With Asenathi Ntlabakanye’s doping hearing set for later this month, the Lions have moved quickly to sign Corne Weilbach. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
The Lions are taking precautions in case there is an unfortunate outcome in Springbok prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye’s doping case, which is to be heard soon.
The big prop was given last week off by coach Ivan van Rooyen for “personal family reasons,” and RF Schoeman took his place for the Stormers match. After the Lions beat the Stormers at Ellis Park, Van Rooyen addressed the uncertainty around Ntlabakanye’s availability.
“We believe and hope the best for him. If it doesn’t turn out that way, that is one of the reasons why Corne (Weilbach) joined us recently,” the coach said.
The 24-year-old Weilbach has joined the Lions from the Stormers. He is a former Junior Springbok.
The unfortunate Ntlabakanye tested positive for a banned substance last year and had to sit out the Springboks’ November tour. The 26-year-old’s hearing was initially scheduled for December, but the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport said it is “a complicated case” and postponed the hearing until March.
In another player movement at the Lions, lock Raynard Roets has signed a two-year deal with French club Biarritz and will join the D2 club in July.
Roets, also 24 and a former Junior Bok, has been with the Lions for the last two seasons after coming through the junior ranks at the Bulls.
Roets has had his share of injury problems and has struggled to nail down a starting role under Van Rooyen. In 2021, Roets played for the Junior Boks against Argentina, Georgia, and Uruguay. He has the pedigree, but has not come through at senior level.
In other news, the Lions Rugby Company revealed on Monday that wing Kelly Mpeku and centre Bronson Mills have signed on with the union until 2029.
* Mike Greenaway is a senior rugby reporter at Independent Media and contributor on our Last World on Rugby podcast on our YouTube channel, The Clutch