The Sharks have named a 24 man squad to take on the Leopards in Pietermaritzburg on Friday in the first of two preseason friendlies for the men in black and white. The most interesting selection is that of Frans Steyn as captain of the side.
Steyn takes the captaincy in the absence of Keegan Daniel, who will be playing off the bench, leading out a rather young team to get match fit.
The forward pack is a mix of youth up front and experience in the back row, Allan Dell, Kyle Cooper and Wiehahn Herbst joined by Pieter-Steph du Toit and the on-loan Franco van der Merwe in the tight five. The flankers are the experienced heads in the pack with Jacques Botes and Jean Deysel starting either side of Lubabalo Mthembu in the loose trio.
The backline is a different story with an experienced and very close to first choice line-up starting the match with McLeod and Lambie in the halfbacks and Steyn joined by Tim Whitehead in the midfield. Mvovo, Ndungane and Viljoen complete the backline, with Mvovo the only player of the three likely to start the first match against the Cheetahs.
The extended bench is jam packed with experience and we are likely to see everybody get some sort of run during the match. Excluded from the squad are Ryan Kankowski (who has just returned from Japan), JP Pietersen and the injured duo of Bismarck du Plessis and Dale Chadwick.
1. Allan Dell
2. Kyle Cooper
3. Wiehahn Herbst
4. Pieter-Steph du Toit
5. Franco van der Merwe
6. Jacques Botes
7. Jean Deysel
8. Lubabalo Mtembu
9. Charl McLeod
10. Patrick Lambie
11. Lwazi Mvovo
12. Francois Steyn (Captain)
13. Tim Whitehead
14. Odwa Ndungane
15. Riaan Viljoen
Replacements
16. Craig Burden
17. Tendai Mtawarira
18. Jandre Marais
19. Anton Bresler
20. Keegan Daniel
21. Cobus Reinach
22. Meyer Bosman
23. Paul Jordaan
24. Louis Ludik
Is this the B-=team pack? Interesting selections, if so…. does it mean that Bresler and Jandre Marais are hte first-choice locks?
Just don’t get injured guys!
My gut feel is Plum is trying different combo’s about 8 players are not involved in this first match.
I don’t think we should read who is first choice or not.
I would have loved to see Butchie start in place of Lambie, don’t want to risk SuperPat getting injured before the SupeRugby.
@KingRiaan (Comment 4) : fingers crossed
Anybody knows if its going to be on supersport?
I would l?ke to see Wh?tehead at 12 and Frans?e at 13.
@bite me (comment 7) I agree I believe Tim to be one of the better 12′s around. Great defender and distributor
@duncanbetteridge (Comment 6) : I doubt it
@snakeslayer (Comment 8) : I don’t think Whitehead’s distribution skills are wasted at 13.
In fact I believe that’s where you really need an exceptional distributor, one who is able to get the ball to the wing when the opposition defense is in your face.
Timmy boy is just that player, able to squeeze a pass through a key hole.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 10) : also don’t think he’s fast enough for 13…. not really. But still would rather have him in the team than not.
Well done Allan Dell, 1st senior start for my boy, may this be 1st of many many more
@robdylan (Comment 1) : I hope so.
No Coetzee ?
@Talent (Comment 13) : Geez…. so where does Marcell fit in? Is he first-choice 6 or 2nd-choice 7?
@robdylan (Comment 14) : I would have preferred 1st choice 7..
@Ice (Comment 15) : hmmm…. too many looseis, as always. IS he going to get picked ahead of Vic at 7?
@Rob – would not mind if they just settle him in one possie for once. Sharks nor Boks doing him a favour by shifting him from 6 to 7 to six every weekend. Needs to find a place now. Not convinced about 6 – but then again – not been given a chance to settle and learn new tricks!
@robdylan (Comment 14) : 6.Coetzee 7.Alberts 8.Daniel
Kanko having missed the Currie Cup must play himself back into the team
@Bite me (Comment 7) : @snakeslayer (Comment 8) :
Not again!
Poor Frans, who at the time was the RWC winning 12, had to play 2nd fiddle behind a carthorse because Plumtree thought Frans could play anywhere.
Frans should play 12 where he played in the RWC and where he played in france. End of.
You guys shouldn’t bother trying to read ANYTHING into this team, it’s a mix and match with 1st, 2nd and probably in some cases 3rd choice players all starting.
Dick Muir played him at 15 & 10 during the earlier parts of 2007
Interesting story ,I’ve heard that when Grey College played Glenwood, Glenwood played Kyle Cooper at 12 to stop Frans Steyn. Can it be verified
@Talent (Comment 23) : did it work for them? Some how I don’t think so.
@Ice (Comment 17) : Sorry to say but I think Marcell is beter than Vic at the moment. 6 Keegan, 7 Marcell and 8 Hoff.
Why wouldn’t Ludik start the first game ahead of Viljoen?
@JD (Comment 25) : Dont be Sorry JD – I think so too! I love Marcell!
BTW – how did you manage to misread my comment??
@Ben (Comment 26) : Ben! Hoe lykkit daar in die verte?
This is a very string team regardles of the first choice players that are not involved. really happy to see the amount of debth in the squad.
I am suprised to see Steyn being Captain for the game and not someone like Deysel or Botes. Maybe Plum wants to see what the guy can do if given more responsibility? He has never struck me as a leader though. Hope he does well.
I think people read to much into these preseason games.
@SteelShark (Comment 31) : Lol, I think its just a sign of how desperate we are for some SH rugby!
@Sharksmad – The Blog’s Dudette (Comment 32) : You going to the game?
@SteelShark (Comment 31) : Nah – I am sure we see it as combo-testing…that said…I am hungry for some Sharks rugga!
@Pokkel (Comment 33) : Yes!!! and I am just so excited! Taking Friday off, to prepare my picnic and am getting my S15 Jersey! I have bought stand seats incase of rain, but if good day I am going to sit on grass banks!
@Ice (Comment 28) : Beautiful.
@Pokkel (Comment 33) : and by the way will you be making the trip down?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 20) : He didn,t play exclusively 12 in France. He played quite often 15 and also specially in his later stay 13 when Racing bought Bregamasco and Imhoff, they were prefered at 12 instead of Frans.
Frans a better 15 for me but with guys like nonu at 12 a guy like frans can help alot at 12 aswell
Wil the match be on tv ?
@Sharksmad – The Blog’s Dudette (Comment 37) : Unfortunately not.
@johnny (Comment 40) : I don’t think so.
@Pokkel (Comment 41) :
Shame! I am so looking forward to this I’m like a kid counting sleeps 
went to try and get more ticket they are sold out! So Durban learn from us in the Midlands!
Okai okai, I know Woodburn is probably 1/10 of Kings Park.
@Sharksmad – The Blog’s Dudette (Comment 43) : How far are you away from the stadium. I called for tickets and the guy said he can keep my tickets for 3 hours, but I have to pick it up from the stadium.
I need help I can’t drive 1h30 just to pick up tickets.