Eloff wields a heavy axe
Wed, 30 Apr 2008 12:20
Lions coach Eugene Eloff has finally lost patience with some of his under-performing players and wielded the axe for their Super 14 Round 12 encounter with the Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday.
The Lions team shows six changes, including three positional switches, from that which slumped to their eighth defeat in 10 starts this season when they went down to the Brumbies last week.
Top of the list of under-performers who have felt the weight of Eloff's axe is wing Rayno Benjamin, who has been replaced by Dusty Noble on the left.
On the other wing Louis Ludik has been rested after taking some heavy knocks, including a stray Brumby arm to the face that went unnoticed, with Jannie Boshoff shifting out from outside centre to the right wing.
Walter Venter, one of the few backs who could hold his head high in recent weeks, moves from No.12 to No.13, with Doppies la Grange returning from injury at inside centre.
The injury to loose forward Willem Alberts resulted in Joe van Niekerk moving from No.7 to No.8, while utility forward Franco van der Merwe is promoted to blindside flank.
Eloff hinted at the changes in his recent columns on the Lions website, but has resisted the temptation till now.
"I am not happy with the way we are applying ourselves in the game, the way we have been sinking in the second half and how pretty average some of our players are performing," Eloff said in his weekly column.
"Well, that’s what coaching is about – fixing those things and getting a team to perform and try to win every match, or at least play with heart and fire."
Auto and General Lions: 15 Earl Rose, 14 Jannie Boshoff, 13 Walter Venter, 12 Doppies la Grange, 11 Dusty Noble, 10 Jaco van Schalkwyk, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Joe van Niekerk, 7 Franco van der Merwe, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar (captain), 5 Gerhard Mostert, 4 Dewald Senekal, 3 JC Janse van Rensburg, 2 Willie
Wepener, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Replacements: 16 Ethienne Reynecke, 17 Ross Geldenhuys, 18 Cobus Grobbler, 19 Wilhelm Koch, 20 Chris Jonck, 21 Rudi Vogt, 22 Louis Ludik.
Date: Saturday, 3 May
Venue: Westpac Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 19.35 (07.35 GMT)
Referee: Matt Goddard (Australia)
Touch judges: Julian Pritchard (Australia), Garratt Williamson (New Zealand)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
Assessor: Stuart Beissel (New Zealand)
