The efficiency will give crew administration a bit of a variety headache.
Rising Lions flyhalf expertise Jordan Hendrikse made a agency statement of intent final weekend when he was named man-of-the-match as he helped his facet declare a cushty 28-23 win over USA Perpignan in their Challenge Cup conflict in France.
Hendrikse has been the common starting flyhalf for the Lions over the previous two seasons, however this season he has discovered his place beneath menace by typical scrumhalf Sanele Nohamba, who appears to have unseated him as the popular flyhalf.
He began the primary three Lions video games of the season at pivot, in United Rugby Championship (URC) losses in opposition to the Stormers, Edinburgh and Benetton, however then performed the following 4 off the bench.
Nohamba, who began the primary three video games at scrumhalf, shifted to flyhalf for their first win over the season in opposition to Scarlets in Wales, after which held the place over their loss to Ulster and large wins over Zebre and Dragons in the URC.
Good gamble
The Lions then determined to go away your complete starting 15 that thumped Dragons 49-24 at Ellis Park per week earlier in SA, playing on a second-string facet for the Challenge Cup match in opposition to Perpignan.
The gamble paid off, largely due to the efforts of Hendrikse, who scored 23 of the crew’s 28 factors by seven penalties and a conversion.
The efficiency will give crew administration a bit of a variety headache, however it’s possible that Nohamba might be again at flyhalf, together with the remainder of the common starting 15, for their conflict in opposition to Newcastle Falcons on Saturday.
Lions assistant coach Ricardo Loubscher was thrilled with the efficiency of Hendrikse and admitted that the coaches had been keen to provide him and some different gamers on the fringes an opportunity to play.
‘We know what he can do’
“It was great to see Jordan walking away from that game as the man of the match. We know what he can do,” mentioned Loubscher.
“The massive factor was simply to provide him the chance to play, to indicate what he can do. He managed the sport properly. We had scoreboard stress on a regular basis, and he performed in the appropriate areas.
“So it was part of the initial plan to give guys like Jordie (Hendrikse), Rabz (Maxwane) and Boeboes (Andries Coetzee) an opportunity to get sharp and their fitness back.”
With the journey logistics of getting back from France and solely arriving late in the week, whereas the starting 15 are in SA coaching as typical, it’s unlikely that any of the gamers from the Perpignan win will maintain their place in the starting facet for the Falcons sport.
But if Hendrikse can proceed taking any probability he will get and placing in massive performances, he might discover himself again in the starting line-up sooner somewhat than later.
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