Sharks XV coach Sean Everitt has named a strong side to face the Blue Bulls in the opening Vodacom Cup game, taking place at Mr Price Kings Park on Saturday afternoon. A number of Sharks regulars, including veteran centre Adi Jacobs, will gain some much-needed game time with the side this week.
A number of players who have put their hands up in pre-season have been rewarded with selection, none more so than fullback Kobus de Kock, who has leapfrogged a number of promising juniors to make the number 15 jersey his own. De Kock – an absolute star at schoolboy level who doubled the Paarl Boys High try-scoring record in touching down 22 times in his matric year – has had a frustrating time with injury over the last few years, but is now finally ready to provide much-needed depth in the last line of defence.
Mark Richards is an obvious pick at right wing, with the lightning-fast Anton Verster looking to build on some solid form for Rovers last year as he plays on the left. Jacobs will start at outside centre, along with another Sharks stalwart, Riaan Swanepoel, in midfield. The Cronje brothers, Guy and Ross, will play flyhalf and scrumhalf respectively, with the latter captaining the side.
The elevation of Lambert Groenewald to the Sharks bench sees an unusual selection at blindside flank, where Peet Marais – usually a lock – will make his senior debut. Francois Kleinhans and Marcell Coetzee complete the loose trio and will want to use this opportunity to demonstrate exactly why Baby Bok coach Dawie Theron has opted to include them in his tour squad which heads to Argentina later next month. The other Marais brother, Jandre, will start at lock alongside the veteran Gerhard Mostert, while there is further experience in the front row with Rob Harris named to start at loosehead. Kyle Cooper and Dale Chadwick, in his new position of tighthead, complete the run-on side.
A few players will look to make a big impact off the bench, none more so than prop Sabelo Nlhapo who will look to do some damage with ball in hand in the second half. Baby Bok hooker Monde Hadebe is also there, along with Dan Adonga and Nic Claassen. Youngsters Cobus Reinach and Fred Zeilinga are the halfback replacements, while Jerome Pretorius – scorer of two crucial tries in last year’s Club Championships final – will be in the number 22 jersey.
The Sharks XV
15. Kobus de Kock
14. Mark Richards
13. Adrian Jacobs
12. Riaan Swanepoel
11. Anton Verster
10. Guy Cronje
9. Ross Cronje (capt)
8. Marcell Coetzee
7. Peet Marais
6. Francois Kleinhans
5. Gerhard Mostert
4. Jandre Marais
3. Dale Chadwick
2. Kyle Cooper
1. Robbie Harris
Replacements
16. Monde Hadebe
17. Sabelo Nhlapo
18. Daniel Adonga
19. Nic Claasen
20. Cobus Reinach
21. Fred Zeilinga
22. Jerome Pretorius
Hope we crush them bulls. Havernt seen their teams but we should be too strong.
@Ben (Comment 1) : their team is VERY young.
See Swannie is also in the centres, that is not a lightweight centre combo – lets hope that they find some form and push for their places in the Super squad, as Rob says, quite disruptive to have the senior boys in and out of the mix…
Go Sharks XV – looks like a quality unit – strong scrum too…
@robdylan (Comment 2) : I’m guessing their team will look a lot like the team that lost to the EP kings?
@DarkDestroyer (Comment 3) : So how many players will the sharks be taking on tour? Do you guys know?
@Ben (Comment 4) : it’s far weaker…
Ulrich Beyers; Akona Ndungane, Claude Burger, Fanie Booysen, Courtnall Skosan; Louis Fouché, Dustin Jinka; Tendayi Chikukwa, CJ Stander, Marnus Schoeman, Fudge Mabeta, Cornell Hess, Frik Kirsten, Henry Bantjes ©, Corné Fourie. Reserves: Zane Botha, Juan Pike, JJ Breet, Vincent Gwavu, Neil de Bruyn, JC Roos, Pieter van der Walt.
@Ben (Comment 5) : @Ben (Comment 5) : I can speculate, but not exactly sure 25-30… Big tours are usually 30 man squads… Rob?
@robdylan (Comment 6) : We should really win then.
@DarkDestroyer (Comment 7) : why I’m asking is I’m sure if we can take 30 players with us that swannie and adie will go with us on tour.
@DarkDestroyer (Comment 7) : 26 is the official number that SANZAR will pay for,
the tour squad, if you ask me, will be this match 22, plus Adi, Swannie, Burden and Ross Cronje.
@robdylan (Comment 9) : Okay cool so swannie and adi or only 1 of them will go with. Where is zuks? He’s not included in both squads?
@robdylan (Comment 10) : I’d take zuks in place of Swannie.
@robdylan (Comment 9) : And there we have it…
… So one of them might have to slug it out for a spot… Competition is healthy in current squad. Should it be a standoff between the two, might see Adi edge it…
@Ben (Comment 11) : Zuks could be potent, but experience might win the day…
@robdylan (Comment 10) : They’re saying Deysel might be ready for this tour – not so?
The inexperienced sides that the big unions are fielding will make for a very interesting Vodacom Cup that will in all likelihood be dominated by the smaller unions. Should be interesting.
I’m keen to see what Kobus de Kock has to offer.
@Ben (Comment 11) : to be honest, I didn’t think about Zuks.
The fact that he’s not in the Sharks XV squad makes me think his hammie might still be playing up.
It would probably make more sense to take him ahead of Swannie, if he’s fit.
@DarkDestroyer (Comment 15) : crazy to take Deysel, IMO.
@beet (Comment 16) : Why do you say dominated by the smaller unions? Not combative, or critical, genuine interested like?
@robdylan (Comment 18) : Match readiness or too much risk? Give more time to rehab?
@DarkDestroyer (Comment 20) : too much risk. When you’ve been out for 6 months or more, you need to ease yourself back to match fitness via club rugby or the vodacom cup
@robdylan (Comment 17) : Just because he can play wing as well for me.
@DarkDestroyer (Comment 19) : I just think of teams like the Griquas, Pumas, Boland and possibly even the EP Kings who’ll have more experienced sides are going to be much harder to beat this season. I guess a lot of my opinion has to do with the usually strong Bulls looking very vulnerable for a change.
@robdylan (Comment 21) : I wholeheartedly agree, he is far too valuable to rush back… I sincerely hope sponsors and management are not rushing his readiness… Man I miss JD on the park – this is a big season for him. To be considered a Bok he needs to lose the “injury prone” tag that ruthless media chuck around when they can’t sing his praises… He is an asset and a world class player – we need to be patient for the big guy to return.
@beet (Comment 23) : Yeah. The is a definite shift at the Bulls taking place, the halcyon days are coming to an end, a new era for them with their young guns having to step up to the plate…
Sharks XV will be there
Province have good structures in junior ranks
Cheetahs – not so sure – all and sundry training with Super squad
Lions – have some class players here and there – could pose a few threats…
The Griquas will basically be the CC team bar a few of their losses to Cheetahs for Super duty
EP Kings will be settled
Pumas – well I don’t hold much hope for them to slay the bigger guys…
But Richards seem to be bracketed. So if he does not make it in S15 team can he still play in this game ?
Where is Piet Lindeque for this game?
THIS ARTICLE HAS SO MANY SPELLING MISTAKES AND ERRORS???
@s.h.a.r.k.s (Comment 28) : This is not a forum on literature, its a wiki blog for Sharks fans – do you see the news? Do you understand the news? I see you have a Sharks Avatar – cool… Less critique and more discussion…
@s.h.a.r.k.s (Comment 28) :
No need to shout
@s.h.a.r.k.s (Comment 28) : apologies… I have fixed them. Sorry that I caused you to lose your cool
@slammerboy (Comment 27) : if I wasn’t stuck in flipping Portugal without my Blackberry, I would be able to answer that
I suspect Piet must have picked up an injury somewhere.
Are there any dstv hd pvr fundus here? Can anyone tell me why they put a usb port in it. Can’t find a use for it?
@Ben (Comment 33) : dstv says it’s for future use.
@rekinek (Comment 26) : where do you see Richards bracketed?
@Danman110 (Comment 34) : Hahaha wtf?
AAA@Ben (Comment 36) : pace are the manufactures of the decoders and they say if multichoice updates the software we will be able to conect external storage which would be nice because I am on 88% usage and about 80% is rugby and there Is still lots of rugby to c
ome.
hey – is the Sharks XV game gonna be on tv?
Thanks – I thought it was quite funny to be honest
“14:30 – 16:40 Rugby Vodacom Cup: Sharks XV v Blue Bulls” SUPERSPORT 1
@s.h.a.r.k.s (Comment 40) : nice, but I guess it won’t be on streaming, more’s the pity
@s.h.a.r.k.s (Comment 39) : well, I do give up a lot of my time to do this, so I’m glad you’re able to get some amusement from it, at least…
@robdylan (Comment 35) : sorry
meant Groenewald – he is slash behind botes…
@s.h.a.r.k.s (Comment 39) : you were
@robdylan (Comment 42) : zee tribe is grateful
Watching Supersport Boots & All – Ricky Januarie does not have the dimensions of a scrumhalf – ha ha – like Butchie said – he’s like a little prop…
@robdylan (Comment 18) : “We’re hoping Jean Deysel joins us during this tour, we expecting him to play some rugby in a fortnight.” Coach John Plumtree – Boots & All interview…
@DarkDestroyer (Comment 47) : thanks… interesting.
@Danman110 (Comment 37) : I seriously doubt that they will make that possible as it would be easy to share those stuff with your friends then, they call that piracy.
what a bench weve got!!
exciting times for the sharks i feel… cant help to notice that the bulls have put most of their ussual Vodacom Cup talent into the Varsity cup through Tuks and TUT. thats why theyve got such a weak VC side IMO.
@robdylan (Comment 48) : Yeah well, lets see – we both kinda agreed that that would be a little too risky… Holding thumbs for Wolla