misfortune of others. We have all done it, as much as we don’t want to, we slow down and look at the carnage, whistle, shake our heads and drive off. The Lions are caught in the headlights, frozen stiff, moments away from a mighty collision with the Saders and as much as we don’t want to we will pause for a while and witness the carnage.
It is just too easy to be critical about this team because there is so much going wrong with them and 6 weeks into the Super 14 and they don’t seem to be any closer to picking a stable starting 15. Each week there are changes to the team which can’t be good for the players let alone their dwindling supporters.
So Million Dollar man Carlos Spencer is out for this week making way for Burton Francis and while Francis has improved you have got to ask why sign up Spencer in the first place. To date he has done nothing for the team at all. He is blatantly out of condition and has looked very average so far.
Chavhanga has shown very little ‘hanga’ and also finds himself sitting down for most of the match as the 22 year old Wigan Pekeur attempts to do what the rest of the backline can’t. Not much is known about Pekeur who has dabbled in Vodacom Cup rugby and it will be a surprise if he is able to adapt to the frenetic pace of Super 14 rugby. Surprise us Wigan!
How he does it one doesn’t know, but Earl Rose contrary to popular opinion has not been dropped yet and now finds himself the last line of defense at fullback. “Looking more like a BMX Champion*” Rose will once again don his gloves, shoulder pads, shin guards, head gear and multiple bandages and run onto the field to see if he can make a few more enemies. At least he looks prepared for the accident but for pity sake how much longer can we endure his lifeless defense and senseless kicking?
In all there are 6 changes to the team and I have to wonder about their few quality players like Doppies Le Grange, Wandile Mjekevu and Jaco Vermaak. How much longer will they be loyal to this team of crash test dummies and will they follow in the footsteps of Jaque Fourie as soon as the offer is on the table?
Prediction: Only a madman will give the Lions a chance from avoiding this accident, there is far too much wrong with this team to inspire confidence and we have to go with the Crusaders winning by at least 25 points.
Teams: Lions: 1 JC Janse van Rensburg 2 Hannes Franklin 3 Ross Geldenhuys 4 George Earl 5 Franco van der Merwe 6 Cobus Grobbelaar 7 Derick Minnie 8 Todd Clever 9 Jano Vermaak 10 Burton Francis 11 Wandile Mjekevu 12 Doppies La Grange 13 Walter Venter 14 Wigan Pekeur 15 Earl Rose 16 Charles Emslie 17 Heinke van der Merwe 18 Willem Stoltz 19 Robert Kruger 20 Jacques Coetzee 21 Carlos Spencer 22 Michael Killian
*Quote Greg Smith
