Promising 20-year-old prop Patric Cilliers will be back in action this weekend for the first time since tearing ligaments in his knee during the Currie Cup last year. The Michaelhouse old-boy will be on the bench for the Wildebeest as they take on the Lions in the Vodacom Cup this weekend.
Loose forward Jean Deysel is also back in the mix. Since the arrival of Tongan wrecking-ball Epi Taione, Deysel has been deemed surplus to the union’s Super 14 requirements, which is quite unlucky, since he really has made the most of the opportunities he’s had. Deysel will operate on the blind-side flank as part of a pacy loose trio that includes promising fetcher Skholiwe Ndlovu and and former u-21 eighthman Warren Whitely. Big Nik Blignaut moves into the second row to partner skipper Alistair Hargreaves and Deon Carstens is again named at loosehead. Robbie Harris and Skipper Badenhorst retain their places alongside the Springbok prop. Steven Sykes is not named, so we can expect him to feature in the Sharks 22 this week.
Scott Mathie gets a welcome start at 9 after what seems like an eternity on the sidelines, while young Tiaan Marx seems to have established himself as a regular at flyhalf. Andries Strauss is back at 12 (his best position) with Riaan Swanepoel outside him. The back three comprises Lwazi Mvovo and Henno Mentz on the wings, with Danie Dames at fullback.
The match is the curtain raiser to the Super 14 clash between the Sharks and the Reds and kick off in Durban at 14h30 on Saturday afternoon.
Here is the team:
15. Danie Dames, 14. Henno Mentz, 13. Riaan Swanepoel, 12. Andries Strauss, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Tiaan Marx, 9. Scott Mathie, 8. Warren Whiteley, 7. Jean Deysel, 6. Skholiwe Ndlovu, 5. Nikolai Blignaut, 4. Alistair Hargreaves (Capt), 3. Robbie Harris, 2. Skipper Badenhorst, 1. Deon Carstens
16. Jody Jenneker, 17. Patric Cilliers, 18. Schalk van Jaarsveld, 19. Michael Rhodes,20. Charl McLoed, 21. Luzuko Vulindlu, 22. Scott Spedding
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welcome back Pat!
Steven Sykes is not named, so we can expect him to feature in the Sharks 22 this week.
Hoop hy bring sy kant!! 😉
good morning all.
hello steven – welcome to Sharksworld
Ice – actually I’m not so sure about that anymore.
It seems AJ is fit and he will in all likelihood start at lock with Muller. That leaves Big Al on the bench to cover lock and (presumably) Paddy Power to cover loose forward.
thanks rd.
Ag nee man! I wanted to post the q if AJ was out or not…. 😐
Hi SB!! See you found us!
Is Steven and SB one and the same?
ice… Mike Greenaway reckons AJ has been passed fit, but they’re still waiting on Adi.
I think we will definitely see a 4-3 bench with Kockott and Michalak there with Adi if he is passed fit. If Adi is out, maybe they’ll go 5-2 in which case Steven will probably be there.
Yes Rob – just think he needs a bit of proper game time to get the rust off..
Why a 4-3 split? Who you think will be our starting backline?
Pienaar-Steyn-Pietersen-Barritt-Murray-Ndungane-Terblanche
i think this will be the team…
Beat, Bis, Jannie, AJ, Muller, Daniel, Botes, Kanko, Pienaar, Steyn, JP, Brad, Murray, Odwa, Terblanche
Burden, Botha, vd Berg, Taione, Kockott, Michalak, Jacobs (Sykes)
so if Adi can’t play, Sykes will come in as lock cover, Albert and Epi will both cover loose forward and Epi will also cover centre and wing. As could Burden 😉
in fact, talking about 5/2 or 4/3 makes no sense anymore when you have guys like Paddy and CB on the bench.
And supposedly Tione can go front or back?? 😉
You were too quick for me!! 😳
Ice… not sure that’s the best way to phrase it 😉 But yes, he certainly is a very, erm, “versatile” fellow 😈
Right – I’m off to go do some banking and other boring chores.
See you guys later
Hello – welcome back Patrick… I’ll try to make it early for the game just to see you play…
Morning Sharksworldians…
Hope I can catch some of this match….interesting to see the form of the like Cilliers, Carstens and….well come to think of it those are the only two I can think of having a realistic Sharks prospects unless there are some undiscovered gems I haven’t seen play.