The last remaining demons from Friday night’s poor performance against Boland were exorcised from the Sharks at their practice on Monday when they were put through a punishing fitness session by conditioning coach Mark Steele.
Mike Greenaway reports for IOL.
“We needed to have a bit of a blast. Now we can move on,” coach John Plumtree said with a wry smile.
Significantly for the Sharks, Plumtree said there was a chance that injured scrumhalf Rory Kockott might recover in time for Saturday’s visit to the Bulls.
“His ankle is responding well and he might just make it,” the coach said. “We will give him as long as he needs, so it is going to be another one of those delayed team announcements.”
The uncertainty over Kockott, who is also the goal-kicker, means there are a number of selection posers for Plumtree in the backline because if the scrumhalf cannot play, a place must be found for Monty Dumond, who was in excellent kicking form when he came on for Andrew Borgen at flyhalf.
Dumond is at home at fullback and might play there with Stefan Terblanche moving to the wing.
Bradley Barritt is expected to be picked at flyhalf and if Kockott does not make it, Barritt will be partnered by either Charl Macleod or Scott Mathie.
In an expected change at tight-head prop, spurned Springbok B J Botha will return in place of Jannie du Plessis.
“We did not expect to get B J back from the Boks and from our point of view we are very happy to have him,” Plumtree said. “Jannie has had a lot of rugby of late and this would be a good opportunity for B J to come in. I am not big on rotation but these are two very good tight-head props.”
Changes will have to be kept to a minimum because the back-up to the starting XV is generally inexperienced. The make-up of the Sharks’ bench for their first two matches indicates as much.
“I know the character of this team. It will come through this week,” Plumtree said. “Our working week doesn’t have to change. We just have to work harder and step up mentally, and that will come naturally with it being such a big game.”
Plumtree said the fact that his team was top of the log was scant solace for a performance he described as “inept”.
“For me, it’s how we play,” he said.
“I’d rather we played a whole lot better than we did and only got four points. It was disappointing that there were a lot of guys that couldn’t step up mentally (for a less than glamourous fixture) and it was upsetting that there were a lot of individuals out there, not a team. There is a lot of work to be done and leaders need to step up.”
Plumtree said he was still at loss to pinpoint exactly why the team did not fire until the last 10 minutes.
“You can’t put your finger on it. Everyone was off, and if anyone tells me differently, I would be very surprised.”
The players’ being off colour was exacerbated by the impact of the new ELVs.
“The game has slowed down a lot and that does not help you build continuity,” he said. “Under the Super 14 ELVs it would have been much quicker.”
There were about 25 minutes of ball-in-play time in this match, but during the Super 14, that figure was around 35 minutes.
“To be honest, I don’t know why they’ve done that (made new changes). I quite liked the way the game was progressing with the ELVs.”
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I don’t have high hopes for this game, it must be said.
Barritt aint a flyhalf!
When will they get it into their thick heads???
The Sharks can always use Naas Olivier seeing as we have an abundance in Slaapstad. 😎
@wpw (Comment 2) : have I taken my “Anti-Wes Pill” this morning? 😉
lol
Ag Rob, i think Barritt is a fine inside centre and i suppose he is the best you have for the 10 position at the moment.
Let’s hope PDV can convince Butch (and Bath) to return to the Sharks.
(Then you can stop drooling about Grant joining the Sharks
)
I don’t believe Barrit is a better fly-half then what we saw of Dumond in the 2nd half. Yes I know Dumond had the benefit of more open play and better support play around him but let him start and if he is failing reshuffle. I certainly don’t think we should be favouring Barrit because he has some sort of long term prospects at fly-half – he is NOT a fly-half.
@Dive Pass (Comment 5) : you know my take on this… we have limited resources at our disposal and (IMO) we can’t afford to carry Stef anymore. That means that Dumond, Barritt and Strauss all need to be in the starting line-up. Monty at 15, Brad at 10 and Andries at 12, although I would actually switch the latter two around during the game as required.
@robdylan (Comment 6) : What a relief that is, Terreblanche at wing where he doesn’t have to pass! and then Maybe if he is on the outside of Murray who also doesn’t pass he may very well learn to Pass!
@Sharksmad (Comment 7) : Stef as a wing… hmmm. He’s still pretty quick, I guess, but has no step whatsoever
@robdylan (Comment 8) : The important thing he doesn’t need to pass! But probably bench him and go with Mvovo and Henno again, better idea actually!
@robdylan (Comment 6) :
I hear your arguement Rob but…. 😉
The problem with the Sharks this whole year is trying to accommodate too many so called better players in positions that are not really theirs.
I believe we have to look at fly-half and say how is the best fly-half we have at the moment, then look at inside centre and ask the same question. The question may become more difficult at fullback and also may result in the likes of Strauss being on the bench.
The Sharks are playing too many players out of position.
@Sharksmad (Comment 9) : Agree. He has been pants two weeks in a row… AND as our most experienced player bar none, he’s the one who’s meant to be stepping up and guiding the youngsters.
Quite honestly, I reckon Stef spends more time playing golf with Oom Rudi than he does practising with the team
@Dive Pass (Comment 10) : ok, so you read the article I wrote a few months ago and our now using my argument against me… bloody lawyers 😉
ok – so, let’s then use that approach and pick the best currently available player in each position.
1) Deon
2) Burden
3) BJ
4) Sykes
5) Muller
6) Botes
7) ??? Downey?
8) ??? Potgieter?
9) Kockott
10) Dumond
11) Mentz
12) Barritt
13) Murray
14) Mvovo
15) Terblanche
You see why I’m worried?
@robdylan (Comment 13) :
I know they say Dumond has played fullback but as far as I am aware he is primarily a fly-half… so because Terblanche is not on form we play a fly-half out of position at 15 and 12 at 10….then we wonder why the backline doesn’t fire…. we need a fullback.
The loosie situation is a bit more worrying, I would go with lesser evil of Daniel and Botes for the CC with ANO…..maybe Chabal wants to keep Michalek company with French banter and eat South African babies…
“…through a punishing fitness session by conditioning coach Mark Steele.”
Shades of Rudi Straulei pulling through there…they better shape up or its off to the bush for them
@Dive Pass (Comment 14) : it’s all a bit worrying… it seems that Rhodes is injured, Potgieter is in the UK (I think)… not sure where Downey is. Also wonder what’s up with Thabo Mamojele…
the whole damn team have been awful and that hasnt been down to Terreblanche… they all need to CATCH A WAKEUP.
Dumond came on and played well, Sharks have no flyhalf, just leave him there.
why leave Daniel out of that team Rob (post 13)
@Sauce (Comment 15) : physical fitness ain’t the issue… would prefer a punishing mental fitness session
@Sauce (Comment 15) :
A bit of discipline and punishment for the consequences for non-performance in moderation is ok…
@spykerbaard (Comment 17) : on the basis that he’s not really a recognised no 8… 😉
I actually thought Keegan was our best forward against Boland
@robdylan (Comment 1) : oh ye of little faith. This is when the true character of team is to be tested, to be able to come back from adversity and ridicule and show its tenacity and resolve.
Agree on Dive passes choice of Daniels ahead of Downey, Daniel has tge experience and some BMT! Who is Potgeiter??
@Ragged (Comment 21) : Jacques Potgieter. Another young loosie. Lots of hair
@wpw (Comment 4) : We don’t need the whole BATH team…just Butch…
Potgieter, Chabal lookalike, played in the friendly 3 weeks ago, why would he suddenly go to the UK? what the hell is going on
@spykerbaard (Comment 24) : I’m working on FaceBook statuses here… All I know is that he was on his way to the UK. Not sure why, where or for how long.
Might be a similar arrangement to the one that saw Joe Snyman shipped off to Hawke’s Bay for the NPC
Lets hope Plum can fix whatever’s wrong at the Sharktank… thank goodness all’s not too good at the Bulls either
365 reckons Deysel might be fit…
@spykerbaard (Comment 26) : I can’t work out whether they’re actually making progress or not.
The first two stop/start, error-ridden Sharks games have been awful to watch, with penalties being dished out every two minutes there was absolutely no chance of getting any rhythm or flow going…unfortunately JC Fortuin is not known for allowing games to get going and he will be reffing again on saturday so not much will change there…so who’s going to step up and really play on saturday.. and will they be allowed to?
@robdylan (Comment 27) :
well that might solve one problem… hope they’re right
Damn, i need to post a few WP threads… too many Sharks supporters currently on the site…
@spykerbaard (Comment 29) : The refs are all being forced to blow this way. It’s a directive from the IRB. Actually, I’m glad to have JC for this game, cos he’ll nail the Bulls for indiscipline
@wpw (Comment 31) :
what’s happenned to Ollie
@robdylan (Comment 32) :
and missing Daniel and Kocketts indescretions 😯
@robdylan (Comment 25) : ignore that vicious rumour. Pottie is not in the UK. I have looked everywhere 😉
@spykerbaard (Comment 34) : what did Daniel do this time? I must have missed it.
BTW, was I the only one who thought the Bolanders got away with a textbook spear tackle? You’re meant to be carded for that by default.
Daniel didnt do anything.. this time… i take it you saw Kocketts ‘punch’ on Human… i missed the spear tackle
@spykerbaard (Comment 37) : I saw that, yes. It was stupid.
@robdylan (Comment 27) : I hate to be the bearer of bad news, I had a chat with Deysel yesterday on Facebook, he is out for another 3 weeks! 😥
@Sharksmad (Comment 39) : shit… I thought so. How are you lucky enough to be in communication with Wolla? He ignores me! 😉
ok, so about spear tackles. The IRB directive says that if a player has committed a spear tackle, you start with a red card, then look for mitigation to reduce the seriousness. Basically, if you drive the player into the ground, that’s red. If you lift him past the horizontal and drop him (without driving him to the ground), that’s yellow. As far as I’m aware, it’s actually not possible for a spear tackle to result in only a penalty. If you pick the guy up, you have to put him down again.
@robdylan (Comment 40) : I don’t know,:oops: he always answers my messages really great guy! Maybe he knows you run a site and is afraid of saying something uncle Rudi could chastise him for 😐
@Sharksmad (Comment 42) : or maybe he thinks I’m a weird homo stalker 😉
@robdylan (Comment 43) : That too 😆
@robdylan (Comment 43) :
is this why all your sauces are drying up 😕
@spykerbaard (Comment 33) : Ollie who? 😉
@spykerbaard (Comment 45) : nah – it’s cos the heat is too high 😉
@Ragged (Comment 46) :
WPW obviously didnt really want to get a Province thread going… i’d really like to know whats happened to Ollie, Rassies big buddy… big guy like that cant just go missing 😉
@robdylan (Comment 47) : 😆
spyker
I put up a thread about Butch James instead… 👿
@wpw (Comment 49) :
let’s have one about Ollie, much better… we read about Butch every day
@wpw (Comment 49) : great minds think alike… I have just taken mine down 😉
As the NPC hasn’t started and whether the Kiwis are going to play with the extended ELV’s or not. I am blissfully unaware of what they are doing to the game during the Curry Cup, however I see Plum isn’t happy. This Snyman fellow is he going to be playing in this round of the NPC for Hawkes Bay. Who incidently were a 3rd devision team a few years ago, but as they broadened the NPC now play in the top league and Boy did they surprise a few teams last year even beating Wellington.I was speaking to a fellow SA expat the other day and he knows of 4 ex SA youthes who have been invited to the Northland Rugby trials. Its not going to be long before these Kiwis have to start pronouncing the names properly, there is a youngster Corne` Swanepoel who swims for NZ and they talk about Corny Swanypool, how they can pronounce these Islander and Maori names without a problem and then Balls Everybody elses is a laugh.
@Dynamite (Comment 52) : Joe tells me Hawke’s Bay won their last warmup game by 90 points.
OK Manne hereis your Brute team for saturday:
Blou Bulle: Tiger Mangweni; Akona Ndungane, Marius Delport, Wynand Olivier, John Mametsa; Morné Steyn, JP Joubert; Pedrie Wannenburg, Wikus van Heerden ©, Deon Stegmann, Wilhelm Steenkamp, Danie Rossouw, Werner Kruger, Derick Kuün, Jaco Engels. Reserwes: Bandise Maku, Rayno Gerber, Francois van Schouwenburg, Jacques Burger, Francois Hougaard, Derick Hougaard, Zane Kirchner.
Cant believe they dropped Lobberts. 😉
@PaarlBok (Comment 54) : 😆