James, Lambie square up

Springbok coach Peter de Villiers may warm a seat at Newlands this weekend when the Stormers entertain the Bulls in the massive north-south derby, but he’ll be just as keen to see what happens in the 4pm game in Johannesburg when the Lions host the Sharks.

While several of De Villiers’ World Cup hopefuls will go head-to-head in Cape Town, the match-up he may be far more interested in will play itself out at Coca-Cola Park when Butch James goes up against young Pat Lambie of the Sharks. Both men were included in De Villiers’ 37-man World Cup planning group on Wednesday and both have a good chance of actually making the final cut.

So, tomorrow’s showdown between the veteran of the 2007 World Cup and the wünderkindfrom Durban could go a long way in not only determining who comes out on top after 80 minutes of action, but who will serve as Morné Steyn’s back-up in New Zealand later this year.

James’ switch from the midfield to the No10 jersey has come about after another World Cup hopeful, Elton Jantjies, was demoted to the bench for breaching team protocol while on tour. While De Villiers will be pleased to see James in the flyhalf position – after performing well at inside centre for the Lions while in Australasia – Jantjies’ chances of squeezing into the World Cup group are now, surely, all but over.

Jantjies has had a disappointing season when compared to the other young No10s in the competition and sitting on the bench this weekend, in what is the Lions’ final Super Rugby game for the season, as they have a bye next week, won’t help his cause one bit.

“Elton has to face the consequences of breaking team protocol,” said Mitchell in explaining his decision to start with James. “The leadership group made the decision ... it’s got to do with punctuality, he missed an appointment.”

But even though Jantjies has shown good form in the latter stages of the competition and combined well with his midfield, James and Doppies la Grange, Mitchell is not likely to be upset about what has transpired. The tough-as-nails James is sure to go out tomorrow with plenty to prove and he’ll be just as keen to put in a big showing against his former Sharks teammates. And, you can be guaranteed young Lambie would rather face Jantjies than James so, perhaps, Mitchell has already landed the first psychological blow ahead of a game he and his players are desperate to win.

“We’ve won three times this year, all of those away from home, so we owe our fans a win. We want to finish well,” said captain La Grange.

Mitchell will decide today whether he’ll start with Cobus Grobbelaar (bereavement) and Franco van der Merwe (eye injury), while Michael Bondesio returns to the bench following news that Rory Kockott will continue his career in France.

Meanwhile, Sharks boss John Plumtree, eager to get a win to keep alive hopes of featuring in the play-offs, has opted for John Smit at hooker tomorrow which allows Beast Mtawarira to start, while Willem Alberts (shoulder injury) will miss out on facing his former teammates.

Lions STARTING XV: Jaco Taute, Dylan des Fountain, Doppies la Grange (capt), Alwyn Hollenbach, Deon van Rensburg, Butch James, Jano Vermaak, Josh Strauss, Cobus Grobbelaar/Jaco Kriel, Derick Minnie, Franco van der Merwe/David de Villiers, Wikus van Heerden, Pat Cilliers, Bandise Maku, JC Janse van Rensburg; Replacements: Edgar Marutlulle, Jacobie Adriaanse, David de Villiers/ David Bulbring, Warren Whiteley, Michael Bondesio, Elton Jantjies, Michael Killian

Sharks STARTING XV: Louis Ludik, JP Pietersen, Stefan Terblanche, Meyer Bosman, Lwazi Mvovo, Patrick Lambie, Charl McLeod, Ryan Kankowski, Keegan Daniel, Jacques Botes, Gerhard Mostert, Steven Sykes, Eugene van Staden, John Smit (capt), Tendai Mtawarira; Replacements: Bismarck du Plessis, Wiehahn Herbst, Alistair Hargreaves, Marcell Coetzee, Frederic Michalak, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Adrian Jacobs