JP Pietersen has been named in the Sharks team to face the Hurricanes this weekend, but will need to pass a late fitness test before the game. If he falls out, he will be replaced by young Luzuko Vulindlu in the number 11 jersey.
Somewhat predictably, apart from the weekly rotation in the front row, the rest of the team is completely unchanged from the unit that totally annihilated the Brumbies last week. John Smit starts at tighthead this week, with Beast Mtawarira on the other side. Deon Carstens and Jannie du Plessis will both be on the bench.
Chris Jordaan has been earmarked to take Vulindlu’s spot on the bench, should Pietersen be ruled out altogether.
The Sharks
15. Stefan Terblanche 14. Odwa Ndungane 13. Adrian Jacobs 12. Riaan Swanepoel 11. JP Pietersen / Luzuko Vulindlu 10. Francois Steyn 9. Rory Kockott 8. Ryan Kankowski 7. Keegan Daniel 6. Jacques Botes 5. Johann Muller (Captain) 4. Steven Sykes 3. John Smit 2. Bismarck du Plessis 1. Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: 16. Jannie du Plessis 17. Deon Carstens 18. Albert van den Berg 19. Skholiwe Ndlovu 20. Charl McLeod 21. Monty Dumond 22. Luzuko Vulindlu / Chris Jordaan
Tweet
We need JP for the Lions – get him right – no risk. Besides the very little i have seen of the new fellow – suggests a bit of game time might be rewarding for him and the Sharks.
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 1) : I agree… really keen to “see” Zuks get a run. (“see” is in inverted commas cos I won’t be watching the game:( )
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 1) :
Shows you where the Sharks’ priorities lie.
They don’t give two hoots about the National cause!! 😕 😉
Rob – maybe you know – how many players there been who played like every minute of S14 (or S12) – do they exist ❓ is it physically doable
or are sharks trying to break some records ❓
@wpw (Comment 3) : Wes has no use for wooden spoons… they wear out too fast.
Guess WP’s stash is safe…
@rekinek (Comment 4) : I doubt anyone would have played every minute of a campaign… everyone has to end up being replaced at some stage.
A guy like Jacques Botes has a remarkable record for unbroken appearances, though…
@rekinek (Comment 4) :
I’m sure it’s physically doable…I don’t know if anyone has ever done it though…
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 1) :
We might still see Zuks…but if JP is fine…then why not get him back to the squad? We have a home semi to secure…hopefully a top spot home semi. The youngsters will get their chance…we still have to play the Bloemfontein guys next weekend…
@robdylan (Comment 5) :
Wes chows wooden spoons for fibre…
@blackshark (Comment 8) : is wes wpw ❓
@rekinek (Comment 4) : SA rugby website has the stats, if you’re willing to go through each game and work it out, all it has is the teams and the subs and time of play they were subbed.
If you’re up for a bit of homework, why not do it for every player in the S14 – that would be Grrrrrreeeeeeaattttt!
@Baldrick (Comment 10) : yeah sa rugby has some decent stats. but as you say it takes work. i used that site to see which refs yellow carded which teams the most. surprisingly last year jk had it in for the sharks.
@rekinek (Comment 9) : yup
@rekinek (Comment 4) : i think the only sharks to have played every minute are rory, stefan, ryan, adi and frans.
@Baldrick (Comment 10) : see ya next season – if somebody asks I am in Statsroom
@try time (Comment 13) : rory was subbed by cronje in lions game, methinks adi as well. and also last week. but for minutes really.
so the entire S14 sofar – i think it’s only kanko, frans and stef.
@rekinek (Comment 15) : And Frans has been off for blood a few times!! 😆
@rekinek (Comment 15) : only Kanko and Stef…
I think
Bulls
Reds
Chiefs(by a lot)
Tah’s
Brumbies
Sharks
Bulls will lose…and then blame the ref…
Luckily for the Sharks Gear has gone home…cozz if the back 3 of last Saturday played Zuks would have been SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO out of his depth….
@Pokkel (Comment 18) :
We are not the Blues or Reds…so don’t be so confident…
hmmm, do you ever think at all before posting?
Yip….
I just aint sentimental…straight up is my middle name…
@robdylan (Comment 22) :
Do you ever NOT CRY when I post…
Or are you seriously telling me he would not have been out of depth had the back 3 of the Canes that played against the LIONS played!??!
@Hmmm (Comment 25) :
Young Zuks is already better than anything dished up in lions back 3.
Green as hell, but out of his depth? You can only make that call after he starts a game.
@Hmmm (Comment 25) : hmmmm you really come out after hours. I must remember – I am often still at work that time 😆
Oh my word! Hmmm is as thick as pig shit!! Hahahaha 😀
@Hmmm (Comment 20) : Do you know the difference between Hosea Gear and Rico Gear?
What is so special about Hosea Gear that Zuks couldn’t handle? He’s a decent player, pacy and good finisher…but not even an All Black international yet…so what is there for Zuks to be scared of?
@wpw (Comment 3) :
Why should they… Snor will choose under-performing Stormers over them any way…
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 30) :
Name these players please!!!
Last time I checked the Stormers actually played quite well last season and it was for this reason those players were selected.
The only one I can think of is Bolla ahead of Rory.
@wpw (Comment 31) :
Most certainly on top of RJ…
Goose-step Jantjies, the most over-rated back since Jorrie Muller… cannot join the line on attack, cannot pass, cannot kick tactically other than hand possession over with his predictable up-in-unders that don’t get much height in the first place…
Mujati- average scrummer (sic) with an average all round game…
So there’s three…
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 32) :
Are we talking about last season’s form or this years S14??
Cos the last time i checked the Bok squad has not been selected yet.
@wpw (Comment 33) :
Get back to me when it has then…
How many more season’s would you like Rory to perform… it’s been three so far…
Kockot, Giteau… got a very nice ring to it…
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 34) :
Kockotts been performing for 3 seasons?
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 34) :
Rory was not even first choice last season.
He was selected when Ruan lost form during the S14.
Oh and had Ricki not played in Dunedin last year we prolly would not have beaten the AB’s in their own backyard.
Lets chat when the season is actually over and the squad is selected.
@wpw (Comment 36) :
😯
Who peed in your cornflakes?
@Big Fish (Comment 37) :
Hey Big Fish!!!
Howzit??
@wpw (Comment 36) :
Rory kept RP on the bench for quite some time pal… suggest you go back and look at the team-sheets!
Ricky has got mongrel and good defence but that’s it… he’s not as fast as Kockott, he’ll never have the same kicking game… and don’t even get me started on his double-step pass…
As for the ‘fool’ part… bud… I’d have a good long hard look at 80% of your posts…
FDP
Kockott
January
Vermaak
Again…
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 40) :
On current form…I agree…but I doubt that I would’ve placed them like that before the Trinations…
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 39) : and the Sharks didn’t need him to win CC
amazing
not that I’m January’s fan – but he does play behind the pack – Is it really a pack
@blackshark (Comment 41) :
Rory was the first choice 9 for the Sharks last year over RP until his injury… after excellent form off the bench the season before usurped his team mate…
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 40) :
Rory did well last year but Ricki was the form scrumhalf during the S14.
So who do you select??
A seasoned Bok who has played over 20 tests and a RWC medal or a newbie who had a handful of good S14 games??
Lets wait until the squad is selected and then we’ll talk again.
@rekinek (Comment 43) :
I am a January fan…
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 44) : when Ruan was with the boks …
@wpw (Comment 38) :
Ola!
Rory is good, but needs to work on his marshaling of the team.
I think he has slipped off his 2008 form a bit.
@wpw (Comment 45) :
Whatever WPW… I did not say he was warranted a position LAST YEAR… albeit IMO (IN MY OPINION) he was the form 9 in the country after the Sharks yet again made the semi’s… but he most definitely deserved a place that ridiculously big squad…
And this year yet again IMO he is not only in better form than RJ… but the form 9 in the land… just pipping FDP at the moment…
Calm down lads – debate is healthy and expected amongst rival fans.
Jano Vermaak is in pretty good form this year as well.
@rekinek (Comment 47) :
Get with the program… Rory was injured and exited the CC…
@Big Fish (Comment 48) :
Don’t be fooled by Kockott playing to Plummo’s game-plan… he (Plummo) loves the pick and drives/snipes/attacks around the fringes, building phases before letting the ball go wide… which has made the Sharks the formidable outfit they are the past two seasons during his tenure…
Oh and did I mention he’s the leading points scorer this year and first choice goal kicker in the team over the incumbent Bok 10 and only goal kicker in the Bok 15?
“Another massive tackle by Kockott on the big NZ prop turning the ball over, quick snipe… off-load to Giteau… then to Mortlock… and OVAAAAAAA”
Adios…
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 49) : 😯
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 51) : bryce is a closet FORCE fan – pass it on!
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 49) :
I think FdP is still the best in the land…based on the games I’ve seen anyway…
The statement you made on bryce_in_oz (Comment 30) : suggests that WP/Stormers players are preferred over Sharks players. Did I read it correctly?
@robdylan (Comment 53) :
😆
What’s with the Giteau thing? And the Mortlock ?
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 51) : my criticism of rory is mainly about his selfishness, he creates little for others. He looks good at a team like sharks, good pack etc, but put him somewhere else ..
he has a long way to go match FdP
@blackshark (Comment 55) :
Was getting a bit concerned meself. 😛
@rekinek (Comment 56) :
Ditto 😉
@rekinek (Comment 56) :
Yeah…he does have the Steyn factor…always wanting to take matters into their own hands. It would be a disaster playing behind props who can’t scrum, hookers who are wings, locks who are flyhalves…that type of thing.
We can solve that problem… Maak die Sharkies almal Bokke…
@blackshark (Comment 55) :
Bryce thinks he might move to the Force if not selected for the Boks and then end up doing a Rathbone on us.
Ja right!!! 🙄
@wpw (Comment 59) : And get domolished by the Saffa’s like Rattlebone’s… 😈
@wpw (Comment 59) : then he will get to play with grant
@blackshark (Comment 54) :
@rekinek (Comment 56) :
Hope you watched tonight’s game then…
Kockott to win the game for the Sharks… AGAIN!
it’s a good point… in order to play with Giteau, he’d need to be playing for the Brumbies, not the Force 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 53) :
Sharks and Melbourne Rebels are my S14 teams 😉
@robdylan (Comment 63) :
Wallabies mate 😉
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 64) :
Wallabies?
Not likely.
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 62) :
You mean the Bulls? Nope…didn’t watch the game…
And where were you when everybody at Sharksworld was attacking Kockott? 😕
@blackshark (Comment 66) :
FDP was woeful after the first 20mins… his last touch was kicking the ball away with 3 minutes to go 13-16 down…
2007 signing I said watch this space Bok potential… young Davidson…
2008 I said number 2 half-back in the land and worthy of space in the ridiculously large Bok squad…
2009 I’m saying he is the form half-back in the nation… and in any other country… the bench 9 behind FDP…
Sharks would be nowhere this season without him…
If he ain’t capped this year… he’ll be playing for Aus… you heard it here first!
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 67) : you surmising, or do you have inside info?
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 51) : and had no problem whatsoever regaining his jersey
@Villie (Comment 29) :
Oh who does not know the dif between Rico and Hosea…
Hosea has been devastating this season…he does seem to be the fastest wing in the comp (he outsprinted the Cheetahs wings who’s speed was widely spoken of)…he is strong in defense and in hand-off…and has a good step…
More than enough for Zuks to be afraid of…
And now he is finally playing outside a Nonu and Smith who are gelling (and will be playing the second consec game and can only settle in more)…
Zuks surely can become a good prospect…but has not proved that he can stand up and be counted in S14…in the Reds game he did play out of place but was beaten a few times in defense…and except for 2 good steps against the run/angle of play he has done nothing on attack…
Or are you telling me that Hosea first needs to put on black and white before he is worth mentioning!??!
You making it more and more clear why more and more supporters dislike the Sharks supporters as they are the Bulls supporters of yesteryear…
@rekinek (Comment 27) :
So why are you telling me….you don’t actually think I come on here hoping to catch you do you???
@Big Fish (Comment 26) :
Zuks is better than our replacement…but he is no way better than Willemse or Mentz…I mean except for this site nobody else has even mentioned Zuks other than placing him in the team of the week as a replacement…
But then again…you are a one-eyed Sharks supporter…seems to be the trend lately…what a disgrace…I mean all you did was win the CC for the first time in 10 years….
With JPP out there was talk that it could effect the Sharks…
I don’t thin so as the Canes also have injuries and think the gap is def reduced…
@bryce_in_oz (Comment 40) :
On form I’d actually place Rory 1, then Ricky, then FDP then Vermaak.
Vermaak only played well in 2 games now so he is lucky to be in 4th still…
News24 SA dream team after week 7, and voting is done per week for that week, can only vote for a player if he plays (yeh a Shark supported actually asked that question cozz he wanted to vote for Ruan who did not play!??!), and only for the position the player started in, can only vote once with the same pc and then you also need to insert an e-mail address for verification and then the votes of every week get tallied and a percentage is work out in comparison to percentage votes…
Dream Team of whole S14 after week 7:
15 – Stephan Terblanch 66%
14 – Odwa Ndungane 40%
13 – Jacue Fourie 56%
12 – Jean De Villers 55%
11 – JPP 51% (Mentz got more votes in 2/3 weeks…closets rival I’d think…but they don’t show runners up)
10 – Ruan Pienaar 37%
09 – Rory Kockett 45%
08 – Pierre Spies 49%
07 – Juan Smith 35% (and this is impressive as he only played 2/3 games)
06 – Schalk Burger 50%
05 – Johan Muller 33%
04 – Bakkies Botha 78% (like hardly any other contenders here…LoL)
03 – Jannie Du Plessis 70%
02 – John Smith 46%
01 – Heinke van der Merwe 39%
For week 7 the only dif was:
12 – Wynand
10 – Morne
08 – Kanko
07 – Keegan
01 – Beast
The only clear unanimous favourites seem to be:
Steph
Bakkies
Jannie
I think Ruaan must be pretty unanimous if he can still maintain a position after not even playing in 3 of those games.
@Hmmm (Comment 71) : that’s exactly what I thought
@Salmonoid (Comment 76) : depending how grant goes tomorrow – i may even be tempted to say that he has no opposition whatsoever.
@rekinek (Comment 77) :
LoL
I hope you take rejection well 😉
@Salmonoid (Comment 76) :
Yeh actually that is true…I only mentioned that about Juan…that applies to Ruan too…
@rekinek (Comment 78) :
Morne has been playing well…so I won’t say no opposition what soever…but def at best 2nd to Ruan in the pickings…
Morne is the top scorer of the S14 this season though…
@rekinek (Comment 78) :
I’m not sure about Grant, it just seems as if he offers all the potential but then never consistantly puts the big performances together. Did you watch the Bulls game this morning, how was M Steyn? he like Grant also doesnt always take the step up.
@Hmmm (Comment 79) : no 🙁
@Salmonoid (Comment 82) : steyn has a virtually legendary lack of bmt
@Hmmm (Comment 81) :
@Salmonoid (Comment 82) :
but morne’s percentage is not great – the thing is that bulls do not have any other kicking so he can “practice” as much as he can.
did not watch the game this morning. read that steyn missed 2 conversions and penalty – so if you really want to be mean you can say that he cost bulls the game.
my opinion about both steyn and grant is that they are solid and nothing more. and specially grant – how much time did he have in No 10 and he just does not seem to lift his game – stays at the same level.
@robdylan (Comment 84) : i think you’ve just hit the nail
@robdylan (Comment 84) :
In contrast to Hougaart…Hougaart’s sure 9 of Hougaarts 10 best performances was either in a semi or a final…cozz that is about the only time he played well…
CC final 2002 LIONS vs Bulls – record ind points
S14 semi-final 2007 he outplayed Carter and kept the Crusaders out the game…
Etc, etc
@rekinek (Comment 83) :
Sorry!! 🙁
@Salmonoid (Comment 76) : @Hmmm (Comment 80) :
Oh yeh but if he missed 3 he only actually missed out two on the rest as the Sharks have a game up on all the SA sides…so the Sharks received a weeks votes where the other teams did not play (all have had their bye’s)…
@Hmmm (Comment 89) : true – we will see after week 11 (sharks bye)
@Hmmm (Comment 87) : never been lieflings’ fan but one thing you must give him – the man can kick
@rekinek (Comment 90) :
Although the Sharks have an advantage over the other SA sides as they have had an extra week of votes…I doubt that much would change…
Only maybe Odwa will fall off…and JPP would fall into the 40%…but that is about it…
@Hmmm (Comment 92) : we would definitely hope so. 😆
cheeerio – my time to run
@rekinek (Comment 86) : I take very careful aim…
unlike Hmmmm 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 94) :
Not all of us are called to lofty heights Rob – be grateful that sometimes we brush the hem of his garment. 😉
@Big Fish (Comment 95) : he’s high all right… 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 96) :
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
😈
And here i thought the thread would be interesting but alas, had to use the scroll button cos once again Hmmm decided to hijack the thread with his expert opinions… Hmmm, thanks for gracing us with you presence and your great insight.
@robdylan (Comment 94) :
I hit the target looking the other way!??!
@robdylan (Comment 96) :
I am firmly on the ground….thank you!!!
@wpw (Comment 98) :
Who read it to you?