John Plumtree could be forgiven for allowing himself an ironic smile during the week every time the ongoing question about his hooker options was brought up. The Sharks coach has ended the speculation, for now, by opting to start with John Smit against the Stormers, but the debate continue to rage. Ha he got it right, we all wonder, or would Bismarck du Plessis have been a smarter choice…
Fact is, Plumtree was faced with a question here to which there was no right answer and I’m sure the coach is smart enough to have realised that. What would cause him a massive sense of relief, though, is the reality that there was no wrong answer either and while pundits will put their opinions and theories forward until the cows come home, anyone with real rugby nous will realise that neither man’s inclusion could possibly weaken the side. Having Smit and du Plessis both fit, available and in good form is frankly a brilliant situation for the Sharks to be in and choosing the number 2 this week was probably the easiest thing he had to do all week. Just flip a coin because it has a head on either side.
Most of the other choices have, in fact, been similar. Jannie du Plessis has been chosen at tighthead for his experience, i imagine, although Eugene van Staden is very close to him in terms of what he offers all-round at the moment. The decision to retain Ross Skeate at lock makes sense from the perspective of needing to counter the Andries Bekker factor in the middle of the lineout and while many of us would have preferred to see Al Hargreaves promoted straight into the starting lineup, with Gerhard Moster retained on the bench, Plumtree’s decision to include all his best lineout men does add up. Just as there is huge depth in the front row, the second row is an area where the Sharks similarly have such huge depth that is becomes a question of who to leave out, rather than who to pick.
I would have started with Jean Deysel this week, simply because I rate Keegan Daniel’s so highly as an impact substitute. If the plan is to ease the big man back, then you may just as well give him 30 minutes at the start of the game with Daniel taking over as soon as he starts to tire. The thought of Deysel, Alberts and Kankowki operating in combination is just such a mouth-watering one that I want to see them on the field together as soon as possible and perhaps my sense of pragmatism has taken a backseat as a result! Plumtree has, in fact, been quite consistent in his approach here, with all of his injury returnees picked on the bench this week and you can’t really argue that it doesn’t make sense to do it that way.
The last unforced change to the side comes at wing, with the hugely experienced Odwa Ndungane starting at the expense of Lwazi Mvovo. Here again, it’s a case of neither selection being either wrong or right, with Oddie’s selection making complete sense in the light of his experience, huge work rate and great positional play, especially if the Stormers opt to kick a lot. Mvovo has a nose for the tryline that knows few equals, though and the temptation to include that finishing ability out wide must have been huge too.
I would’ve started with Bis – but you’re correct – either way it’s not a bad decision.
I agree with Odwa starting ahead of Mvovo. Experience and reliability and all that – with Mvovo adding pace and flair in the second half.
Sharks forever!
Rob what about our centres..think the stormers won’t try n nullify terblanche..I just think adi deserves a go..
Wonder when rotation will happen at scrumhalf..surely hoffman deserves a chance to shine
We are quite fortunate to have such quality depth. Truly blessed. All we need is some real quality at centre, someone with exceptional playmaking abilities.
Odwa will have an easy game marking Habana. Might just give Habs the handoff to score in the corner.
@Jarson (AddicteD) (Comment 3) : Can’t wait to see Marius Joubert play for us, want to see what he brings to the table. We should be sorted in the future at centre as long as we hold on to that Paul Jordaan chap. Can’t wait for him to make the step up.
@Ben (Comment 5) : Agree. Only time will tell.
@shaniboi (Comment 2) : I spoke to Reece-Edwards. They really rate Adi as an impact sub and don’t want to change that, it seems.
I reckon they’ll persist with Stef until Joubert arrives…
@robdylan (Comment 7) :fair but what impact does a player give with 7 minutes to go..
@shaniboi (Comment 8) : ah yes… that’s true.
my feeling is that the Sharks often dont use their impact players very well… they’ll make a change in the front row and at loose forward, usually, but leave the other okes on the bench until either they can no longer lose or can no longer win.
@robdylan (Comment 10) : That’s spot on. Noticed it as well.
@robdylan (Comment 7) : I have also rate Adi more as an impact player. But looking at our current stock, I want to see him play some more.
If guys were gettin 20 to 25 minutes fine..but when u look at the clock and its 74 minutes u have to wonder if the coach is just doing it so no one complains..
@robdylan (Comment 10) : personally who would u rather play..stef or adi..
Agree Rob: we are very fortunate to have 2 quality hookers. Sad thing is, like with the Lambie selection, Plumtree did not wisely choose this course, but had injury to thank for stumbling on the right path.
Like DB says, Plumtree has a glaring weakness when it comes to smart player rotation, despite his many other good coaching traits.
@shaniboi (Comment 14) : Adi, 7 days out of 7
Burden could have been a quality 13 if he did not move to the slow okes.
@Honey Badger (Comment 17) : I agree, but it’s too late to reverse that now
Funny thing is even in those 7 – 10 minutes Adi is able to show that he brings something extra to our game – imagine what he can do if given sufficient time.
20 minutes is what I’d be happy with, but anything less than 15 minutes for a backline player is a bit of an insult – especially for a player who is fighting for a place in the WC squad.
Are the logs up to date?
@klempie (Comment 20) : No.
http://www.rugby365.com/tournaments/super14/tables/
@robdylan (Comment 16) :
@blackshark – the lurker (Comment 19) : Agree…but JDV and JF will be the incumbent centre pair, the toss up will be between Adi and Juan De Jongh on the bench…Adi’s ability as impact player is surely world renown by now, Juan actually seems to struggle in making the cut in that capacity…
@robdylan (Comment 10) : @shaniboi (Comment 13) : @blackshark – the lurker (Comment 19) : I’ve made peace with the fact that despite pretty much everyone with the capacity for abstract thought knowing that Adi is a superior option, Stef apparently has incriminating photos of Plum and an altar boy, and so the status quo will remained unchanged ad infinitum.
What really, really, REALLY irks me (other than Plum’s rotate-when-broken policy) is this practise of bringing substitues on with 5 minutes left to play. What message do you send to the players? Generally the result is already beyond doubt at that point, which would imply that the coach does not have the confidence in players to play them when they could have a bearing on the outcome. Alternatively, it could create the impression that bringing them on is a last, hopeful roll of the dice, not an expression of confidence in their abilities.
Plum’s management of Jacobs and Hoffman in particular has been rather less than exemplary in this regard.
@Culling Song (Comment 24) : I still doubt in Plum’s player management ability…
@Culling Song (Comment 24) : I’ve got all the respect in the world for Plum. BUT I have to agree with you there.
@Culling Song (Comment 24) : What really pisses me of about Adi’s case is he can still go to the WC and I want him to go. But Plum just doesn’t seem to give a damn about that.
@Charlie (Comment 25) : You and me both. And Big Fish. And Dancing Bear. And Blackshark. And Shaniboi. And Rob Dylan. And Ben. Wait, I’m starting to notice a pattern here…
@Culling Song (Comment 28) :
WE WANT ADI !!! WE WANT ADI !!! WE WANT ADI !!!
@Culling Song (Comment 28) :
I’m so much on the same page as you on this that sometimes I read what you posted and feel superfluous.
@Big Fish (Comment 31) : I’ve noticed that about you…
@Big Fish (Comment 31) : You also like Jared Diamond, Tolkien and Pratchett. Are you sure you’re not my doppelganger!?
@Culling Song (Comment 33) : who’s Jared Diamond?
The ludicrously clever (speaks 12 languages, has several degrees) author of books such as Guns, Germs & Steel and Collapse. Looks at broad trends in human development and history, and then puts his findings into what is essentially text books, yet writen in a manner that the average man on the street (i.e. me) can understand and enjoy. Worth checking out.
@robdylan (Comment 34) : Dunno. But he’s got a cool name.
@Culling Song (Comment 35) : must have a look, then
@Culling Song (Comment 35) : Like the new look, CS. Although I kind of miss that old avatar!
Does anybody know whether Grant is definitely out yet? The decision was supposed to me made after Captain’s Run today…?????
@SharonvanWyk (Comment 39) : OK. Saw Morne’s comment on his thread. Question answered!
Thanks. New look courtesy of Dave McKean, graphic artist and comic book illustrator extraordinaire (and hopefully, not a member of Sharksworld, lest I get sued for copyright infringement!).
@Culling Song (Comment 33) :
You sir, are a scholar and a gentlman!
Professor Diamond feels free to think outside conventional wisdom – for that alone I admire him, leave alone that like you mention, he is stupendously intelligent.
Rob is also a big Discworld fan – I have yet to meet a Pratchett fan I didn’t like – must be the kind of person who enjoys a good laugh equally at both the mundane and the exceptional. And the mind to see the joke, of course.
OK. Leading question time… Can anyone tell me where Jacques-Louis Potgieter is? He seems to have dropped off the radar…
@Big Fish (Comment 42) : Now *that* is a whole other topic; can you tell beforehand whether you will like a person based on their tastes and preferences in literature, music, etc. (alternative title – do only a**holes listen to bad music?)? This weekend my wife and I came to the realisation that every person we know who’s seriously into music, also fall into the “foodie” category. Patterns, patterns everywhere!
@Culling Song (Comment 35) : I watched a History Channel doccie on that G, G and S of his. What a crock!
@Culling Song (Comment 44) :
Patterns are everywhere – especially when it comes to people – we are machines whose programming is set in childhood, and seldom changes thereafter.
@klempie (Comment 45) :
I would have guessed that much of his theory would run up against your preconceptions.
Never mind – we never liked you cos of your brains or looks anyway.
sharon.jlp is in the sharks xv for the vodcom cup match
@Big Fish (Comment 46) : What preconceptions?
@SharonvanWyk (Comment 43) :
He is playing for the Sharks XV tomorrow..