The Sharks side to contest the Currie Cup Final has been named…
Coach John Plumtree, who opted to take a conservative approach with his returning Springboks, has made a number of rotational changes this week, resulting in his strongest possible lineup starting the match. This means starts up front for Beast Mtawarira, Craig Burden, Steven Sykes and Willem Alberts, whilst the backline remains unchanged.
Jannie du Plessis has been passed fit to play and will be in the number 3 jersey, with Wiehahn Herbst providing front row cover off the bench. Kyle Cooper, Jandre Marais and Jean Deysel will all be called on to provide second half impact, while the move back to a 4-3 split on the bench sees the unlucky Dale Chadwick miss out, for the first time in the campaign.
The extra spot amongst the backline replacements goes to a fit-again Odwa Ndungane, whose high-ball skills and nose for the tryline have been invaluable so far this season, particularly in the wet at Kings Park.
Jacques Botes, who was also passed fit this week, unfortunately misses out on the match 22, with Marcell Coetzee preferred in the number 6 jersey.
Sharks:
15. Louis Ludik , 14. JP Pietersen , 13. Paul Jordaan, 12. Tim Whitehead, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Pat Lambie, 9. Cobus Reinach , 8. Keegan Daniel (Capt), 7. Willem Alberts, 6. Marcell Coetzee, 5. Anton Bresler , 4. Steven Sykes , 3. Jannie du Plessis , 2. Craig Burden , 1. Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: 16. Kyle Cooper, 17. Wiehahn Herbst, 18. Jandre Marais , 19. Jean Deysel , 20. Charl McLeod, 21. Meyer Bosman, 22. Odwa Ndungane
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Without deysel there is no one to turn over ball.
Love it, let this be the start of a golden period for sharks rugby!
Sharks will need to be sharp at the rucks. Going to be hard match.
Hmmm, I don’t know if I would have gone with all the changes, but I think this is the way Plum had it planned all along.
OMFW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Plumtree you are my hero.
Good team Pretty much as expected, with the line out problems last weekend i thought Sykes would be back in with Burden
Must say a little surprised IN Alberts beinf in ahead of Deysel who has been in great form, and plays the fetcher role, but Plum has a plan i am sure
Gee, plumtree picks his strongest available side for the currie cup final and still the fans moan? Oh my goodness.
@robdylan (Comment 7) : WHAT!?!?!? Has Chadwick’s family sent another email?
Alberts to break that young no one number 12 of Weepee
The Sharks will have to bee awake with Deon Fourie steeling ball at ruck time.
Keegan is happy to do some dirty work on the ground, and Marcell’s fetching skills have been improving all year. In dropping Deysel we lose our ‘recognised’ fetcher, doesn’t mean we wont be stealing any ball. GO SHARKIES
good team, i hope they are firing all cylinders. Time to nail the WP. And great backup on the bench too.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 8) : Another?!
The only slight disagreement I have is Sykes ahead of Marais – but I guess that was due to the line out shambles last week.
Thought that was more due to poor throwing than poor jumping though
@KSA Shark © (Comment 8) : no, I’m talking about all the bitching about our supposed fetcher, Deysel, being benched
@KSA Shark © (Comment 5) : Still want him fired?
With this team – they can go in and kill them quick fast and dead!
the Sharks are OVERWHELMING favourites to win on saturday, WP have no chance…
imagine if Bismarck was fit, WALKOVER!
@Megatron (Comment 18) :
Ja and that alone makes me VERY nervous!!
@Megatron (Comment 18) : That’s what I’m most afraid of… this favourites thing.
@Letgo (Comment 20) : It’s time for our boys to perform like true champions.
You don’t see Usain Bolt losing the 100m and 200m on the biggest stage in the world simply because he has a “favorites” tag firmly set around his neck.
You wanna be the best, you need to do it in the bad and good times, against the odds and with the odds.
We’ve got to shake that tjietas mentality of only being able to win when we’re underdogs.
Harden up guys and act like a true championship team.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 21) : And what does he have that the Sharks don’t? A mind coach.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 22) : and THAT is why I still don’t think Plumtree has it 100% right.
His scores IMO.
Coaching 80%
Selection 90% (up from 45% early in the S15)
Mental prep of the team 10% (failing grade)
I think there are 4 points of debate in the match day 22, namely Burden/Cooper, Sykes/Marais, Alberts/Deysel and Mvovo/Ndungane. My take on the 4:
1: I would have gone for Cooper, given the wet condition. I think he offers more mongrel and better scrummaging (an area we should target), and while the line outs were shambolic last week, I don’t consider line out throwing to be one of Burden’s strengths either
2: I agree with the selection of Sykes. I actually think Marais is a superior player, but Sykes has the finals experience
3: Alberts has always excelled in an impact capacity, so my first thought was that he should have benched. Well as Wolla has played this season though, the one area he has been somewhat ineffectual in has been in carrying the ball. Given that sending some big ball carriers at the Province 10/12 channel is pretty much a no-brainer, I reckon Alberts is the right choice
4: Given the weather forecast, I’d have gone for the safe-as-house workaholic Ndungane
Regardless, this is one freakin’ awesome 22 man squad!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 23) : Mental prep is where you call in the specialists
Thats a very good side. But they are playing against a very good side as well. Should be a good game and with all finals it will be won and lost in the forwards and by the side with the lower penalty count. Im hoping the Sharks get the bounce of the ball and that no key players are injured for the Boks. On the other hand i hope a few Bulls players pull a few hammies getting off the couch when they go to the fridge during the game!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 22) : @KSA Shark © (Comment 23) : Too true, Sharks are in desperate need of a mental coach!
@Pokkel (Comment 19) : can’t be nervous about being favourites, think of michael jordan and the chicago bulls in the mid-nineties, think of the current barcelona team, think of the spanish team that won Euro 2008, World Cup 2010 & again Euro 2012.
the sharks won in 2010 against a WAAAAAAAYYYYY better WP side, this one should be EASY PEASY…
wp tight 5 kitshoff, ntubeni, marlhebe, etzebeth, steenkamp…
come on!
@Megatron (Comment 28) : Dude you have to do it for a couple of years to be put in the class of some of the teams you mentioned. The Sharks is yet to defend a title. We falter at the last hurdles to easily to be confident like you would have been confident in the Chicago Bulls.
I don’t think this Sharks team has built a reputation of being unbeatable yet.
Not even close to it.
We’ll have to smack WP this weekend and then go on to get some success in SR next year, only then when we defend our 2012 title in 2013, will I start to feel that kind of confidence.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 21) : Bolt is an individual… a lot of things can go wrong in team sport.
I’m not saying it’s a bad thing that we’re favourites. It’s a good thing, but I’m still nervous about it, because it’s much worse losing when you are and believe me, this final is not a done deal.
@Letgo (Comment 30) : The final is definitely not a done deal.
It is only when you put the Sharks at their theoretical best against WP at their theoretical best where the calculations will favor the Sharks.
But on the day, there are far too many variables to be able to trust in the theoretical ability of the Sharks.
So you are correct, Sharks haven’t won anything yet, but in theory they should win. In practice, we’ll know by 19:00 Saturday evening.
@vanmartin (Comment 16) :
The Sharks are Favorites, to win the game and my favorites too… We are the best SA team of 2012… And the Sharks will show it Saturday….
@Megatron (Comment 28) :
The Sharks have this tendency to lose against WAAAAAAYYYYY weaker teams.
Think Lions in Superrugby and CC final last year.
Who is the ref for Sat? And more importantly who is the TMO?
@SheldonK (Comment 35) :
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Assistant referees: Christie du Preez, Stefan Breytenbach
Reserve referee: Jason Jaftha
Television match official: Johann Meuwesen
Assessor: Banks Yantolo
now i hear Kings Park won’t be sold out…
what’s wrong with you sharks supporters?
@Die Kriek (Comment 11) : Good counter rucking tactics are more effective than lone fetching in any case.
@Megatron (Comment 28) : Etzebeth is the only BIIIG name there.
@Ice (Comment 36) : The assessor’s name is Banks? Shame unfortunate soul. I dont mind Peyper..can be a bit pedantic but usually runs a good game.
@Megatron (Comment 37) : It’s probably related to the fact that most of us earn our salaries in Rands
@Megatron (Comment 37) : @vanmartin (Comment 41) : Ja, forking out R1500 in to go and sit in the rain vs. sitting in the comfort of my lounge watching the game in HD is a no-brainer.
@vanmartin (Comment 16) : Please ask me that question again.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 23) : I rest my case.