Tim Whitehead will make his long awaited return to the Sharks line-up this weekend, forcing the youngster Heimar Williams out of the match 22 altogether.
Whitehead is one of five changes to the team that beat the Bulls last weekend. The other change to the backline is Butch James starting ahead of Fred Zeilinga and Sizo Maseko starting ahead of the injured Odwa Ndungane.
The forward pack sees a few changes, yet the loose trio and second row remains unchanged. Danie Mienie gets his first Currie Cup start ahead of Dale Chadwick, while Rayno Gerber starts ahead of Wiehahn Herbst.
The bench sees Wiehahn Herbst staying in the match 22 while Chadwick falls out altogether and Fred Zeilinga replacing James as expected, with no other changes from last week.
Butch James will play in his 50th Currie Cup match for the Sharks.
Sharks: 15. SP Marais, 14. Sizo Maseko, 13. Louis Ludik, 12. Tim Whitehead, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Buth James, 9. Cobus Reinach, 8. Jacques Botes (Capt), 7. Jean Deysel, 6. Keegan Daniel, 5. Marco Wentzel, 4. Peet Marais, 3. Rayno Gerber, 2. Craig Burden, 1. Danie Mienie.
Substitutes: 16. Kyle Cooper, 17. Wiehahn Herbst, 18. Edwin Hewitt, 19. Justin Downey, 20. Charl McLeod, 21. Fred Zeilinga, 22. Jaco van Tonder.
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Good side…. that front row is going to have to stiek uit, though
Sure Heimar will be back. Was excellent in the games he played
@Butchie34 (Comment 2) :
Whitehead is a bit of a walking injury, so it is good to know we have Williams in the background.
Would’ve loved for Heimar to play off the bench for continuity on his top form….Certainly hope to have him back in the match 22 soon. Glad to have Tim back. Can’t wait for WP first loss this weekend…
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 3) : Whitehead is an excellent player but until we can fuse an adamantine exoskeleton onto his bones he’s going to be dropping out every now and then.
Yes, hopefully Butch can stop Juan de Jongh!
Oh righty then. One team named, 5 to go.
The key thing about Heimar is that he’s been fully aware of this plan since the start of the season – so it’s not like he’s been dropped or anything.
@robdylan (Comment 8) :
So what you are saying is that Tim will play twice and then Heimar get a run again?
Shit, team announcements are going to get boring if we can predict the team a few weeks in advance!
@robdylan (Comment 8) : Rob you sure about this plan? Jislaaik what a loss to our team for Saturday… not even on the bench WTF? That ouke looked so good I was starting to worry for jordaan en Steyn’s part!!!
wow, fickle bunch aren’t we? About 3 weeks ago, everyone was all over the Whitehead bandwagon, calling him the best distributing 12 in the country or whatever. Now we question his inclusion in the team?
Nobody had even heard of Heimar Williams,insisting we have no quality centres in our age-group ranks. Now we can’t win without him?
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 9) : I don’t know the specifics of the plan, but the players do.
@robdylan (Comment 11) :
Puts a smile on your face?
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 13) : an ironic one, yes… I mean, I have supported Heimar since his under 19 days, having to endure the likes of Beet and JJR telling me how shit he is and that he’ll never make it.
This doesn’t mean I don’t LOVE Tim. He’s been very good for us in the 4 matches he’s played in the last 2 years. (insert another ironic smiley)
OK to be honest I also didn’t know Heinmar nor Jaco. Today reflecting back in the CC, I must admit that I smaak this Heinmar ou stukkend!!! Things just looks dangerous we he starts running. Also to this I must add: a tad disappointed in Cobus, BUT still believe in him as player! But boy did things change when MacLeod came on or was the bulls just tired at that stage?
Is Jaco any good? From the little that I’ve seen of him in CC, it didn’t look good. OK so I told my wife the ouke was maybe just nervous making the field and he’ll come right. Will he?
Whitehead is BRILLIANT – WHEN – he is not injured. Heimar W should have been on the bench. He could have a cracker if he could come on for last 25 mins or so!
@denese.newby@gmail.com (Comment 17) : YES I would have thought that this was the plan, but then I saw his not even on the bench… tad disappointed!
@R Hayward (Comment 15) : here’s a theory…. could rotation of your playmakers not make it more difficult for opposition to know what you’re going to do? To do analysis on your players?
Guys look – it was always going to come down to either Zeilinga or Williams on the bench. You can’t have both, because that leaves us without back 3 cover.
@R Hayward (Comment 15) : Agree on Cobus, had such high expectations of him. Seems lost and directionless. He needs to be sat down and told his role. To win this game we need to starve WP of quality ball. I’m scared of the WP backline. Big game for us this weekend.
@robdylan (Comment 20) : Think it’s just a mindset change required from us supporters.
BV, BMH and SE are rotating our players. In the past when a player was dropped it was because Plum thought the player wasn’t up to snuff. Now it’s a case of selecting a team and knowing that the players “dropped” are rotated out and will be back at a later stage.
@GreatSharksays (Comment 21) : And there’s no rustiness with him…remember CC final and this year’s SR? Lambie couldn’t get the backline moving because of the slow service from Cobus. When McLeod plays well the Sharks look dangerous. Starting to see the McLead of 2010…fantastic.
@robdylan (Comment 19) : Yes your right here as well, but I’m scared that we fall short when it matters the most… like this weekend! We win this one and we almost there!!!
@GreatSharksays (Comment 23) : I still believe in Cobus, he’s the one that pushed McLeod all the way! I’m sure he’ll come right again! Just have faith. and YES we need a big performance this weekend. WP looked really dangerous that 1st half against the lions!!!
Good side, rotation is good as guys know they have to be on their toes or they may get rotated completely out the loop never mind the 22. I wonder if Williams will play for Collegians this week vs Rovers in Murray Cup? The Sharks have good forwards but not great forwards when Boks are missing so the forwards need to be the 2nd option not the first as this becomes predictable and the players there now are not of the quality to overcome that. Let the backs have the ball and forwards run off them. The results would surprise many. It works for the All Blacks and they not so bad
@Butchie34 (Comment 22) : I’m for rotation until the knock-out stages of a competition. Think it also builds team spirit and makes players feel that they are part of the team instead of carrying tackling bags week in week out. I just hope that players being selected take their chances and don’t let themselves down.
We have short memories because Cobus had one iffy game last week. Nobody remembers that it was his impact off the bench against the Cheetahs that turned that match.
Fuck, it was less than a fortnight ago.
@R Hayward (Comment 25) : My concern is not form but the mindset. He needs to understand the role of a scrumhalf, he needs to understand that he determines the speed and flow of our game.
@robdylan (Comment 28) :
Fickle, fickle supporters we are..
Good side! Williams deserve a break after two damn good games, it gives him time to sort out any niggles he may have.
Damnit Sharks! I love you guys, every coach, every player, support every choice (to some extent). I LOVE THIS TEAM! But really, HOW am I supposed to win a FL if my players keep getting dropped?
I’m glad to see the coaches sticking to the rotation plan. It must be very tempting to keep selecting Heimar or swop Reinach for McLeod after this weekend’s game. It will ultimately result in more experienced campaigners for the Sharks and a fresher and less injury-prone squad for next year’s Super Rugby. Big picture thinking for the win!
@Original Pierre (Comment 6) : What with his best WWE impresion…
Anyone seen Flippie around I cant make my Bru pics before I get his input
@Lassy_lion (Comment 35) : The Sharks are winning at the moment so he’ll be scarce. Await his ‘triumphant-I-told-you-so’ return as soon as they drop a game.
@Lassy_lion (Comment 35) : I can give it to you.
WP by 50
@Lassy_lion (Comment 35) :
Wait, let me guess in my best Flippie voice:
Die Griquas are going to loose against die Leeus, met omtrent 50 punte!
The Cheetaaahs wil loose against die Bulls by about 50 points.
The Sharks are kak, they always play kak, shouldn’t be top of the log kak, kak kak kak, loose by 50 points.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 38) : Flippie? Are that you?
@robdylan (Comment 39) :
Dit are I!!
@vanmartin (Comment 36) : @robdylan (Comment 37) : @Richard Ferguson (Comment 38) : ROFLMFAO….. Thanks guys now I can get started…. hehehehehe
Apparently the backwards Lions (aka Snoil) will only release their team tomorrow
@robdylan (Comment 8) : He may have been aware of this for the last month but he is in such good form its still going to feel like a kick in the */-+8* not even being on the bench.
@robdylan (Comment 42) :
So we wait to update our FL teams..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 44) : I’ve stopped bothering. I’m just no good at it. *sniff*
@robdylan (Comment 45) :
It helps to have players other than Sharks and ex-Sharks in your team..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 46) : who, me? :guiltylook:
Why? The Snoils loose or can’t find the team sheets
@benji (Comment 48) :
You need to start using the reply button bud. There are 47 comments above yours, no ways I am guessing which you are referring to…
@benji (Comment 48) :
It is the small grey arrow next to the person’s name, in the comment you are referring to.
@robdylan (Comment 37) : @Richard Ferguson (Comment 38) : @robdylan (Comment 39) : @Richard Ferguson (Comment 40) : AI JISSY OUENS you are making me lag my gat af!!! Ja oppas ons is kak en die WP gaan ons op ons moer gee!!!
What a pathetic decision to leave the impressive Williams out of the match squad in total. Decisions like this tell me Venter will not be the saviour of Sharks rugby…….pathetic treatment of a form player
@Saffex (Comment 52) : are you an actual viking, or do you just look a bit like one?
(serious question – I LOVE vikings)
@Saffex (Comment 52) :
Next time you stumble upon a dictionary, look up Rotation
And while you are it, perhaps find a synonym for pathetic
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 54) : perhaps if we were to display him a finger, he could learn about rotation?
Everyone goes on about witch srumhalf should start and their form… but with what i’ve seen witchever comes off the bench plays better. whether that is because he’s got something to prove or just more energy to give in 30min i’m not sure.
@robdylan (Comment 11) :
@robdylan (Comment 53) :
@CrazySharkFan (Comment 56) : could be the energy, but remember that player is watching the game and when he comes on the knows where the weak areas are and contributes to the run of play
@Die Kriek (Comment 32) :
with Whitehead returning I’m down to 4 non starters