In the first of a series of four articles looking forward to the Sharks Currie Cup campaign, let’s have a look at our front row options and assess the depth available to us.
Prop is the one area where the Sharks boast talent in depth that few other provinces can match. Tendai Mtawarira, the Beast, has taken his chances with both hands, having been called in to deputise for injured Bok Deon Carstens for this year’s Super 14 campaign. Beast was the form loosehead prop in South Africa all season and has been rewarded with a call-up to the Springbok squad, together with regular tighthead Brendon Botha. Neither is likely to be available to the Sharks at any stage of teh Currie Cup campaign, although we await news on exactly what involvement from Springbok squad members we can expect. Persistent rumours about Botha’s imminent departure for Ireland mean that we may actually have seen the last of this stalwart in black and white, which would be a sad thing indeed.
The Natal Sharks shouldn’t struggle in the front row during the Currie Cup, though. Carstens is over his injury and managed to get a little Super 14 game time under his belt over the course of the last month. He will slot straight in at loosehead and is sure to be a stalwart for the duration of the campaign, mixing strength in the scrum with excellent ball skills and a surprising turn of pace for such a big man. Another overlooked former Bok, Jannie du Plessis, will play the anchor role at tighthead for the duration of the competition and there isn’t another team in the Currie Cup that can boast a stronger pair of starting props (although with Wian du Preez and Kobus Calldo, the Cheetahs aren’t far behind).
The obvious backup option at tighthead is the exciting young Patric Cilliers and the youngster, himself fully recovered from his ugly knee injury, offers a dynamic aspect that should see him guaranteed a regular spot in the number 17 jersey. That said, he could possibly be rotated with du Plessis to keep both in top shape. Pat is an unusual tighthead in that he is a terrific natural athlete, wile at the same time not giving an inch in the tighter phases. Still only 21 years old, he has at least 12 years of top rugby ahead of him and will hopefully develop into one of the Sharks’ brightest stars in seasons to come.
Kees Lensing would generally be next in line at loosehead, but it seems he has been shipped off to Castres on a loan deal to see if he can put any more effort into representing them than he does for the Sharks. Good riddance, I say; hope it was a one-way ticket. Robbie Harris proved last year that he’s a more than capable loosehead, himself possessing very good ball skills. His defence around the fringes is a particular strength and he has been known to secure a turnover or two by hitting a guy just in that sweet spot as he tries to break around the side of the ruck. Pressed into service at tighthead last year when Cilliers got hurt, he initially struggled, but started to hold his own as he developed, eventually coming of age as a key member of the 4-man Sharks tight five that bested the Bulls at Loftus last year. With the tighthead depth still available, though, it’s at loosehead where I feel Harris will best be utilised in the future. He’s 27 now, just about the right age for a prop to start coming into his prime.
A number of players from the Wildebeest squad also stand an outside chance of making their way into the squad, should injuries strike. Pierre Bouwer is a 22-year-old loosehead from Despatch in the Eastern Cape. Dave Hawksworth is also a loosehead, who made his way back to Natal recently after a stint in England. He attended Glenwood Boys High and represented Natal at u19 level back in 2001. There was talk during the Vodacom Cup that he’s gone back to the UK to help out short-term at his old club, so he may well still be there. Melusi Mthetwa is another youngster, only 21 this year and fresh from the age-group ranks. Also a loosehead, he’ll need to bulk up a bit before being ready for Currie Cup rugby. Youngsters Sewes Oosthuizen and JC Strauss will likewise need more work in the junior ranks before making the step up.
First-choice hooker Bismarck du Plessis is likely to be very busy with national commitments during the Currie Cup, so it’s unlikely we’ll see him in the Sharks side at all. Negotiations apparently continue around John Smit, but again, we’ll be lucky to see him at all until the Super 14 next year at the earliest. This means a baptism of fire for Craig Burden in the Currie Cup, as the former winger will now be the primary option at number 2 for the duration of the campaign. Burden showed in the Super 14 that his basics are pretty solid and that he brings a new dimension to the position with his pace and ball skills. He is ready to take his place in the run-on side and I predict he will have a superb Currie Cup, particularly given the two experienced campaigners that will pack down on either side of him.
Skipper Badenhorst will doubtless continue as the back-up and Currie Cup is probably the correct level of the game to showcase his skills. He will be pushed hard by young Jody Jenneker, though, who has been rewarded for some decent play in the Vodacom Cup by being picked for the Emerging Springbok tour to Romania. It’s not a position where we have a huge amount of depth, though and it’s one where hopefully we’ll look at replacing some of the chaff with quality youngsters. Young Sibusisu Dube played a bit in the Vodacom Cup, but wasn’t mentioned significantly in any dispatches, while former KES boy Dylan Rutherford is a utility hooker-cum-prop option and a current Sharks Academy attendee.
All-in-all, we’re looking pretty good up-front for the Currie Cup. Next up, we’ll look at the second and back rows.
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gm rob , for the most things look ok but to be honest we losing experience and i dont see it being filled
something needs to be done soon or we gonna to fail bad in the super 14 next year
we also need a good full back as stefan is getting on a bit
fly is our head ache ans center i feel we are ok for now
isnt it amazing 2 sharks players made the kiwi press super 14 team
kanko of course and wait for it??????????????????????
barritt
@sharks_lover (Comment 1) : really? Where did you see that?
Good starters for props…we have 2 men who own Green Blazers…and we also have decent cover in Pat & Co.
A bit worried with hooker…but Craig did show signs of improvement in the absence of Bis so maybe I should relax. Good thing we’ll start against a strong WP side…so we’ll know exactly what’s up.
Do you think we can get anythng better out of Skip or is this his optimum level of the game? He’s one player who seems to have a consistent but very mediocre graph…how about some improvement Skip?
Honestly, I haven’t seen anything from Jody recently…but promising he was…and the fact that he’s been called to the E-Boks…means he hasn’t lost that promise. We’ll have to keep an eye on this one.
No sleepless nights for Plummy as far as this department is concerned.
really? Where did you see that? (jumps up and down and punches the air)
Comment 2, posted at 30.05.08 10:44:12 by robdylan
@blackshark (Comment 4) : 🙂
wait ill show ya
107 Tomsta Report comment
May 30th, 2008 at 1:03 am
just seen the Wynne Gray super 14 team in todays nz herald.
15 jantjies
14 masaga
13 luluala
12 barrit
11 lote
10 carter
9 ricky
8 kanko
7 george smith
6 elsom
5 bekker
4 vickerman
3 afoa
2 hore
1 woodcock
now that gonna get rob excited lol
Ok…a lot of South Africans there…and only one who didn’t make the Bok squad. 😯
…and i’m not talking about VICKERMAN 😉
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/4/story.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10513341
theres the link to the herald
lol blackshark
carter at 10?
i think the waratahs 10 has been exceptional this season… what’s his name???
nope carter is the man no doubt
@wpw (YNWA) (Comment 12) :
Kurtley “I look like a young Adi” Beale.
I think Rob will decide that this bit of news deserves it’s own thread.
Would be interesting to see what the final BOK BAROMETER that The Times and other websites were running looked like at the end of the Super 14.
@blackshark (Comment 15) : I don’t need to write any more articles about how good Brad is… the important people already know it.
Bashford 3:16
@wpw (YNWA) (Comment 12) :
Are you serious?
Kurtley ” I’m so accurate I can hit the post ten times in a row” Beale ???
Versatile back who has a low error rate, strong defender who can also carry the ball and link strongly with his outsides.
Just what I’ve always said
to me steyn will have to go to fullback
i can tell you now he will play 13 for the boks
once again he is gonna be shifted around
@robdylan (Comment 16) :
😆
Waiting for the Currie Cup is exhausting… 😡
lol blacksharks mate
hey wena mponda kanjane ?? 😆
@sharks_lover (Comment 19) : Steyn can go to Western Province, for all I care.
@sharks_lover (Comment 21) :
sharp! sharp!
Looks like Steyn will have to cover 13 FOR NOW…
rob sorry mate bur ur crazy
steyn will get his form back and then ??
dont lose it mate its not his fault he gets shifted to 5 positions
nor is it barritss
or pienaars
its coaches that stuff around
@sharks_lover (Comment 24) : Frans is kak wherever he plays cos his attitude stinks. He needs to come down to earth first and realise he’s mortal just like the rest of us.
BTW, don’t any of you guys actually like discussing the front row? 😉
infact i know you wont agree but with present players in the sharks squad if we dont get anyone new here is my backline
steyn/ruan
odwa
murray
barritt
jp / stefan
steyn/ruan
cockorot
the thing is if itsb decided steyn is full back leave him there to mature into the position , or fly half
we play him one game it doesnt go that well and now he is kak???
ruan for example started flyhalf and has gotten better and better
you can’t judge someone on one game
this story about barritt and murray moving to stormers cuzz they dont get along with steyn or plum is crap
a stormers guy cracked that joke on keo and others have taken it seriously and spread the rumour
trust me rob id rather have steyn in my team then against us
lol front row is looked after , but we need smitty no doubt
i have said for the years now he is the best hooker but he is so strong you can play him at prop too
those who think not have no clue about hooker of front row play
but carstens beast jannie burden and cilliers will do the job in currycup
@robdylan (Comment 22) :
He’s not old enough to go to WP…
rob you know frans personally to know he is arrogant ??
sorry bro but you have taken a disliking because he has replaced barritt
its like shooting the messenger . dick put him there
and i am afriad the kids gonna make you eat ur words
👿
😉 blackshark
@robdylan (Comment 25) : See comment 3.
Maybe we’ll have more stuff to say when we move to the other departments… 😆
the sharks need a flyhalf a lock badly
Barrit should’ve called the shots in the Bokline. 😡
@sharks_lover (Comment 32) :
Hold your horses…we’re still moving to the backrow / backline…
let’s all sing together ” We have the best front row in the CC…la la la la la”
ok – I’ll do the next bit this afternoon
@sharks_lover (Comment 24) :
Dude, wrather say five positions.
Using numbers in the same sentence as Steyn is dangerous. Almost thought you wanted him to play lock…he’s almost big enough though 😆
@Cru-El (Comment 36) : wrather?
@Cru-El (Comment 33) :
I have no doubt that Barritt will get his call-up soon.
Having said that…different coaches look for different things in a player to achieve the balance they want for the team.
At the risk of sounding like Rob…or even worse…the NZ Herald…Brad was a top performer in the S14 , strong defense, decent passing skills and little or no errors (which some people call boring – but that’s for a different talk-show).
@blackshark (Comment 38) : I think we need more people around here who sound like me 😉
@blackshark (Comment 38) :
Who in their left mind would select WO ahead of Barritt?
If I was Brad’s father, I would’ve become Cheeky.
@Cru-El (Comment 40) : Brad’s dad was a frontranker. Far too down to earth to get involved in Cheeky-style bullshit
Brad doesn’t need to go crying to daddy…I just hope he’ll maintain his form in the CC and play with more authority.
Has he ever thought about growing his hair?
@blackshark (Comment 42) : hasn’t he started already?
to me brad does his talking on the field
@sharks_lover (Comment 32) :
Maybe we can get Matfield, He plays in both positions at the same time. 🙄
@KSA Shark © (Comment 45) :
The only “flyhalf a lock” I rated was John Eales….unfortunately I never saw Frik du Preez play
Any change of John Smit returning to the Sharks?
Not likely PB
Wish we can add him at the Stormers but our cupboard of 2s is full. Maybe the Bulle then.
PJLD the Gimmies cook over the weekend and even Paul Roos klapped the Bishoppers and Landbou for Sacs. 😎
We have this special annual game (Gim Prymary) vs Bossies (Rondbosch) this weekend. The kids travel from Paarl by train to Newlands , plays hockey on fryday, sleep over with the parents and rugby on saturday. Good stuff and have to give mine a few Red Tale lessons. 🙄
@PaarlBok (Comment 49) : I heard about that hiding PB,about time bishops get brought back down to earth,and what a way to fall.
Sounds like an awesome trip for the kids hey
@PJLD (Comment 50) :
Ja always a goodie, the stadsjapies can teach the dorpsjapies to chase girls and the dorpsjapies can teach the stadsjapies to “gooi tol” 😎
Its a bit off topic but here the SA Schools top 20 before the weekend
1. Grey High of Port Elizabeth
2. Grey College of Bloemfontein
3. Paarl Gim
4. Dr EG Jansen
5. Waterkloof
6. Glenwood
7. Outeniqua
8. Paul Roos
9. Monument
10. Michaelhouse
11. Bishops
12. Paarl Boys’ High
13. Affies
14. Framesby
15. HT Middelburg
16. Noord-Kaap
17. Marlow
18. Oakdale
19 Hugenote of Wellington
20. Rondebosch.
Grey PE slamming the Rosers in Stellenbosch last weekend but also the only team that won against them, so a special one for the PE laaities.