Big boost for Lions as contracted Boks booted

The Lions will have uncontracted Springboks André Pretorius and Lawrence Sephaka for Saturday's match against Griquas at Ellis Park after SA Rugby confirmed on Tuesday that all 24-contracted national players would not take part in the rest of the Absa Currie Cup.

A request from SA Rugby to allow three of the contracted players - Hanyani Shimange, De Wet Barry and Wayne Julies - to play in the Currie Cup to gain game time was turned down by the CEOs of the Lions, Cheetahs, Western Province, Blue Bulls and Sharks.

They deemed that it would be "unfair" to the other unions, much to the dismay of SA Rugby's manager of national teams Andy Marinos.

"The Sharks will have Ruan Pienaar, BJ Botha, Johann Muller and AJ Venter back from national duty.

André Pretorius and Lawrence Sephaka have returned to the Lions, while Wynand Olivier, Akona Ndungane, Pierre Spies and Pedrie Wannenburg are all back at the Blue Bulls," said Marinos.

"I fail to see how the continued participation of the requested three would give their teams an unfair advantage."

Lions coach Eugene Eloff said yesterday he was pleased to have Pretorius and Sephaka back, even though he would miss Ricky Januarie as they chase a Currie Cup semifinal spot.

The contracted players will be expected to attend a national training camp in Johannesburg from from Monday, September 18 to Saturday, October 14.

Of the 24 contracted Springboks, seven are currently injured, with Schalk Burger, Gurthro Steenkamp, Bakkies Botha and Ashwin Willemse having been out for some time.

Juan Smith, CJ van der Linde and Joe van Niekerk missed the last matches of the Vodacom Tri-Nations.

SA Rugby said that they had asked the unions to release Ralepelle, Muller, BJ Botha, James, Pretorius and Spies for at least one day a week at the camp.

Given the refusal of the CEOs to allow the three contracted Boks back into the Currie Cup, there may be little chance of this, too.

Contracted players: Eddie Andrews, De Wet Barry, Marius Joubert, Wayne Julies, Hanyani Shimange, Joe van Niekerk, Bakkies Botha, Gurthro Steenkamp, Ashwin Willemse, Schalk Burger, Jacques Cronjé, Jean de Villiers, Fourie du Preez, Os du Randt, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana, Ricky Januarie, Victor Matfield, Percy Montgomery, John Smit, Juan Smith, Albert van den Berg, CJ van der Linde