With Bronson Mills out, Erich Cronje is ready to step into the 12 jersey to face the Glasgow Warriors. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
A new midfield combination will be scribbled onto the Lions’ teamsheet on Friday for their highly anticipated and all-important United Rugby Championship clash against former champions Glasgow Warriors.
Due to picking up an injury, incumbent inside-centre Bronson Mills will miss the clash on Saturday at Ellis Park (kick-off 4pm). Mills was spotted on Tuesday, during the Lions’ training at Johannesburg Stadium, with tongs in hand, stoking a fire after being handed the braai duties for a team lunch.
In his absence, Erich Cronje and Richard Kriel have been earmarked for the No 12 jumper this weekend. The former has recently been employed as a left wing and seems to have the inside track to the starting berth after some solid performances. Kriel offers the Lions a 6-2 split option on the bench — perhaps a crucial stratagem against the table-topping Warriors — as he can play at centre, wing or full-back.
With a shift closer to the action looming, Cronje is ready to change up his game to drive the Lions forward in the midfield.
“The approach changes definitely from an attacking point of view,” Cronje said, while musing about moving to centre.
“It is more direct and that is how we want to play against a Glasgow team that defends really well. Mentally, it is about going forward for the team.”
Outside-centre Henco van Wyk will surely partner whomever head coach Ivan van Rooyen and co choose, and it will be a part of Cronje’s duties to unleash ‘Weapon-X’ in the backline.
Said Cronje: “This team is about building spirit and getting together as brothers.
I am starting to learn (Henco’s) ins and outs. The one thing I know for sure is that he will get over the gainline.
"Playing off him makes my work much easier. He gets us go-forward so the second-phase is much easier as a centre to go out around the outside.”
“You have to weigh yourself up against the best and it is an opportunity for us as centres,” Cronje added, shifting his focus to the Warriors' attacking prowess.
“We are still younger than them, so there is an opportunity to learn. We need to be dominant and we will see that battle on the day.”
It remains to be seen who Warriors coach Franco Smith has selected to tour South Africa, but rumour has it the Scottish franchise will play their first-choice players after they were knocked out of the Champions Cup by Toulon this past weekend.
That could see the combination of Scotland international Sione Tuipulotu and powerhouse Stafford McDowall take the field. Smith could also possibly call on want-away Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, and Kyle Steyn.