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FORUM / RUGBY /  The Center Pair of the Lions

The Center Pair of the Lions

Started by clevermike13 REPLIES126 VIEWS· 14 Feb 2015, 13:21
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CL
clevermike
Coach57,555 posts
CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
14 Feb 2015, 13:21
#1
14 Feb 2015, 13:21#1

Dave


The two centers the Lions fielded yesterday was just not good enough    both cshowed nothing bar running straight at the first defender and getting bowled over in the process,   Neither did anything of real v alue to the team and the one try of the Hurricanes can be attributed to poor reading pof the game by Mnisi in particular.


Boshoff was poor and Jantjies not much better.   


Those three positions =  12 and 13 - as well as the flyhalf berth is where Ackerman should consider changes. 

Flashdakota
Flashdakota
Club Pro805 posts
Flashdakota
FlashdakotaClub Pro805 posts
14 Feb 2015, 13:43
#2
14 Feb 2015, 13:43#2
 The Lions inside backs lack any form of pace. I think they will do well against opposition who give them space because i think that they play incredible rugby when opposing defences give them time.

Mnisi - Great hands and man on man defense, but has very little to offer in terms of pace.

Boshoff had an average day, but i think he is class.
Jantjies... i hope he can rekindle some of that 2012 form.

The Lions attacking strength is in their loosies. Whitely, Minnie and Kriel are my loose trio to watch this year.
They were head and shoulders above any other trio on the Currie Cup. It will be intresting to see how they fare over the next 4 months.


My prediction: Lions will finish between 6 and 8th place.
sharkbok
sharkbok
Captain23,285 posts
sharkbok
sharkbokCaptain23,285 posts
14 Feb 2015, 16:46
#3
14 Feb 2015, 16:46#3
I only watched most of the 2nd half and was very dissapointed with the Lions. Poor Skills, poor support, no game plan, forced passes that resulted in knockons.First match of the season, but they will want to get much better if they hope to win any games
SA
Saffolk
Captain30,741 posts
SA
Saffolk Captain30,741 posts
16 Feb 2015, 12:15
#4
16 Feb 2015, 12:15#4
What utter rubbish.....the Lions centres were good......Mapoe beat many defenders and Mnisi showed good touches.  
CL
clevermike
Coach57,555 posts
CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
16 Feb 2015, 12:28
#5
16 Feb 2015, 12:28#5
Dave
Sad to say - but there is a serious deficiency in the Lions backline.   Look at the following excerpt from a NZ newspaper report on team performances:-
"Had enough ball to beat the Hurricanes twice. Just weren't good enough to do anything with it.  On the evidence of this those vast, empty spaces at Ellis Park are just going to get vaster and emptier"
Part of the problem was Boshoff - who had a poor game - but the rest was with the defective center pairing.   Not only was their attacking play sub=par - there defense was also the same.   The last try of the Hurricanes from a bugger-up by both players.
What is clear is that Mnisi is not a Super 15 level center - and that the Lions have a very average 13 in Mapoe.   I would rather play hanekom at 12 than Mnisi.   Another failure by Boshoff  and the Lions should not play Van der Walt at flyhalf.   
SA
Saffolk
Captain30,741 posts
SA
Saffolk Captain30,741 posts
16 Feb 2015, 12:33
#6
16 Feb 2015, 12:33#6

That was the first game of the season, the Lions let themselves down. Missing easy kicks at goal did not help.

 

But there was no issue with the centres at all. The issue was useless Cronje at 9 and Boshoff at 10 had a poor game. Jantjies was far better when he came on and they brought Faf de Klerk on too late.

 

Mapoe beat more defenders than any other SA 13 on the day, so you are speaking complete S H I T.

 

The Lions played well, but just failed to convert pressure into points......it was a strange game....the better side lost  

CL
CleanCut
Pro9,905 posts
CL
CleanCutPro9,905 posts
16 Feb 2015, 12:40
#7
16 Feb 2015, 12:40#7
 
I also thought the Lions center pair were good on the day. Especially Mapoe. Certainly not to blame for the poor team showing.

I have issues with Ross Cronje and obviously Marnitz, who seems to have started this season where he left off last year. .

I also thought Whiteley had a very poor match as captain. He could have made much better decisions than he did.

Why isn't Ruan Combrinck being called up to take shots at posts?



 
CL
clevermike
Coach57,555 posts
CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
16 Feb 2015, 12:45
#8
16 Feb 2015, 12:45#8
 Dave
I would still play Hanekom at 12 ahead of  Mnisi and did not advocate the removal of Mapoe from 13.   
Maybe Jantjies would be better at 10 - but he was so poor in previous years on Super 15 level that it is a gamble - a bad one at that.   His defense is a losing lottery ticket.    
SA
Saffolk
Captain30,741 posts
SA
Saffolk Captain30,741 posts
16 Feb 2015, 12:45
#9
16 Feb 2015, 12:45#9

What Ackerman sees in Cronje is beyond me.

 

Faf de Klerk was the find of last year and he is now being wasted on the bench.

 

Mapoe was good, but should be playing wing with Stokkies starting at 13.

 

They need young Vorster on the bench as the back -up centre, he looks a class act 

MO
Mozart
Captain49,914 posts
MO
MozartCaptain49,914 posts
16 Feb 2015, 17:31
#10
16 Feb 2015, 17:31#10
Maakniks is a kicker who now has the yips. It's always going to come back when the pressure is on. Is he good enough if he isn't the kicker....very questionable.  
DB
DbDraad
Captain26,388 posts
DB
DbDraadCaptain26,388 posts
16 Feb 2015, 20:08
#11
16 Feb 2015, 20:08#11
 If the Lions keep on playing STUPID, they will be in the last 3. A lot of heart and little brains ain't enough
SA
Saffolk
Captain30,741 posts
SA
Saffolk Captain30,741 posts
16 Feb 2015, 21:14
#12
16 Feb 2015, 21:14#12
Dont be stupid why on earth would you remove Mnisi from 12 when he is so good and play Stokkies at 12 when he is not a 12......how stupid.
Its simple......play Mapoe on the wing......Mnisi at 12 and Stokkies at 13.....plain and simple.
Jantjies has never been poor.....he was good for the Lions......class player
DB
DbDraad
Captain26,388 posts
DB
DbDraadCaptain26,388 posts
16 Feb 2015, 21:40
#13
16 Feb 2015, 21:40#13
 All the "class" in the Lions team still had them losing after 80min, even with "enough possession to win twice" Their backs let them down big time.
SA
Saffolk
Captain30,741 posts
SA
Saffolk Captain30,741 posts
16 Feb 2015, 22:49
#14
16 Feb 2015, 22:49#14
No the whole side let themselves down......but 9 & 10 did not help their cause
— END OF THREAD —

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