Like the Lions, the Springboks have injury concerns of their own ahead of the 2009 Lions tour. So, who is going to play fullback following the retirement of Percy Montgomery and a serious injury to the incumbent, Conrad Jantjes? Gavin Rich, writing for SuperSport thinks that it could be a blessing for Bok coach Peter de Villiers.
"The unfortunate injury to Conrad Jantjes could on one level be a lot more problematic than a lot of people realise, but on another it could force a solution to the biggest dilemma facing Springbok coach Peter de Villiers ahead of the series against the British and Irish Lions.
Let’s start at the first issue, which is of course transformation. Like it or not, De Villiers is under pressure to make the Springbok team as representative of the demographics of this country as it can possibly be. Memories are surely not so short that we can forget the huff caused by some politicians when last year he dropped Ricky Januarie and Jantjes for the first game of the home leg of the Tri-Nations.
Up until a few weeks ago Jantjes would not have been assured of a place in the Bok starting team. That was when Adrian Jacobs was fit, healthy and playing well. Jaque Fourie was in excellent form too, and to my mind, he was the best centre in the country."
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