This is the fifth in the series of the Lions Squad Contenders for Super Rugby 2014. We do 2 articles per week per South African Super Rugby participating franchise.
We discuss the players IN the Super Rugby Group, and not all the options beyond that.
In this Article we look at the contenders for SCRUMHALVES in the Lions 2014 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.
The Contenders:
Name: Michael Bondesio:
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Michael is a product of Dennesig Primary School, Lichtenburg High School and North-West University (Pukke).
He started playing for the Leopards in the ABSA Under 21 Competition in 2006 and made his senior debut for the Impala Leopards in the Vodacom Cup in 2007. In 2008 he first played Currie Cup First Division rugby. In 2009 he played for the Royal XV against the British & Irish Lions and also played Currie Cup Premier Division rugby for the Platinum Leopards in 2009 and 2010.
Michael made his Super Rugby debut for the MTN Lions in 2011.
He has a degree in teaching.
His playing career is as follows:
- 2006 – Leopards – ABSA Under 21 Competition
- 2007 – Impala Leopards – Vodacom Cup
- 2008 – Platinum Leopards – Vodacom Cup, Platinum Leopards – ABSA Currie Cup Compulsory Friendlies, Profert Platinum Leopards – ABSA Currie Cup First Division
- 2009 – Platinum Leopards – Vodacom Cup, Royal XV – British & Irish Lions Tour, Platinum Leopards – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division, Leopards – ABSA Currie Cup Promotion / Relegation
- 2010 – Platinum Leopards – Vodacom Cup, Platinum Leopards – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division, Leopards – ABSA Currie Cup Promotion / Relegation
- 2011 – MTN Golden Lions – Vodacom Cup, MTN Lions – Vodacom Super Rugby, MTN Golden Lions – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
- 2012 – MTN Lions – Vodacom Super Rugby, MTN Golden Lions – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
- 2013 – MTN Lions – Lions Challenge, MTN Golden Lions – Vodacom Cup, MTN Lions – Super Rugby Promotion / Relegation, MTN Lions – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
In a team with a real problem at scrumhalf, Michael Bondesio is probably their prime weapon at scrumhalf, but that does not mean he is that good… he is just better than the rest of the candidates.
Name: Ross Cronjé:
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Ross Cronjé is a product of Trinity House Primary School, Michaelhouse High School and the University of South Africa.
He played Under 18 rugby for Natal Country Districts in 2006 and Craven Week Under 18 rugby for KZN in 2007. In 2008 he played for the Sharks in the ABSA Under 19 Competition.
Ross made his senior debut for the Sharks XV in the Vodacom Cup in 2009 and played in 1 Super 14 match for the Sharks. In addition he played for South Africa in the IRB Junior World Championships in the same year and also made his Currie Cup Premier Division debut apart from playing for the Sharks at Under 21 level. In 2011 he once again played for the Sharks in the Currie Cup Premier Division before joining the Lions in 2012 where he played Super Rugby ad Currie Cup. In 2013 he played for the Lions in all their competitions.
His playing career is as follows:
- 2006 – Natal CD – U18 Academy Week
- 2007 – KZN – U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week
- 2008 – Sharks – ABSA Under 19 Competition
- 2009 – Sharks – MTN test, Sharks XV – Vodacom Cup, Sharks – Vodacom Super 14, South Africa – IRB Junior World Championships, Sharks – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division, Sharks – ABSA Under 21 Competition
- 2010 – Sharks XV – Vodacom Cup, Sharks – ABSA Under 21 Competition
- 2011 – Sharks XV – Vodacom Cup, Sharks XV – ABSA Currie Cup Compulsory Friendlies, The Sharks – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
- 2012 – MTN Lions – Vodacom Super Rugby, MTN Golden Lions – Vodacom Cup, MTN Golden Lions – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
- 2013 – MT Lions – Lions Challenge, MTN Golden Lions – Vodacom Cup, MTN Lions – Super Rugby Promotion / Relegation, MTN Golden Lions – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
Ross & his brother Guy are both candidates for scrumhalf at the Lions for Super Rugby in 2014 but Guy is a scrumhalf and flyhalf candidate, whereas Ross is a scrumhalf specialist, therefor he gets the nod from me in favour of his twin brother… not that it matters much because he is a pretty ordinary player.
Name: Rick Darryl “Ricky” Shroeder:
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Ricky is a product of De Vrije Zee Primary School, Paul Roos Gymanasium and University of Cape Town (UCT).
He came up through the Western Province youth ranks, representing them at the Under 16 Grant Khomo Week in 2007 and the Under 18 Craven Week tournaments in 2008 and 2009.
In 2010, he was included in the Western Province Under 19 team for the Under 19 Currie Cup competition, where he made 13 appearances. He also captained a side that contained future Springboks such as Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi and Frans Malherbe and eventually won the title, beating the Blue Bulls Under 19 in the final.
He almost repeated the feat in 2012 with the Western Province Under 21 side, starting 13 of their 14 games during the 2012 Under 21 Currie Cup season, but this time ending on the losing side against the Blue Bulls Under 19 team.
He also represented the UCT Ikey Tigers in the 2011, 2012 and 2013 Varsity Cup competitions, picking up another winner’s medal in 2011, making 4 appearances during the campaign, although he was an unused substitute in the final against Tuks.
His senior debut came during the 2012 Vodacom Cup season, coming on as a late substitute for Nic Groom in their first match of the season against near neighbours Boland Cavaliers. He appeared an additional 4 times in that competition, as well as being an unused substitute on 5 occasions. He made 1 further appearances for them during the 2013 Vodacom Cup competition.
After failing to break into Western Province’s Currie Cup team, he then joined Wellington-based side Boland Cavaliers on loan during the 2013 Currie Cup First Division season. He made his Currie Cup debut in their opening day defeat to the Leopards and made a total of 3 starts and 7 substitute appearances.
He has now moved to Johannesburg to join the Golden Lions on a two-year deal for 2014 and 2015.
His playing career is as follows:
- 2007 – WP – U16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week
- 2008 – WP – U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week
- 2009 – WP – U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week
- 2010 – WP – ABSA Under 19 Competition
- 2011 – DHL WP – Vodacom Cup, UCT – Varisty Cup, WP – ABSA Under 21 Competition
- 2012 – UCT – Varsity Cup, DHL WP – Vodacom Cup, DHL WP – ABSA Under 21 Competition
- 2013 – DHL WP – Vodacom Cup, UCT – Varsity Cup, Regent Boland Cavalliers – ABSA Currie Cup First Division
Ricky will be trying to break into Super Rugby in 2014 and he chose the franchise with the least scrumhalf talent to do it, where he might be third in the pecking order.
Starters:
The Lions should start with Michael Bondesio but he is rather injury prone so it will be up to Ross Cronjé and Ricky Shroeder… and even possibly Guy Cronjé to fill the boots at scrumhalf. It is a position where the Lions are extremely frail.
The next Article in the range will deal with the Lions flyhalves.
The web site had some serious load issues today, bloody web hosts… but after a fight for hours on end they now see things my way and the speed is back up to standard.
Hope it holds….
I will do the Sharks & Bulls scrummies tomorrow… whilst Timothy is currently busy with the Stormers & Cheetahs scrummies.
Michaelhouse is one word.
I must say that Cronje seems to have worked on his passing game, and his passes from the base of the scrum have gotten a bit crisper, and his sniping breaks will make him a bit of a handful, but he still not quite as good as Bondesio.
Decent players but no game-breakers here
The scrumhalf situation is rather bleak for the Lions…
Now if the Lions could lure Fourie Du Preez back???????????
or Rory the “French magician”
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