I sat myself down on Sunday, still feeling the effects of a below par Sharks team scraping yet another win against a minnow team, and decided to voice my concern in an article highlighting the centres at the Sharks. This was met by some interesting comments, most that I did not expect, about which players should be bought, from an over the hill Doppies la Grange to a player who has not played any Vodacom Cup, Currie Cup or Super Rugby in JP du Plessis. So this got me thinking…
Put yourself in Rudolf Straeuli, John Plumtree and the rest of the brains trust behind the Sharks’ shoes, and put in the comments below your ultimate Sharks team. This team must consist only of players who are currently still playing and may include Springboks and players from any country. Imagine you have an open cheque book and you can sign any player in the world.
To get you started, here is my ultimate Sharks team, which I would love to see take the field this weekend:
1. Beast Mtawarira
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Wiehahn Herbst
4. Gerhard Mostert
5. Anton Bresler
6. Keegan Daniel
7. Jean Deysel
8. Willem Alberts
9. Fred Michalak
10. Pat Lambie
11. Sibusiso Sithole
12. Paul Jordaan
13. Robert Ebersohn
14. JP Pietersen
15. Louis Ludik
16. Craig Burden
17. Eugene van Staden
18. Eben Etzebeth
19. Marcell Coetzee
20. Cobus Reinach
21. Fred Zeilinga
22. Gouws Prinsloo
Robert Ebersohn? Thought he signed a new deal with the Cheetahs.
Will Zuks be back?
@Butchie34 (Comment 1) : Didn’t read the entire post did you?
@Butchie34 (Comment 1) : Ai Butchie…READ!
Jaco Gouws?
Cheeky one that
@robdylan (Comment 4) : was he one of the “no names” Putt brought in?
@JarsonX (Comment 2) : @Ice (Comment 3) : Sorry guys, been trying to do too many things at once this morning.
Still no place for Kanko? Seems a bit harsh that.
@Butchie34 (Comment 6) : With marcell Coetzee in the mix? You must be kidding! Wp might as well offer Kanks a deal now!
I’m assuming any 1 player in the world.
1. Beast
2. Bissie
3. Herbst
4. Bresler ( Mostert would also be a new signing because he is no longer a Shark)
5. Hargreaves
6. Deysel
7. Marcell
8. Alberts/ Keegan
9. Fred
10. Lambie
11. Mvovo
12. Juan de Jongh
13. Riaan Viljoen (Already a Shark?)
14. Sithole
15. JPP
@Ice (Comment 7) : My thing is that Kanko is an 8th man, Coetzee has been playing as a flank, so they’re not even competing for the same position.
Anyway, didn’t Kanko’s dad, Tino, play wing for EP? So wouldn’t he maybe move to the Kings? (Yes, Megatron I suggested it)
@Butchie34 (Comment 9) : he’s playing flank, but is an 8…and Kanko also plays flanks lots of the time..
@Ice (Comment 10) : I think Kanko has played flank once (for the Boks), failed experiment that. We’ll have to disagree on this one. Kanko hasn’t had the best season so far this year but he’s quality.
I’ll buy Daniel Carter…to cover for 10 and 12 from bench….and for me to look at!
Well Rich, you did say if money was not a problem!
@Ice (Comment 12) : I’d keep Lambie for flyhalf (he’s the future, DC is going to be the past) and get SBW then for inside centre.
@Butchie34 (Comment 13) : Thats why Isaid – DC purely for bench purposes!
@Butchie34 (Comment 11) : READ – this is a Sharks team not BOKS!
Anyone in the world
1. Beast Mtwarira
2. Bismark du Plessis
3. Owen Franks
4. Sam Whitelock
5. Alistair Hargreaves
6. Keegan Daniels
7. Willem Alberts
8. Ryan Kankowski
9. Will Genia
10. Pat Lambie
11. Chris Ashton
12. SBW
13. Jaque Fourie
14. JPP
15. Israel Dagg
@Ice (Comment 14) : I know it’s a Sharks team and not the Boks. I did READ.
@Ice (Comment 14) : Kanko has also come out and said he doesn’t want to play flank again for the Sharks OR the Boks.
i see if everyone is allowed then…
1. BEEEEEEAST Mtawarira
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Wiehahn Herbst
4. Steven Sykes
5. Johann Muller
6. Keegan Daniel
7. Jean Deysel
8. Willem Alberts
9. Ruan Pienaar
10.Fred Michalak
11. JP
12. Frans Steyn
13. Adi Jacobs
14. Lwazi
15. Pat Lambie
Interesting that no one has selected any of the available Sharks centers yet.
If you want to step into Plum and Rudolf shoes should we no rather say, what would your team look like in next years s15, realistically. So who would you buy that possible could be available? Who would you drop from this squad and which of the young players would you use?
My ultimate team ;
1.Beast
2.Bismark
3.Jdp
4.Hargs/J Muller
5.Flip VD Merwe
6.Marcel
7.Alberts
8.Daniels
9.Mcleod 10.Michalak
12.Frans Steyn 13.Johan Sadie
11.Viljoen 15.Lambie(have him/steyn and mich mix it up) 14.JPP
16.Burden
17.Herbst
18.Skeate
19.Deysel
20.Kankowski
19.Mvovo
21.Jacobs
22.Ludik
8 man bench
Better question yet, who would you select now that Deysel is back and Marcell is playing so well?
Who would you select as centres this weekend?
@Butchie34 (Comment 9) : no. we don’t want kanko who runs sideways we have luke, thank you
@Letgo (Comment 19) : Nope = It’s just “the ultimate Sharks team….guess it could go for CC and Super 15..
Would YOU use any of the current available Sharks centres for the Ultimate Sharks team out of ANY available currently playing group? Locally and overseas?
@Letgo (Comment 22) : would try marcel at 6 and deysel at 7 as an experiment
@Letgo (Comment 22) : However in a fair world you give it to the more senior player
@Ice (Comment 24) : I guess one have to use the majority of the current Sharks squad though – so ther might just be one or two ‘buys”where we seriously do not have anything to offer to get to the ultimate Sharks team. Coetzee and Bres will defnitely stay in my squad.
@Letgo (Comment 22) : Plum will obviously select the Boks cast-off Deysel
@Ice (Comment 24) : Probably Adi, I would prefer selecting guys that’s already Sharks, otherwise it wouldn’t feel like a Sharks team anymore.
Would my ultimate team also be my ultimate Sharks team, nope, because for me the Sharks are moer than just a bunch of players thrown together and I’ve always thought Adi has been good for the Sharks. Would I select him as my first choice 13, again, no… everyone knows Jaque Fourie is one of the best centers in the world, but I just don’t want him in my Sharks team over Adi.
@Megatron (Comment 28) : Maybe use him from the bench?
Who do you think he’l drop though. Young outstanding player of the season so far. The other Bok cast of or the captain?
@Letgo (Comment 19) :
I do not think you understand the concept of this article.
The idea is to slect any player in the world and assume that they would train together and be a world class team.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 31) : Any ONE player?
@Pokkel (Comment 32) :
Your entire team can be the All Blacks starting line-up, if that’s what you would like.
You can bring in as many players as you want, from whichever country in the world.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 31) : but use in the current squad the players that can do the thing? And add anyone who will enhance the current squad to the ultimate?
@Ice (Comment 34) :
Yes.. well done Ice!
This is a fun idea, a sort of fantasy Sharks team. Its not a science..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 35) : A+??? Cum Laude!! Yaaaayyyy!!!!!!
Im seriously rethinking my team, the more I think about it, the more players I come up with.
For instance, I would really love Brussouw in the team, but who do you drop to play him?!
And Ebersohn might get the boot in favour of Conrad Smith..
@Ice (Comment 36) :
Not everybody can be perfect like you now can they?
Especially not Ard!
We all bow the the perfect person who is Ice.
So theoretically you are selecting a world 22 that can play for the Sharks?
@Letgo (Comment 30) : well when the Bok discards came back the first time he dropped sbura and them back to u21 so i expect normal service to resume!
Dream Sharks team revisited.
1. Beast
2. Bissie
3. Franks (which brother plays tighthead again?)
4. Whitelock
5. Bekker
6. Brussow
7. Alberts
8. Marcell
9. Hougaard
10. Lambie
11. Mvovo
12. Carter
13. Jaque Fourie
14. JPP
15. Isreal Dagg
@Salmonoid (Comment 39) :
Yes..
So you can bring in one or two players whom you think will bolster the squad, or you can select an entire new 22, go crazy…
@Pokkel (Comment 41) :
I like that team!!
Carter at inside centre is a master stroke!!
let me get this straight, have all you sharks fan now realised that meyer bosman is kak? i don’t see him even in the reserve columns, bwahahahaha.
it took you guys long enough
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 43) :
I just swopped Jannie for one of the Franks Brothers.
@Pokkel (Comment 38) : Dankie, Dankie!
@Megatron (Comment 44) : Not US…its the guys at the helm who did and still dont realise that!
Funny how JP du Plessis and Doppies and the like don’t get selected now….
@Ice (Comment 12) :
Sport Mentor Media
Peter de Villiers said last night that leaving Lwazi Mvovo out of the Springbok RWC squad was the most difficult decision he had to make in terms of the selection of the 30 players who will go to New Zealand on September 1.
@Me2 aka Mama Shark (Comment 49) : If he is there anyway, might as well look…
@Ice (Comment 50) : no, that is a misrepresentation of what peter said!!
‘Lwazi was one of those selections that you had to really think hard about because he is an extraordinary talent. We sat and thought about what we need at this World Cup and what role the players should play.
‘If I needed a guy to start it would definitely have been Lwazi, but we do have a few guys who will be in the starting line-up and we are looking to those guys who have been around the block and who are holistically good in the position who can do well in defence as well as attack,’
@Ice (Comment 51) : Yeah Icey…”all in the eye of the beholder”
@Megatron (Comment 52) : Dont shoot the messenger – copied and paste it straight off SMM’s FB page….So some churnalist is changing Peters’words…
@Ice (Comment 54) : didn’t shoot you, just said what you pasted is a misrepresentation of what the man said.
@Megatron (Comment 55) : I know – should have put a ‘smiley’in after that!
Brussow at 6, Daniel isn’t a fetcher more a no 8.
Oh this is fun :
1. Beast
2. Bissie
3. O Franks
4. Whitelock
5. Groot Daan !
6. Brussow
7. Alberts
8. Sabastian Chabal
9. Hougaard
10. Carter
11. Mvovo
12. Sonny Bill !!!
13. Johan Sadie
14. JPP
15. Lambie
I`ll have complete confidence!
@Original Pierre (Comment 58) : So you do not even think Coetzee deserves a spot in a Sharks squad??
@Megatron (Comment 44) : Agreed, amazing to think how everyone critized me when I wanted his contract cancelled during the super 15 warm up games . . .
@Ice (Comment 59) : I thought I had carte blanche!
Chabal will bring something special to the mix
@Original Pierre (Comment 61) : Enigste carte Blanche wat JY het is op jou TV op ‘n Sondag!
@Ice (Comment 62) : If my dream team ever had to run out for the sharks there`ll definately be a carte blanche investigation regarding our finances !
@Original Pierre (Comment 58) :
I like your team…..but Groot Daan has been terrible lately and you also have 2 no4 locks in that team.
Strange that I have not seen selections of Odwa…
He is better than Mvovo and Sithole…by some margin…
Mvovo should consider working on his defense and moving to the centre’s…
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 48) :
Jaco Gouws? The old SWD looseforward that came to the Sharks. Is he still around?
Must surely be Gouws Prinsloo
Boerseun is the big JP du Plessis fan. He was super schoolboy player but then so were umpteen other guys that are no longer hear of. The Aussie system is small. If he stays there he should surface in one of their SR teams in a few years time.
@beet (Comment 66) :
You are correct..
I am sorry for getting that wrong.. I was writing this at 10pm laast night..
@beet (Comment 66) : the thing about him that worries me is that the Aussies are generally NEVER afraid to push young talent in if they’re good enough.
The fact that du Plessis wasn’t deemed good enough to appear for the Rebels (not as good a team as the Sharks) at ANY stage of the season speaks volumes.
I thought that Rich had picked old warhorse Jaco Gouws as a backline reserve just to prove exactly how silly this exercise is!
@robdylan (Comment 68) : Good point Rob. And I just know that once Boerseun reads what you’ve typed, he’s going to absorb it, accept ur view and move on just like that.
@robdylan (Comment 68) : Agreed – I made a similar point on another post about du Plessis. There is no doubt he was a talented schoolboy but there is a big difference between that level and even U19 & 21 let alone Super Rugby. For the same reason I will reserve judgement on Jordaan until he has stood out consistently at U19 & 21.
By way of example I wonder how many people can recall a centre from Outeniqua named Earl Snyman who played SA Schools and SA U19 in 2007 ahead of players like Johan Sadie. He went on to OFS where he played U19 & 21 and I think is currently at the Griffons.
I have to disagree with your assessment of Doppies la Grange. IMO he has been consistently good in an underperforming setup for years. He is 29 now but would still have been a far better buy than Bosman, Joubert or JLP and for good measure is also a durban boy who went to Port Natal.
is it unanimous that Meyer Bosman is amongst the kakkest purchases the sharks have made if not the worst?
@Megatron (Comment 72) : Epi Taione spares just about any other Sharks contender from the title of worst purchase
@Megatron (Comment 72) : @beet (Comment 73) : Epi Taone, and my other favourite, Dean Hall. And Kees Lensing.
@Culling Song (Comment 74) : Oh yes, and Gus Theron. And while I like the player, Gerhard Mostert was not exactly value for money
@Culling Song (Comment 74) : Goode!
@Culling Song (Comment 75) : Hernandez neither..
@Ice (Comment 77) : Oh and Steve Meyer (?)…
@Dancing Bear (Comment 76) : Gotta appreciate the irony of that name… I actually have a soft spot for Goode; terrible player, but he struck me as a good bloke placed in a situation where he was out of his depth and faced with unrealistic expectations.
@Culling Song (Comment 79) :
Actually very true, he certainly was not the disaster that Epi, and the others mentioned were, while I agree he was out of his depth, he was actually quite solid with his level of play, only problem is his level of play was probably the Vodacom Cup. 
@Culling Song (Comment 79) : skullet was rubbish, but this bosman guy has leaked too many tries tjoe!
@Megatron (Comment 81) : I think we can all agree that the Sharks’ player acquisition department is not the envy of unions the world over…
@Culling Song (Comment 82) : awww come on, Thierry LaCroix and Oliver Roumat were excellent acquisitions in 1996!
1. Beast
2. Bismark du Plessis
3. Martin Castrogiovanni
4. Brad Thorn
5. Victor Matfield
6. Richie McCaw (VC)
7. Willem Alberts
8. Sergio Parisse (C)
9. Fred Michalak
10. Dan Carter / Pat Lambie
11. Digbe Ioane
12. Pat Lambie / Dan Carter
13. Jaque Fourie
14. James O’Connor
15. Israel Dagg
16. Keven Mealamu
17. Thomas Domingo
18. Owen Franks
19. Jean Deysel
20. Kieran Read
21. SBW
22. Frans Steyn
@robdylan (Comment 68) : JP du Plessis is back from Oz and is now with WP – he is in their U21 side for this weekend
@steve (Comment 85) :
What a shame they couldn’t have gotten him back just a little earlier. Then could’ve watched him versus Sharks U21 side. Oh well.
@hendrikp (Comment 86) : Then we wouldn’t have had to play against van der Spuy. We might have won the game. What a shame.
@12 jamie roberts&frans steyn
Sorry for bending the rules but gonna put down 32 names I’d like to see in the sharks sr squad 2012:
.. 
1beast /steenkamp /marcel vd merwe
2bissie/a strauss /r strauss
3jannie /castrogiovanni /crockett
4bresler /lawes
5mostert /bekker
6brussow /mccaw( c )
7deysel /kleynhans
8alberts /whiteley/daniel
9genia /moa
10lambie / michalak
12f steyn / jamie roberts
13fourie / cooke
11 gear / mvovo
14jpp
15ludik
…and my vodacom cup squad ..
.. and my under 21 and under 19 teams ..
I’m glad for jp du plessis that he is back in sa.maybe aus wasn’t for him..perhaps shouldve stayed in sa and taken either a contract at the lions or weepee.but he is now in the weepee u21 squad via the roosters and rebels (he took the long way home – though I’d have preferred “home”to be the sharks u21 squad).
@beet:comment87: ouch..:-(
@beet:I wonder about his defence though..but ,hey,why do the sharks have tackle bags ?!