This is the second article in the series of Lions Squad Contenders for Super Rugby 2015.
The Lions have real depth in the hookers, with Robbie Coetzee, Akker van der Merwe, Malcolm Marx, Willie Wepener and even Mark Pretorius available to them in 2015.
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 HOOKERS in the Lions 2014 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.
The Emirates Lions front row will be a force in 2015.
The Contenders:
Name: Robin Leendert “Robbie” Coetzee:
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Robbie went to Mayville Primary School and Eldoraigne High School and represented the Blue Bulls in the Under 18 Academy Week and CAR Under 18 in 2006.
During his further junior career he represented the Blue Bulls in 2007 at the Under 18 Coca-Cola Craven Week.
In 2008 he represented the Free State in the Under 19 and Under 21 Ccompetitions and in 2009 also the Free State in the Under 21 Competition.
In 2010 Robbie was back in Pretoria and at Tuks where he played Varsity Cup and also played for the Blue Bulls in the Under 21 Competition and in 2011 he only represented Tuks in the Varsity Cup.
In 2012 Robbie made his vital senior breakthrough, playing for the Blue Bulls in the Vodacom Cup and Currie Cup Premier Division.
Coetzee moved to the Golden Lions in 2013 where he played in the Lions Challenge, Vodacom Cup, Super Rugby Promotion / Relegation games and the Currie Cup Premier Division.
In 2014 Robbie had a good Super Rugby season amongst serious front row mates at the Lions and he will be looking to strenghten that position in 2015.
He was also called up as hooker cover to the Springboks for the End Of Year Tour but had to withdraw whilst on tour due to injury.
He will face serious competition from the lively Akker van der Merwe for a starting berth in Super Rugby.
Rugby Career:
- 2006: Blue Bulls (Under 18 Academy Week), South Africa (CAR Under 18)
- 2007: Blue Bulls (Under 18 Coca-Cola Craven Week)
- 2008: Free State (ABSA Under 19 Competition), Free State (ABSA Under 21 Competition)
- 2009: Free State (ABSA Under 21 Competition)
- 2010: Tuks (FNB Varsity Cup), Blue Bulls (ABSA Under 21 Competition)
- 2011: Tuks (FNB Varsity Cup)
- 2012: Vodacom Blue Bulls (Vodacom Cup), Vodacom Blue Bulls (ABSA Currie Cup premier Division)
- 2013: MTN Lions (Lions Challenge), MTN Golden Lions (Vodacom Cup), MTN Lions (Super Rugby Promotion / Relegation), MTN Golden Lions (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
- 2014: Lions (Vodacom Super Rugby), Golden Lions (Vodacom Cup), Xerox Golden Lions (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Springboks (Castle Lager Outgoing Tour – Squad Member)
Name: Armand Hendrik Petrus “Akker” van der Merwe:
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Although born in Vanderbijlpark, Van der Merwe grew up in George, where he played rugby for Outeniqua High Scool to win inclusion in the SWD Eagles Under 16 side for the 2007 Grant Khomo Week and their Under 18 side for the 2008 Academy Week and 2009 Craven Week competitions.
In 2010, he moved to Potchefstroom where he represented the Leopards and university side NWU Pukke. He was a regular for the Leopards Under 19 side during the 2010 Under 19 Provincial Championship competition, making 13 appearances and in 2012, he made 12 appearances for the Leopards Under 21 side in the 2012 Under 21 Provincial Championship, scoring 6 tries.
He played Varsity Cup rugby for the NWU Pukke in 2013 and 2014. He made 8 appearances and scored 3 tries in the 2014 competition, helping his side to the final, where they lost 39–33 to the UCT Ikey Tigers, with Van der Merwe scoring a try early in the second half.
His senior debut came in 2013, when he was included in the senior Leopards XV side for the 2013 Vodacom Cup competition. He made his debut against the Golden Lions in Johannesburg, coming on as an early substitute. He also marked the occasion by scoring a try in injury time at the end of the match. 2 More starts and 3 more substitute appearances (and 1 more try) followed during that competition.
His Currie Cup debut came in July 2013. He came on as a substitute on the hour mark at Olën Park in their 2013 Currie Cup First Division match against the eventual champions, the Pumas. While mainly being used as a substitute during the campaign (playing off the bench on 8 occasions), he started once in the competition against the Boland Cavaliers.
He made a further 2 appearances for the Leopards during the 2014 Currie Cup qualification tournament.
In April 2014, Van der Merwe was a surprise inclusion in the Lions touring squad for their Australian leg of the 2014 Super Rugby season. He made his Super Rugby debut against the Chiefs in Hamilton and scored his first try for the Lions in their next match against the Highlanders in Dunedin. After 1 more match that he played off the bench (against the Waratahs in Sydney), he made his first Super Rugby start in their final tour match against the Force in Perth.
His performances for the Lions in Super Rugby also led to a domestic move, with Van der Merwe joining the Golden Lions on a deal for the 2014 Currie Cup Premier Division competition.
Akker is one of the most improved players in the whole of South Africa and amongst all Super Rugby ranks and he will be aiming for a regular starting spot in Super Rugby in 2015.
Rugby Career:
- 2007: SWD (Under 16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week)
- 2008: SWD (Under 18 Academy Week)
- 2009: SWD (Under 18 Coca-Cola Craven Week)
- 2010: Leopards (ABSA Under 19 Competition)
- 2012: Platinum Leopards (ABSA Under 21 Competition)
- 2013: Leopards XV (Vodacom Cup), Pukke (FNB Varsity Cup), Leopards (ABSA Currie Cup First Division)
- 2014: Pukke (FNB Varsity Cup), Lions (Vodacom Super Rugby), Leopards XV (Vodacom Cup), Leopards (ABSA Currie Cup Qualifiers), Leopards (ABSA Currie Cup First Division), Xerox Golden Lions (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
Name: Malcolm Marx:
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He represented the Golden Lions at several youth tournaments. He played for them at the 2007 Under 13 Craven Week and the 2010 Under 16 Grant Khomo Week.
He was included in an South Africa Academy side in 2011 and, following the 2012 Under 18 Craven Week, he was named in the SA Schools side, where he played against France and England in August 2012.
In 2013, he played for UJ in the 2013 Varsity Cup, making 8 appearances and scoring 4 tries.
He was also a regular for the Golden Lions Under 19 side during the 2013 ABSAUnder 19 Competition. He made 13 appearances in total, scoring 4 tries – one of them in the final against the Blue Bulls Under 19. He was also named as the Golden Lions Under 19 Forward of the Year for his displays.
He was included in the SA Under 20 side for the 2014 IRB Junior World Championship.
He made his senior debut for the Golden Lions in the 2014 Vodacom Cup by starting in their 18–16 opening day victory over the Leopards in Potchefstroom.
He was also part of the Lions Super Rugby squad for the 2014 Super Rugby season, where he played 2 games.
Rugby Career:
- 2007: Golden Lions (Under 13 Coca-Cola Craven Week)
- 2010: Golden Lions (Under 16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week)
- 2011: South Africa (SA Schools Under 18 Academy)
- 2012: Golden Lions (Under 18 Coca-Cola Craven Week), South Africa (SA Schools Under 18)
- 2013: UJ (FNB Varsity Cup), MTN Golden Lions (ABSA Under 19 Competition)
- 2014: Lions (Vodacom Super Rugby), Golden Lions (Vodacom Cup), South Africa (IRB Junior World Championship), Golden Lions (ABSA Under 21 Competition), Xerox Golden Lions (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
Starters:
The Emirates Lions will fly with… errr I mean start with Robbie Coetzee and Armand “Akker” van der Merwe at hooker and will have Malcolm Marx as backup.
Additionally Willie Wepener and Mark Pretorius will be waiting in the background to also play a role in Super Rugby.
The Lions whole front row is going to be tough, rough and ready for all comers in 2015.
The next Article in the range will deal with the Lions locks.
Why all the Lions loving GBS? Hope you are not paving the way for you to jump ship or sail your boat south on Jukskei in 2015…