The Sharks have made just one change to the team that beat the Stormers last week in Cape Town, with Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira making a welcome return to the playing field for Saturday’s Vodacom Super 14 match against the Auto & General Super 14 Lions at The Absa Stadium Durban.
Sharksrugby.co.za reports that continuity is absolutely key in this competition and the most successful sides have, in general, been able to rely on the core of their squads to play the majority of the games to provide that stability so necessary in the game.
The crowd-favourite, “Beast” is the only change, having recovered from a sternum injury and adds a fantastic option off the bench for coach John Plumtree. Following last week’s tough win, The Sharks will be going all out to make sure they maintain this success ahead of the tour, but are well-aware of the danger posed by the visitors who have made great strides and will arrive in Durban with their own victory over the Cheetahs last week to give them confidence.
Derby matches between these two sides are always well worth watching and a massive forward battle looms as each side looks to dominate the other.
Jacques Botes, completely over the injury that kept him out of the preseason matches is again named on the bench as he returns to match fitness, and should he come on, will achieve the milestone of 50 Vodacom Super 14 matches for The Sharks.
Despite the late kick-off (7.10pm) the heat and humidity is certain to linger going into the match and the team with the superior fitness levels and ability to cope in the conditions will stand the best chance of emerging winners in this match. The Sharks are at home for the first time in the tournament, but board a plane on Sunday as they embark on their four match tour of New Zealand and Australia and fans are urged to get to the game to support the men in Black and White!
The Sharks
15. Stefan Terblanche
14. Odwa Ndungane
13. Adrian Jacobs
12. Francois Steyn
11. JP Pietersen
10. Ruan Pienaar
9. Rory Kockott
8. Ryan Kankowski
7. Jean Deysel
6. Keegan Daniel
5. Johann Muller (Captain)
4. Steven Sykes
3. Jannie du Plessis
2. John Smit
1. Deon Carstens
Replacements:
16. Bismarck du Plessis
17. Tendai Mtawarira
18. Alistair Hargreaves
19. Jacques Botes
20. Ross Cronje
21. Riaan Swanepoel
22. Luzuko Vulindlu
Tweet
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 1) : Have you read some reporters who say “the crowd chants his name”.
NO THEY DON’T!!!
remember last year when we played the valke, 2 of our guys were not allowed to play, i thought henno was only on loan to the lions, but it seems he is going to play, how does that work???
what the hell his daniel doing starting? with baywatch on the field you need your top defenders at work. plum must have a plan i just cannot see it. but rushing beast in from injury shows how much respect plum has for the lions tight 5.
@Baldrick (Comment 2) :
If you mean they chant “beast, beast, beast” then I agree.
You can’t really call “BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAST” a chant IMO.
@willa (Comment 3) : in the super 14 once you play for a team you cannot play for another until the season is over. i actually think henno has left the sharks.
dammit, Oubaas, we’ve done it again 🙂
@try time (Comment 4) : i suppose beast is only coming in off the bench, so he is not being rushed in. anyway it is good to see him back. we’ll need him firing for next week.
@try time (Comment 4) : I agree if Botes is fit he should start with Keegan coming on later. Keegan is a great impact player , but comes across a bit small and light for a hard forwards battle such is predicted.
the bench looks so much better this week, amazing how one name make it look better!!!
@robdylan (Comment 7) :
I only waited an hour after getting the team announcement. 😛
@Pokkel (Comment 9) : especially if they are talking up the humidity, you want the loosies that keep the ball close to their bodies. then later when the lions open , which they do, bring on daniel. anyway it is plum’s call lets just hope it doesn’t backfire.
So it seems John will play TH. 😎
I can’t see Bismarck and beast coming on at staggered intervals big enough to allow John to move to LH as he did last week.
I hope Heinke is up to it.
Oh crap – Johann is still the captain? 😯
Forget it – we don’t stand a chance.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 13) : agree it will stuff john around to much.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 11) : it doesn’t matter 🙂
@blackshark (Comment 14) : and adi starting. we are in kak.
it is going to rain saturday night. judging by the weather we have been having.
@try time (Comment 15) : yeah… just because he ate Mujati like a Mielie doesn’t mean we must now muddy the water by trying to turn him into a loosehead as well.
@try time (Comment 17) :
We are in kak or Jy is “deur die kak” 😀
He is the best we have in Dbn. regardless of any injured players coming back.
Who would you start with?
@robdylan (Comment 19) : no my concern is that in one game he’ll be used in three postions. that is a bit tough on the guy. so when they decide to bring bis on jannie will have to come off.
@robdylan (Comment 19) :
He is superman – I’m starting to believe we can play him at lock if we run into trouble.
@try time (Comment 17) :
This will be a big match for him – coming up against his nemesis.
I’m expecting good things…do not fear!
Sharks by 12!
check out windguru.com, looks like no rain, just very hot, 27 – 30, between 5 and 9 o’clock
@KSA Shark © (Comment 20) : i would start with riaan that plays a tight defensive game like barritt. but look adi is the number one choice and i would like him to prove me wrong. i just think he looked better in the boks cos he had jdv inside him. whereas with frans there i would rather see a defensive centre until the lions backline tires. then bring in adi with fresh legs.
@try time (Comment 21) :
But if they want Deon to go off they might as well switch Jannie to LH…not John…
@willa (Comment 23) : sabc had 60% thundershowers on saturday. but i have learnt one thing living here, don’t trust the weather reports. it does its own thing.
@blackshark (Comment 25) : no beast will replace deon.
@try time (Comment 26) :
I’m expecting rain tonight or tomorrow …
I think we’ll be good on saturday…
@blackshark (Comment 28) : apparently it is easier to play in durban when it rains than in the humidity, so it doesn’t matter i suppose. the rain washes the sweat off the ball making it easier to grip.
@try time (Comment 27) :
Yeah – but if Bismarck has to come on before Beast.
@try time (Comment 24) : you stumble upon something important… it’s the combo of 10-12-13 that is not firing on defence – or attack for that matter – and I think the real issue is that they miss Barritt’s communication skills. I don’t believe Frans is a talker on the field.
@try time (Comment 26) :
SABC also had Castro going to varsity before he was born. 😕
@blackshark (Comment 25) : am I missing something… why not bring Beast on at loosehead?
😐 😐 😐
@robdylan (Comment 31) :
Yeah we really miss Brad… for the bench… 😈
Not a firing start from our combo – but I’m scared of what will happen when they get it right….the Lions better hope it’s not this weekend.
@robdylan (Comment 31) : i never stumbled on it. it is glaringly obvious. adi and frans aren’t linking up. but agree wherever frans is the man outside him battles. remember last year when frans played outside centre and waylon wing. waylon was blamed for two tries slipped through, but on a rekyk it was frans going the wrong way.
@robdylan (Comment 33) : See…blackshark (Comment 30) :
@blackshark (Comment 30) : thats where jannie will have to be replaced. or john. but it will be silly to move him to loosehead and then to th when beast comes on.
Now watch Adi have a brilliant game just to shut try time up…
22 hours, 11 minutes before round two kicks off.
ok everyone is confused. option one. bring beast on for deon. no change required. option 2 bring bismarck on. then either jannie or john will have to leave. personally i would like to get to the situation where beast bis and john start. then deon and jannie can replace whoever.
@wpw (Comment 39) : and i’ll be happy. because if adi has a good game then the sharks will have a good game. so it is a win win for me.
@try time (Comment 41) :
No confusion.
The thing is Bis played in the Stormers game so they might wanna give him more gametime…just to increase his match fitness…
The question is what happens if they wanna give Bis 30 minutes and Beast 20 minutes?
ok, I get it…
Kinda
it’s not fair to expect John to switch twice. If anything, I would prefer him starting at 3 and moving to 2 later.
@blackshark (Comment 43) : look at post 41. beast will replace deon. a straight switch. when bis comes on 10 mins later then plum has to decide, keep the brothers together or the hookers. john will either move to th or leave.
@robdylan (Comment 45) : good you get it.
@try time (Comment 46) : the great position we are in though is whoever gets replaced can come on later without any disrption to the tight 5 if there is an injury.
@try time (Comment 46) :
That’s assuming Bis comes on ten minutes later than Beast.
I was asking the other way around…if Beast comes on 10 minutes later than Bismarck…
I still say play Adi 12 & Frans 13 😉
@try time (Comment 48) : correct – and that’s the most importamt part.
In fact, it’s why Beat and Bismarck have to start, because neither has any utility value. John, Deon and Jannie can each play at least 2 positions in the front row.
Here’s a thought… Bissie as an openside flank replacement? Could be frightening…
@blackshark (Comment 49) : if Bis comes on first, you move John to 3 and take Jannie off. Take Deon off 10 minutes later when Beast comes on…
@robdylan (Comment 51) : Deysel are already a handful… This can just become more scary… 😈
@robdylan (Comment 51) : not really, he plays like a loosie in the open play. i like the idea. it opens up our bench choices as well.
@try time (Comment 36) : Play Frans then @ 15… Logic 😆
@Charlie (Comment 50) : noooooooooooo! frans is not a 13.
@Charlie (Comment 55) : don’t get me started. i said before the first ball was launched into thec air that i will give frans a chance. he has two more games before i lay into him or not. but 15 is a good spot.
@try time (Comment 57) :
You’ll be impressed on saturday… 😛
@blackshark (Comment 58) : hope so. my dream is the sharks winning all 15 games this season. the only game i am worried about is the chiefs next week. how is that for blind support.
@try time (Comment 54) : Wolla is going to be very busy trying to make up the 5kg advantage that Willem Alberts has over him… trust me, those two will spend all evening bashing the sh*t out of each other. Will be good to have another hard-as-nails ball-carrying option while that personal battle rages.
@try time (Comment 59) :
I don’t know about 15 games dude…but it’s a good dream.
@blackshark (Comment 61) : 13 rounds + semi + final
Now that’s arrogance 😆
@blackshark (Comment 61) : doubting thomas
@try time (Comment 57) : Ja nee, gee Fransie ‘n kansie 😉
@Charlie (Comment 62) : damn right its arrogance…or blind faith.
@try time (Comment 63) : 😆
@try time (Comment 65) :
But it can be done – so why not by The Sharks… 😆
Haven’t browsed this site on IE for a looooooong time – it looks a bit weird now…
@try time (Comment 65) : This will hurt wpw… 😈
@robdylan (Comment 60) : thats why daniel starting has me bothered.
@Charlie (Comment 68) : not as much as the sharks thumping the poefters on saturday.
@blackshark (Comment 67) : crusaders have done it and they are a kak team. no where as good as the sharks.
@try time (Comment 69) :
You’re not the only one – things will get ugly at the breakdowns…
We’ll also need more breakaway runs from Keegs and Kanko…
@Charlie (Comment 68) :
watte???
@try time (Comment 71) :
Definitely… 😈
Okay all my predictions and LMS and teams are done.
@blackshark (Comment 72) : yes that is the only thing consoling me about daniel starting and that is his pace if there is loose ball available. although i prefer jacques when it comes to defending around the breakdown, his speed puts the opp. 9-12 under great pressure. he was the reason why rose crashed in both games against us last year.
@wpw (Comment 73) : “watte” kry j by die chemist 😉
@try time (Comment 69) : hoping the pace will make up for it. They are a little short of gas amongst their loose trio. With Keegan and Kanko there, we can run them off their feet.
@MorneN (Comment 75) : so the reminders worked?
man, isn’t it great to be able to chat about actual rugby again?
@MorneN (Comment 75) :
I better get that done…don’t wanna be stuck with “Auto & General Lions” on the LMS…
@robdylan (Comment 79) :
We can see the grin from here Rob…
@MorneN (Comment 75) :
Any news from CIA headquarters on whether Kalie woekie is starting or not?
@robdylan (Comment 79) :
Did you see the cricket last night?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 82) : CIA headquarters.
Good one. 🙂
@KSA Shark © (Comment 82) :
No idea dude.
@robdylan (Comment 78) :
What reminders?
@MorneN (Comment 85) :
You only get the reminder if your selections are not done or if your team is not complete.
@MorneN (Comment 85) : you should have been sent a reminder if you ain’t made your LMS pick yet
@McLovin (Comment 84) :
did you read the article? 😆
Here
Dunno why he called it Rugby’s little veil of secrecyit is a Stormers issue. 😳
@KSA Shark © (Comment 88) : The All Blacks are just as bad…
@KSA Shark © (Comment 88) : I really don’t know why Rassie is so secretive. 🙄
@KSA Shark © (Comment 88) : Maybe it’s like the freemasons and Rob Houwing simply doesn’t know thw secret handshake. 😉
@McLovin (Comment 89) :
I think Mr Houwing HAD to add the ABs in there as an afterthought just incase he had to deal with Frightening Frikkie again.
@McLovin (Comment 91) :
Freemasons? They are just a myth, they don’t really exist even in this country they don’t exist it is just a rumour. 🙄
@KSA Shark © (Comment 93) : Yes off course. They don’t exist. 😉 😉
@robdylan (Comment 78) : most def.
@robdylan (Comment 79) : that is why i am thinking of boycotting sw on wednesdays. it is always the lull day.
and all you province supporters go talk kak on your team’s squad announcement page. oh ha ha your coach hasn’t announced his team yet. 😆 😆 😆