Sean Everitt and the rest of the Sharks XV coaches are currently putting a pretty large squad of players through their paces to try and determine which of those guys will give the union the best chance of bringing the Vodacom Cup trophy to the Shark Tank this season. There are currently around 40 players in the wider training squad, but this will be cut down to a more manageable size closer to the start of the season.
There’s a pretty interesting blend of faces in the group, with the bulk of the squad made up of current Sharks age-group players. While there was a bit of a clear-out after last year’s under-21 competition, there is still a fair bit of representation from those ranks, while a good number of last year’s under-19 side, which Everitt himself coached, will get the opportunity to show their aptitude for senior rugby. There are also a few representatives who have excelled on the local club scene – mostly for Rovers – as well as one or two experienced campaigners who have returned to the Sharks after time abroad.
While we haven’t managed to obtain an official squad list, we’ve managed to piece together a pretty accurate idea of what it currently looks like. There’s always the possibility of a few players being in there that we haven’t heard about, but I’m sure those names will come out in time.
The front row contains a great blend of promising youth and experienced campaigners, with Sabelo Nhlapo and Dale Chadwick likely to fight it out over the number 1 jersey, much as they did last year. With Julian Redelinghuys out for the entire campaign with a knee injury and Wiehahn Herbst also out – possibly for the first few rounds – a pair of seasoned veterans in Robbie Harris and Ken Fourie will provide cover at tighthead. Harris last played for the Sharks in 2008, before spending time with Leicester in the UK, while Fourie hasn’t worn the black and white since the 1998 Currie Cup – the 33-year-old having made a name for himself playing for Cardiff in Wales. Kyle Cooper and Jody Jenneker should be front-runners for the hooking berth, with age-group players like Monde Hadebe and Sean Malton also pushing hard.
There’s further Currie Cup experience in the second row, with Anton Bresler likely to play a strong leadership role in the tight five, together with young players like the Marais brothers (Jandre and Peet) and Kene Okafor. Bresler’s locking partner at Rovers, Byron Egan, has also been rewarded for his consistently good form in 2010 with a place in the training squad, but he’ll need to work hard to unseat any of the promising youngsters in the squad.
Places in the loose trio are seriously up for grabs, with few of the players who represented the Sharks XV last year still around. From last year’s under 21 squad, only Lambert Groenewald and Dan Oijambo have been retained, while Lee Thompson and Cameron Dunlop are still in the picture from last year’s Vodacom Cup squad. Nico Claasen, a flanker who played for the Sharks at age-group level in 2009 before throwing in his lot with the Valke last year, has also returned, while the promising under 19 trio of Francois Kleinhans, Siseko Jafta and Marcell Coetzee are all very much in the mix as well.
Ross Cronje looks a good bet to captain the side from scrum-half, with Cobus Reinach backing him up, while the flyhalf options – Guy Cronje, Willie du Plessis and Fred Zeilinga (who only turned 18 last month) – are all young, but very exciting. In fact, when you look at the backline as a whole, you realise how great the challenge is facing Everitt, as centre Jerome Pretorius, who turns 23 in March, is the oldest player in the whole group!
The other centres are all age-group players, with Dwayne Jenner and Howard Mnisi from last year’s under-21 side joined by under-19s in Piet Lindeque and Heimar Williams. There’s a bit of a lack of depth at wing, with Kieran Goss, Rosco Speckman and another club star in Anton Verster all in the picture. Fullback will be adequately covered by Wynand Pienaar, who played there with distinction for the under 21s before breaking his leg late in the season, Jaco van Tonder and Gouws Prinsloo.
No kyle cooper or is he with the super squad?
As aleways Rob, you bring the “behind the scenes inside info”. I’m a bit concerned about Jerome Pretorius not getting any game time during the year except for the Vodacom Cup. Think he is a real talent. And we are exactly thin at outside centre in the Sharks snr squad. Your take on it?
Wynand pienaar not with the super squad?
@war1 (Comment 1) : Kyle Cooper is there along with Jody Jenneker.
Crap, I haven’t heard about Jody Jenneker in ages. Didn’t he go to the Valke for a while?
@JustPlainSHARK (Comment 2) : Jerome played lots for Rovers last year and excelled at club champs… scored 2 tries in the final. Turned down an offer from Tukkies to stay with the Sharks.
@war1 (Comment 3) : it would appear not.
@Butchie34 (Comment 4) : yes – Jody left the Sharks in about 2008 or so and went to the Valke. Had a reasonable Currie Cup there, just before the team fell apart. He then went back to the cape, where he played club rugby for a few years, before returning to Rovers last year. He was awarded man of the series at club champs last year
@robdylan (Comment 6) : zuks for back up centre then, not a bad option.
To be honest when I read this headline I though Everitt would be leaving the Sharks.
@war1 (Comment 9) : alarmist!
@war1 (Comment 8) : Adi, Zuks and Stef at 13… Bosman, JLP and Swannie at 12
@robdylan (Comment 5) :
Yes but what about provincial rugby? Come on Rob, why did Jerome stay? Any inside info on that maybe?
Here is the sharks squad as i see it for the super 15
15 Ludick, Stefan,
14 Odwa, Richards,Vilindlu
13 Adi,Waynand Pienaar, Lindeque
12 Bosman, Swannepoel
11 Jpp, Mvovo
10 Lambie, JLP , Steve Meyer
09 Mcleod, HOffman, Meyer
08 Kanko, ?
07,Alberts, Deysel
06 Botes, Daniel
05 Hargreaves, Skeate, Anton Bresler
04 Sykes, Mostert,
03 Jannie , Van Staden, Herbst
02 Bissy, Burden, Kyle Cooper
01 Beast, Smitty
@JustPlainSHARK (Comment 12) : he wasn’t done with the Sharks and wanted to give it one more year to try and make it
of course we know some of those players wont play in the positions i put them as like stefan would prolly play 13
rob help out there with my squad on loosies , thats where i see a problem if we get an injury or 2
@sharks_lover (Comment 13) : you can take Steve Meyer’s name off that list for sure… knee is buggered, so won’t play S15.
Richards is contracted to the Bok sevens team, so you won’t see him either. Also know for a fact that Pienaar, Lindeque, Bresler, Herbst and Cooper are all with the Vodacom squad
ah ok
so that thins it out quite a bit
and thanks i didnt know about meyer
Maybe sykes and mostert to cover @7 flank and alberts,keegan options @8..but does look a bit thin..been saying this since last year..mike rhodes shouldve been giving a contract (lock and 7 cover)or maybe some other youngster in u21s given a run (can’t think rhodes deal with lions was done via 2 sms’s in 5 min time..mustve had some sort of idea what was going on..player or his agent mustve approached sharks to enquire re: player’s future @sharks..looking @sharks gameplan,it puts lots of physical stress on the big ball carriers..would be nice if we could have a twinkle toes in midfield to exploit disorganised defences..)
Dan ojiambo then not at sharks superrugby training but with vodacom ..at lock/7 ?
Anton bresler @vodacom means superrugby locks: ali h,mostert,sykes,skeate.
@robdylan:could you keep us updated on the wiehahn herbst injury,please? And ,if possible,do an interview with the next springbok tighthead prop.
@bergshark (Comment 20) : correct
@bergshark (Comment 22) : he’s a shy guy, but I’ll see what I can organise
@robdylan: thanks !
My Sharks xv team, some might not be available when Sharks tour.
*-With Sharks superrugby side possibly.
1.Chadwick
2.Cooper*
3.Herbst*
4.Bresler
5.Jandre Marais
6.Nico Claasen
7.Jody Jenneker
8.Dan Ojiambo
9.Ross cronje
10.Guy Cronje
11.Vulindlu*
12.Jenner
13.Jerome Pretorius
14. Not sure who really?
15. Wynand Pienaar
16.Sean Malton
17.Sabz
18.Ken Fourie
19.Kene Okafor
20.Cobus Reinach
21.Fred Zeilinga
22.Piet Lindeque…Williams also has a shot.
Reinach to start if I was selector
Hope we can get some info on ken fourie,very much an unknown.
Wonder how jenneker’s conditioning is going?remember him still making his debut vs chiefs in ’06 s14.
i here all about the lack of depth at wing but apparently sean got a club star left wing anton verster,very quick strong and tallented,scored 22 tries in 22 games and top trie scorer at club champs
@sharknet (Comment 30) : hey sharknet, welcome to the site.
I’m excited about Verster, that’s for sure. I’ve been told his best time for the 100 is something crazy like 10.48 secs! Let’s hope he gets a look in with the XV this year.
We’d love to interview him sometime… I’ll get working on that.
@bergshark (Comment 28) : I know someone who knows him well
Ja he was in my team at rovers and he is lightning quick,he used to be scrummie and he was really decent but thing he is a great wing!think he will be a great option for sean and the team!he has worked hard the past few years and I’m surprised he doesn’t have an agent yet to help him along the rugby road!hope u do interview that boy he is n good guy!got his bbm pin and phone number if u like is
@sharknet (Comment 33) : thanks. I have him on bbm as well. Will have a chat with him
Hoffman or Mcleod to start for the season?who is actually the better 9?
McLeod, for sure. He is the incumbent.