The efficiency will give crew administration a little bit of a range headache.
Rising Lions flyhalf expertise Jordan Hendrikse made a agency assertion of intent final weekend when he was named man-of-the-match as he helped his aspect declare a cushty 28-23 win over USA Perpignan of their Problem Cup conflict in France.
Hendrikse has been the common beginning flyhalf for the Lions over the previous two seasons, however this season he has discovered his place below menace by traditional 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 his or her first win over the season in opposition to Scarlets in Wales, after which held the place over their loss to Ulster and massive wins over Zebre and Dragons within the URC.
Good gamble
The Lions then determined to depart all the beginning 15 that thumped Dragons 49-24 at Ellis Park per week earlier in SA, playing on a second-string aspect for the Problem Cup match in opposition to Perpignan.
The gamble paid off, largely because of 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 little bit of a range headache, however it’s probably that Nohamba shall be again at flyhalf, together with the remainder of the common beginning 15, for his or her 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 all know what he can do’
“It was nice to see Jordan strolling away from that recreation as the person of the match. We all know what he can do,” mentioned Loubscher.
“The large factor was simply to provide him the chance to play, to point out what he can do. He managed the sport properly. We had scoreboard strain on a regular basis, and he performed in the proper areas.
“So it was a part of the preliminary plan to provide guys like Jordie (Hendrikse), Rabz (Maxwane) and Boeboes (Andries Coetzee) a possibility to get sharp and their health again.”
With the journey logistics of getting back from France and solely arriving late within the week, whereas the beginning 15 are in SA coaching as traditional, it’s unlikely that any of the gamers from the Perpignan win will maintain their place within the beginning aspect for the Falcons recreation.
But when Hendrikse can proceed taking any probability he will get and placing in massive performances, he may discover himself again within the beginning line-up sooner quite than later.