Sharks coach John Plumtree has tacitly acknowledged the strength of the Cheetahs at scrum time, as he named possibly his strongest scrummaging unit to front up in Saturday’s match.
John Smit, somewhat unimpressive at prop against the Hurricanes, will be back in the number 2 shirt that he has all but made his own over the course of 10 years. Jannie du Plessis will handle the tighthead duties, with Bok discard Deon Carstens packing down on the left. Bismarck du Plessis and Tendai Mtawarira will add their own particular brand of impetus coming off the bench this week.
Steven Sykes had been bracketed with Albert van den Berg in the second row, since the big Marlowe lad has had a spot of flu this week and might not start. Should he not recover sufficiently to take his place in the starting team, he will play off the bench this week.
The backs are unchanged from last week, with Frans Steyn and Luzuko Vulindlu carrying on at flylhalf and left wing respectively in the continued absence of Ruan Pienaar and JP Pietersen. Both are expected to be fit in time for the clash with the Highlanders in week 12.
The Sharks
15. Stefan Terblanche
14. Odwa Ndungane
13. Adrian Jacobs
12. Riaan Swanepoel
11. Luzuko Vulindlu
10. Francois Steyn
9. Rory Kockott
8. Ryan Kankowski
7. Keegan Daniel
6. Jacques Botes
5. Johann Muller (Captain)
4. Steven Sykes / Albert van den Berg
3. Jannie du Plessis
2. John Smit
1. Deon Carstens
Replacements:
16. Bismarck du Plessis
17. Tendai Mtawarira
18. Albert van den Berg / Steven Sykes
19. Skholiwe Ndlovu
20. Charl McLeod
21. Monty Dumond
22. Chris Jordaan
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hope plumtree doesnt burn these boys out, they have been playing non stop????
@willa (Comment 1) :
I’m sure they get pampered between games… 🙂 …and we do have a bye coming up…
Go Sharks!
Hoping for another solid performance from Swannie…just to create a good headache for Plum when Ruan returns from injury.
must say, I am starting to get a little more concerned about the Saders game than I would like to be… something about them having Richeie McCaw back
@robdylan (Comment 3) : 😯
@blackshark (Comment 2) : i do hope so, just dont want them tired and injured come semis and final,and last week they did look a bit gatvol to me!!!
@robdylan (Comment 3) : hopefully only from the bench when its to late 😆
@robdylan (Comment 3) :
Yep…would’ve been easier to catch them in the earlier rounds when they looked clueless and fragile. Nonetheless, we need to beat all the strong teams if we wanna sit on that throne with pride.
Can we do it? YES WE CAN!
@willa (Comment 5) : yeah… just worried that we might come a-cropper after so many hard games in succession… would be far happier if we were playing them after the bye, not before.
SHARKS!!!!!!!!!!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 8) :
That’s the spirit!!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 8) : yay! Missed you oubaas
3 hours and then it weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Liverpool?????
@KSA Shark © (Comment 8) : Welcome Back!
awesome!!! I want to see more of Vulindlu. He looks like a promising wing!
@willa (Comment 11) : yip yip hurrrrrrrrraaaa
@Rahul (Comment 14) : I’ve heard he’s an even better outside centre…
@robdylan (Comment 3) : i’ve heard that sharks are planning to have the monster diesel back so might not be too bad.
and since according to hurricanes we are cheating 😈 it will all even up
@robdylan (Comment 16) : We need stronger wings! I vote leave him on the wing
@Rahul (Comment 18) : murray for the wing
@rekinek (Comment 17) : sour grapes. The New Zealanders are the king of the post-loss moan. Ignore them. At least the Aussies know how to take a beating fair and square.
As for Wolla, not too sure he’ll be back any sooner than Ruan and JP
@Rahul (Comment 18) : yes – for now… I am a great believer in starting at wing and then moving inside later in your career.
@Rahul (Comment 18) : i dont know if its only me, but he seems lack a little pace, what do you guys think??
@KSA Shark © (Comment 8) : just a hit and run from the airport, I fear… hope he remembers his LMS pick
@robdylan (Comment 23) : He did…
@willa (Comment 22) : Thats why I want to see more of him. We know he is strong, but I want to see what his brain is like too
@Rahul (Comment 24) : yeah… I am very keen to see him up against the useless Demas this weekend. ZUKS hat-trick!
I am officailly on leave untill 28 April!! Be good everyone!!! 😆 😀
@Prof. Ice (Comment 26) : have fun and drive safely
World Cup Springbok lock Albert van den Berg will run on for the Sharks in Saturday’s Super 14 derby against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
Van den Berg, who was bracketed with Steven Sykes, will make his first start of the season.
Sykes has been down with ‘flu all week but has been passed fit and will play off the bench
From Super 14.com.
go bert!