular scrumhalf Ross Cronje is sidelined with a rib injury which paves the way for the 21-year-old Jansen van Vuren to start, with Dillon Smit the other scrumhalf included in the Lions’ 25-man squad for the trip to Argentina.
Jansen van Vuren is seen as a player for the future and at 1.86m and 90kg (sarugby.co.za) he’s not your regular scrumhalf.
“He’s bigger than the average scrumhalf and doesn’t shy away from making contact with the forwards,” Neil de Bruin, backline and attack coach of the Lions, told Netwerk24.
De Bruin added that Jansen Vuren’s kicking prowess had impressed him.
“There aren't many players in world rugby who can kick a ball like him. He kicks the ball unbelievably far with his left boot. However, at the Lions he doesn’t get the chance to kick much in game time because we look to attack more with ball in hand.”
De Bruin added that Jansen van Vuren’s height also brings a few challenges to the position he occupies.
“Because he’s so tall it can be a challenge to get the ball away quickly to the backline. We’re working hard at improving his tempo of delivery.”
Lions coach Swys de Bruin will name his team later on Thursday.
Lions squad:
Forwards: Cyle Brink, Robbie Coetzee, Ruan Dreyer, Lourens Erasmus, Corne Fourie, Johannes Jonker, Robert Kruger, Malcolm Marx, Len Massyn, Franco Mostert, Marvin Orie, Dylan Smith, Kwagga Smith, Jacques van Rooyen
Backs: Andries Coetzee, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Rohan Janse van Rensburg, Marco Jansen van Vuren, Elton Jantjies, Sylvian Mahuza, Lionel Mapoe, Howard Mnisi, Shaun Reynolds, Dillon Smit, Harold Vorster
