Dick Muir has named his team to take on the Stormers this weekend and to say that the new Lions boss has made some surprising selection would be somewhat of an understatement.
Crowd favourite Earl Rose has been named at fullback and joins a back three that looks defensively suspect to say the least. Stormers and Bok discard Tondie Chavanga has always looked good running in a straight line, but has been known to struggle without the ball, while 19-year-old Wandile Mjekevu is a completely unknown entity. Muir has pulled a few rabbits out of hats before, though and you’d have to back him to be able to spot a good youngster.
Emerging Bok Deon van Rensburg has been preferred to Alwyn Hollenbach at 13, while Doppies le Grange is another somewhat surprising pick at 12. Walter Venter would be, in the eyes of most pundits, a better selection, with le Grange’s hands known to be a little suspect at times. Carlos Spencer will, of course, be at flyhalf with former Bull and Cheetah JP Joubert standing in for the injured Janno Vermaak at 9.
New recruit Jonathan Mokuena starts at number 8, together with a familiar flank pairing in Franco van der Merwe and captain Baywatch Grobbelaar. Willem Stoltz, the grizzled veteran, will be in the second row together with another former Griqua in Jacques Lombaard. Ross Geldenhuys is back in favour at tighthead prop, while Heinke van der Merwe selects himself at loosehead. There’s another surprise at hooker, where Pumas captain Hannes Franklin will start.
The bench is full of unknowns – among them Sharks XV loose forward Charles Emslie, who will be the hooker reserve, and Pumas scrumhalf Jacques Coetzee.
15 Earl Rose, 14 Tonderai Chavhanga, 13 Deon van Rensburg, 12 Doppies la Grange, 11 Wandile Mjekevu, 10 Carlos Spencer, 9 JP Joubert, 8 Jonathan Mokuena, 7 Franco van der Merwe, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar (capt), 5 Willem Stoltz, 4 Jacques Lombaard, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Hannes Franklin, 1 Heinke van der Merwe.
Reserves: 16 Charles Emslie, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg, 18 Todd Clever, 19 Derrick Minnie, 20 Jacques Coetzee, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Michael Killian.
Tweet
“crowd favourite earl rose”
Stormers should take this easily, BUT a little voice tells me otherwise.
@Salmonoid (Comment 2) : manie reynecke talks to you personally?
Dick Muir – can’t teach an old dog new tricks, this will surely be a game not to be missed, thanx wifey for my 50″ Plasma…WHOOO…WHOOO !!!
guys – we’ve made a few subtle changes around here. Let me know what you think – and especially if you find any bugs
@war1 (Comment 3) :
No, he only talks to himself.
Whats up with the star treatment.
@war1 (Comment 3) :
Only 4 Stars, I won a Currie Cup, B&I Lions Tour Series and Tri-Nations
@robdylan (Comment 5) :
The facebook link encroaches on the comments.
@Salmonoid (Comment 6) : check the all new User Statistics page… should give you a clue.
@robdylan (Comment 5) : it will take a while to get used to
loving the new logo tho, very nice!
@war1 (Comment 11) : needed more space for adverts
If you hover over any of the stars (or other icons) you should get a feel for what they mean
Very militaristic.
Stalin would be pleased.
There is a big white empty space here—————>
all the way down from beneath Beasts leg razor.
@robdylan (Comment 13) : i never thought i would get to being a currie cup player, thought i was done in high school
@Salmonoid (Comment 14) : even oom strools would be pleased
ATTENTION !!!
@Salmonoid (Comment 15) : that’s cos the page grows as the number of comments increases… capiche?
@robdylan (Comment 19) :
Wow, the more stimulating the conversation the bigger it grows,…. niiiice.
@Salmonoid (Comment 20) :
O boy someone has been busy.
@Salmonoid (Comment 20) : he he he
@Farlington (Comment 22) : I work late into the evening
But seriously, very reputable companies are now choosing to associate themselves with Sharksworld and it’s all because of the great support we get from every one of you – coupled with the impeccable way in which everybody conducts themselves.
I REALLY love you guys! I’d work 48 hours a day making this site better for you if I could.
@Charlie (Comment 21) :
What are you thinking about?
I wonder if Rob can take stars away for bad behaviour / thoughts.
@Salmonoid (Comment 20) : who stimulates who, here?
@Salmonoid (Comment 24) : no… you can only lose points for having a comment deleted… and that would only be the points you got for that comment in the first place, so it would cancel out.
I want nothing more than to see ALL of you end up with two lovely shiny platinum stars like mine…
But there’s a long way to go.
I’ll put up an article later explaining how the system works
@Megatron (Comment 25) :
@robdylan (Comment 26) : great job sire
@robdylan (Comment 23) : shaking hands and kissing babies, is there an election coming up.
@Farlington (Comment 29) : sorry. Got a bit emotional there
@robdylan (Comment 5) : topic should have read: Robdylan is full of surprises
@robdylan (Comment 26) : are these like Noddy badges or Keo dollars?
@robdylan (Comment 30) :
It’s cool, I just could’nt resist.
@Megatron (Comment 32) : not sure what Keo Dollars are actually useful for?
Hopefully I’ll be a S14 player by the end of the S14
Thus far I’ve found only 1 bug, I dont have a platinum star 
I like the new things, its very nice, like me
. Great job Rob.
@robdylan (Comment 5) : Jeez I thought I was on the wrong site
@Jarson’s (X + V) (Comment 35) : those are HARD to get… if you get 100k points, you’ll move up to Team captain, who gets one platinum star. Nobody is currently at that rank, although McLovin and wpw are about halfway.
@Jarson’s (X + V) (Comment 35) : Who do I need to suck upto to become a Springbok player
@war1 (Comment 16) : neither was I to be honest
@Jarson’s (X + V) (Comment 39) : Springboks don’t count at Sharksworld
@robdylan (Comment 5) : so “subtle” we almost haven’t noticed
@Charlie (Comment 8) : and for all that you got demoted to Currie Cup
guys check this out !!
from Sharksrugby.
“Brian van Zyl wishes to advise that Steve Meyer has announced his retirement from rugby with immediate effect. Due to personal reasons, he has requested that The Sharks release him from his contract and will not be available this weekend. “
@rekinek (Comment 44) : shite!
Do u think Steve read our comment about his tackling style?
@Salmonoid (Comment 24) : Mind reader now ?
@rekinek (Comment 44) :
Exciting things on the horizon for the Lions – that’s if the adminstration can take theirs heads out of theor arses…. Dick Muir turned it around for the Sharks and there is every reason to believe he can do it for the Lions. It can only be good for SA rugby if all our teams become competative.
@Jarson’s (X + V) (Comment 46) :
@MysticShark (Comment 50) : Hey, that was the easiest 5 pointer I’ve ever scored.
Oh, look – here’s 5 more
@MysticShark (Comment 52) : uh oh… remember, I can delete them again, hey!
@robdylan (Comment 53) : Gimme a break – I don’t ‘score’ as often as I used to.
On a more serious note, how did we lose Dick Muir? For some reason he could not be involved with the Sharks and the Bokke at the same time, but now it’s ok? Or do I remember it incorrectly.
Good on him for making some bold selections though, but is Willem Stolz really the best 5 they have. I dont think I’ve ever seen him do anything on a rugby field except at the lineouts.