Lions flyhalf Elton Jantjies remains a fan of the Currie Cup tournament and wants to add a second title to his collection.
Jantjies is back playing in the Currie Cup for the first time in five years. Before this season, his last outing in this competition came against the Pumas in 2013. This meant that he missed out on the Lions’ 2015 Currie Cup title triumph.
On Tuesday, the 28-year-old said he is enjoying being back in the premier domestic tournament and would like to go all the way in competition to make up for his absence in 2015, when the Lions beat Western Province in the final.
‘It’s so nice playing Currie Cup rugby again. It’s exciting for me, and it’s definitely given me some extra energy at this time of the season. I’ve always cherished the Currie Cup and I feel it should be given more attention in South African rugby,’ Jantjies said.
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‘The fact I didn’t play in the 2015 final is definitely a motivating factor going into this weekend’s game [against the Sharks]. I’m not going to shy away from it, 2011 was special [when he was part of John Mitchell’s winning Currie Cup team], and I feel the same type of vibe now.’
The Lions travel to the Sharks for the first semi-final. The visitors, who’ve had an underwhelming campaign so far, head into the clash as underdogs, but Jantjies remains confident of getting the right result at Kings Park.
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‘The intensity levels will definitely be up on Saturday, it’s playoff rugby. The secret will be to stay patient and use one’s opportunities. The fundamentals don’t change, whether it’s knockout rugby or a league game, Currie Cup or Super Rugby. You need to know when to run, pass and kick,’ he explained.
‘You need to win your set-pieces and make sure you’re competitive at the breakdown. But, having said that our value system will stay the same. The Lions always want to score tries and play a nice brand of rugby and play for each other. We’re not going to move away from that.’
Photo: Dirk Kötze/Gallo Images
