Of all the returning players bolstering the Sharks this week, it will be the loose forward duo of Ryan Kankowski and Jean Deysel that make the biggest impact and ultimately result in a comfortable victory for the Sharks.
The backline will be more fluid and should hopefully be defensively sound this week. Thank Brad Barritt’s return to the number 12 jersey for that. Flyhalf will still be a bit of a problem and I for one hope that Michalak doesn’t get passed fit, so that we can start to build some continuity with Ruan Pienaar in that position. Chris Jordaan has taken his chances well, to the extent that he retains the right wing jersey, with returning Bok Odwa Ndungane replacing Henno Mentz on the left.
The tight five is strong as always, although BJ Botha is still out. Albert van den Berg will start with Steven Sykes on the bench. It’s a bit of a strange call, but it should work. du Plessis will have his hands full with Heinke van der Merwe, but with this combination, the Sharks should be able to hold their own at scrum time. Beast Mtawarira will look to make a huge impact coming on from the bench.
It’s in the back row, though, that the real improvement should come. Deysel has the perfect blend of size and speed to complement the tireless Jacques Botes and the mercurial Ryan Kankowski. Keegan Daniel will come on as an impact player this week and inject his particular blend of dynamism as the opposition legs start to tire.
The Sharks really need this one. They have a tricky trip to Kimberley coming up next and a home loss to the Lions would put their already faltering campaign firmly on the skids. Let’s hope the injection of experience turns the table this week.
Yes…I hope Deysel has healed completely. We’ve been missing his strength. Kanko should be hungry for some action and will probably score a try and create a few.
Seeing Odwa on the wing instead of “you-know-who” will also be pretty cool…
@blackshark (Comment 1) : wish we could drop Stef and play Bodders…
@robdylan (Comment 2) : also not happy he’ll miss out on the action…
Oom better have the game of his life…
@blackshark (Comment 3) : Seems certain players are picked more because of ROI than form
@robdylan (Comment 2) :
only if Jordaan goes to Fullback and Bodmer plays on the wing though.
@robdylan (Comment 4) :
ROI?
To me that means “Region Of Interest” (Don’t ask?)
ROI ???
Often in a tight match that is expected here the loose fowards
make the difference or sometimes it is the front row.
The Sharks do have a talented back row and “Mr Definite” or Ryan
Kanowski is one of the most exciting players on the planet today.
At Grey High in PE whenever Ryan received the ball it was definitely
on that he would score a try. Hence his nickname “Mr Definite”. I
would like to see him work on his handling of the ball. Who will
ever forget his superb try against the Crusaders away this year, a
game the Sharks can feel unlucky not to have won.
The Sharks have picked a better team this round but would like to
see the more exciting runner Craig Burden starting at No 2. Skipper
Badenhorst is all-round weak – week after week. His throw-ins at the
lineout are a shambles giving the opponents position with monotonous
regularity and his all-round play is poor. I am serious he would not
make the first XV of any Western Province club team where club rugby
is played at a rather high level.Maybe his related to Rudolf.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 6) :
@blackshark (Comment 7) :
My money is on Rudolph the Red Nose Commercial Manager.
@rugby brain (Comment 8) :
How Skipper gets PAID to play rugby is beyond me.
@blackshark (Comment 7) : return on investment. They are played because their contracts need to paid anyway.
@rugby brain (Comment 8) : so THAT’s where defnet comes from
All I am worried about is that the return of Deysel seems to be looked at as a salvation to the Sharks problems. Not having watched a game yet relying on you guys for my info. I can’t say I have a solution, however the Sharks managment seem to be very quiet, not that I would expect them to have a say on the Bog as that could OPEN them up!!A couple of days ago it was written that maybe some of the youngsters in the Accademy need to be exposed to Curry Cup Rugby as Dick Muir did in his first season as coach. I would be inclined to agree, however The Junior Sharks haven’t exactly sparked in the U20-U21 tournaments have they. Also Young Stars a Few seasons ago like Hargreave etc don’t seem to be able to carry on to the next level. For a Big Boy maybe Hargreave Needs to be sent to Mark Andrews for a few weeks to be taught a Bit of Mongrel??Enough of the scrum what about the Backline. Surely in the last few Craven weeks talented Flyhalves have been exposed, here we are worrying about our Scrumhalf being retreaded as our Flyhalf of the future against his wishes. All I see from FAR Away is a continuous drain of youth leaving for Europe ( however see they are reveiwing the Kolpac agreement)so this might be stopped. Hey I left for Greener Pastures so I am not blaming SA players takeing the opportunity with BOTH Hands, but it is sad if its to the detriment of RUGBY ( the Game I Love)
I am pleased Albert van der Berg is starting at lock in place of
Sykes. Albert will be a 4th loose forward again and must be used
more often as he does not have many more seasons to go. Jack White
was very right to have van der Berg in his squad but he is much more
than an impact player – just look at his pace for a lock and he and
Muller make a great pairing in the second row.
Imagine if Burden was starting what extra pace and skill he will add
to the loose play.The Sharks last won the Currie Cup in 1996 but we
all know the main reason has been THE TEAM had to sacrifice so many
star players annually since then to national duty and as a result the
Boks have scored big time.We are the world champions and this can be
attributed to a large number of Sharks players who keep on excelling
at the highest level.
If the Sharks play with more confidence than last week they should win
this one going away and maybe they can score six tries like Griquas did
against the Lions last time out. The big difference could be the Sharks
having six stars back in their squad.
The pressure is on the Lions to prove themselves as a force to be reckoned with as they have only beaten small fish in Griquas (rather
lucky here too), Boland and the Falcons.
Any young players 2 look out for at under 20/21 level
Ja like the LIONS don’t have any looseforwards…
Do the names of Baywatch/Franco/ALBERTS ring any bells….