Sharks under-21 coach Sean Everitt has the luxury of naming a full-strength side for Saturday’s semi-final against Western Province at Newlands. The juniors have enjoyed a pretty good season, ending third on the log, by virtue of a slightly inferior points difference to their hosts.
The under 21s, spearheaded by the virtually flawless boot of Pat Lambie from fullback, managed to win 8 of their 12 league games, losing twice to the Bulls (both times narrowly) and once to Province in the process. The last time they faced their Cape rivals, though, they ran out handsome winners and Everitt will be hoping that his young charges will be able to replicate this result, at Newlands on Saturday.
There are a handful of players with senior experience in the side, Lambie having made his Currie Cup debut this year, along with props Dale Chadwick and Julian Redelinghuys and flyhalf Guy Cronjé. The other Cronjé twin, Ross, is the only squad member to boat any Super 14 caps. He will play off the bench this week, after recovering from injury. Tian Meyer captains the side from the starting scrumhalf position.
Alfred Ries continues at hooker, keeping Baby Bok Kyle Cooper on the bench. Cooper was sin-binned in the shock home loss to the Cheetahs some weeks ago – his sending off proving the turning point in a game that the Sharks looked like winning. The fiery young hooker hasn’t started a game since! There is good continuity in the second and back rows, with locks Jandré Marais and Anton Bresler having started virtually every game. Since returning from early season injuries, Siya Mdaka and Luvo Lusaseni have also established themselves as fixtures in the side at openside flank and eighthman respectively.
Michaelhouse winger Mark Richards, a schoolboy teammate of Lambie’s, will continue in the right wing jersey he has occupied for most of the season, while Rosco Specman, Jerome Pretorius and Arno van Zyl complete the three-quarter line.
The game kicks off in Cape Town at 14h00 on Saturday and will serve as the main curtain-raiser to the Currie Cup semi-final between Western Province and the Bulls to be played later that day.
Sharks Under 21s
15. Patrick Lambie
14. Mark Richards
13. Arno Van Zyl
12. Jerome Pretorius
11. Rosco Specman
10. Guy Cronje
9. Tian Meyer (Capt)
8. Luvuyiso Lusaseni
7. Lambert Groenewald
6. Siya Mdaka
5. Anton Bresler
4. Jan Andre Marais
3. Julian Redelinghuys
2. Alfred Ries
1. Dale Chadwick
Replacements
16. Kyle Cooper
17. Sabelo Nhlapo
18. Lee Thompson
19. Nicolaas Claasen
20. Ross Cronje
21. Gary Collins
22. Milo Nqoro
Tweet
Lets hope the Sharks do their usual thing and choke!!!
@wpw (Comment 1) : we’re the away team here… you can only choke if you’re the favourite.
Back in your box
@robdylan (Comment 2) :
Your excuses coming in early I see. 😈
Go my BABY Sharks!!!
@robdylan (Comment 2) :
HAHAHAHAHA!!!
Lambie is gonna kill em 🙂
whos the other semi finalists?
@JarsonX (Insomniac) (Comment 7) : BULLS & Cheetahs