Jantjies set to be Bok No 10

Jacques van der Westhuyzen

JOHANNESBURG: IF Elton Jantjies stays fit, he will be the Springbok flyhalf for the three-Test series against Ireland in June.

This, in spite of the fact some critics have questioned the Lions pivot’s apparent weakness on defence – he’s missed 18 of 58 tackles in Super Rugby so far.

What is forgotten is the influence he’s had on his team, winning five of seven matches to date, and this includes his excellent decision-making and game management.

Jantjies is the form No 10 in South Africa and has shown he has the X-factor that can swing a match for his team. But he has managed to jump to the front of the queue because he’s been allowed to play his game.

The Lions lead the competition in “defenders beaten” and that has plenty to do with how Jantjies and the man on his inside, Faf de Klerk, have set up those around them. But it’s also down to the quality front-foot ball the backs have received from the forwards.

So while De Klerk and Jantjies and most of the men out wide have caught the attention of the fans, it’s the Lions pack who have laid the foundation for the strong performances up to now.

And captain Warren Whiteley was quick to speak up for his forwards when he was asked about Jantjies’ Man-of-the-Match performance in last Saturday’s win against the Stormers at Ellis Park.

“It’s fantastic for us (that Jantjies is playing with so much confidence),” he said. “But it’s a collective effort.

“At the end of the day, Elton wouldn’t perform like this if he didn’t have a pack that put in the hard yards, if the props didn’t scrum well, if the locks didn’t grind … he wouldn’t get that front-foot ball.

“Yes, Elton’s playing with magnificent confidence but collectively, as a team, the last two weeks have been fantastic. It’s now crucial, though, to find consistency.”

The Lions now travel to Port Elizabeth this weekend for a date with the Southern Kings.

Whiteley added that his team have found the recipe for success in the last fortnight against the Sharks and the Stormers, following a narrow defeat to the Crusaders.

“The decision-making and our game management has improved and we’ve got the balance right in the last two weeks,” said the skipper.

“Perhaps we’re still forcing things a bit in our own half, but we’ll keep looking for opportunities and back ourselves to take them.”

The Lions lead the way among the South African teams in clean breaks, metres run, defenders beaten and offloads – the key components for a successful attacking game – but up front, where the hard work is done, Johan Ackermann’s men are also in good shape.

They’re the best in ruck success, which has so far allowed De Klerk and Jantjies to get their team on the front foot and play the rugby they’ve produced, while they’re second only to the Bulls in lineout success, and third behind the Kings and Sharks in scrums.

As Ackermann said after Satuday’s victory: “Our first-phase possession was very good, we got our share of possession from the scrums and lineouts … and that allowed Elton and Faf to make big contributions with their little individual touches.”

Ackermann will name his team to face the Kings today.