Lions centre lauds Jantjies
Lions centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg says team-mate Elton Jantjies offers massive value on and off the field at flyhalf.
|||Johannesburg - Lions centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg says team-mate Elton Jantjies offers massive value on and off the field at flyhalf.
Janse van Rensburg was part of the Lions side that excelled in the wet against the Blues as they secured a 43-5 victory in Johannesburg last weekend.
The victors were spearheaded by a superior forwards showing and the game management of No 10 Jantjies, who showed a wide range of skills during his impressive individual performance. He created early try-scoring opportunities thanks to his pin-point chips, while he added four conversions in difficult kicking conditions.
Janse van Rensburg believes Jantjies has proven his quality this season. “Elton is the most diverse flyhalf I've ever played with. He's a great player on and off the field,” Janse van Rensburg told MyPlayers.
“He will tell you what he expects from you, which makes it easier to deliver as an inside centre-flyhalf combination. He listens when we speak to him and he is always willing to give help wherever it's needed. “At the moment, he is in a class of his own. Elton will do well wherever he plays - at Super Rugby level or higher. I truly trust in his abilities as a quality flyhalf.” Janse van Rensburg added that the team gained plenty of confidence following their impressive performance on Saturday.
“We knew it was going to be wet. We knew we had to adapt, but when the opportunities were there, we took them,” explained Janse van Rensburg.
“Scoring those three early tries created a great start for us. It gave us a great platform to play fearlessly. We are a team that builds momentum from each other's energy.
“The [50-17] defeat against the Hurricanes two weeks ago was a disappointing one and it came as a big shock, but we didn't allow that result to affect us going forward. We know if we want to do well in this competition, we have to work even harder. That's what we did against the Blues.”
Janse van Rensburg is proving to be an influential member of the Lions squad since his move from the Bulls in 2014. The 21-year-old is a strong ball-carrier at inside centre as he offers regular go-forward ball. He's also strong on defence and shows good distributing skills with exciting speedsters on his outside. The talented youngster said he's enjoying life at the Lions.
“It's been a great journey so far. I'm surrounded by a wonderful coaching staff and a fantastic team of players. Being able to learn and understand the Lions culture and what they wanted to achieve collectively played a big role as I settled in,” said Janse van Rensburg.
“To be playing Super Rugby is a huge honour. I've enjoyed every challenge that has come my way. I look forward to learning and developing my game at this level. “My goals for the season is to continue my good form and make a valuable contribution to the Lions' season. Every rugby player's dream is to become a Springbok and I'm no different, but I'm just taking things game by game. “I need to ensure that I'll be ready for every opportunity that comes my way.” - African News Agency (ANA)