The Sharks team named to take on the Valke in Nigel on friday night is an interesting one all right, as it differs a fair bit from the one we were expecting. A number of fringe players, most notably Justin Downey and Jean Stemmet, will have reason to feel somewhat aggrieved at the selections made.
The tight five was somewhat predictable and essentially picks itself, given the injury situation. Kyle Cooper has been named on the bench as backup hooker and the youngster will need to prove his aptitude for the game at this level, along with Sharks XV team-mate Anton Bresler. Wiehahn Herbst has been there before and shouldn’t be out of his depth, while the credentials of Beast Mtawarira and Al Hargreaves cannot be questioned. The replacement bench is interesting, though, with no lock forward replacement named. Instead, Pat Cilliers will be joined by another prop, former Griquas tight head Eugene van Staden, who is on trial with the Sharks after spending the last three seasons with Montpellier in France.
It’s among the loose forwards where the first surprise comes. Downey had been training in the number 7 shirt pretty much since the Super 14 ended, while Mike Rhodes has been on and off the injured list yet again. True to form, though, it’s the half-fit Rhodes who has been named to start the match, with the ever-reliable Downey again relegated to the bench. Keegan Daniel and Jacques Botes will renew a partnership that has, quite frankly, failed every time it has been tried. It will work against the Valke, of course, because they’re basically a club side these days, but the Sharks coaches may need to look to something different against Griquas in two weeks time, should neither Jean Deysel nor Willem Alberts recover in time.
Steve Meyer has been named to start at flyhalf – a pleasant surprise given his need of game time – and with Riaan Swanepoel yet again injured, is it really surprising to anyone that Dries Strauss is back at inside centre? It’s in the number 13 jersey, though, that the next shocker comes, with Jean Stemmet completely overlooked in favour of 19-year-old Piet Lindeque. That’s not to say that Lindeque isn’t a great potential talent and very exciting, but as the next-in-line player who has paid his dues in the Vodacom Cup and trained in that position for the last few weeks, surely Stemmet should at least be given a chance to show what he can do?
Mark Richards will need to make the most of his chance at right wing, while Louis Ludik and Stefan Terblanche will add a huge amount of experience to an otherwise young outside back division. The former, in particular, will want to show that he is finally over his knee injury and ready to stake a claim for a regular starting berth in the Currie Cup team.
The last surprise is the inclusion of 19-year-old Dwayne Jenner on the bench, yet another inside centre who tips the scales somewhere around the 100kg mark. Jenner came up the hard way, attending EG Jansen in Benoni and almost going to Craven Week withe the Valke, before having to withdraw due to injury. Jenner moved onto the Zululand Rugby Academy in Empangeni and forced his way into the Sharks Under 19 setup through good performances for the Rhinos on the club scene. He was selected to the SA Under 20 training group last year, but missed out on final selection to represent the Baby Boks.
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Go Sharks…I hope the youngsters do well.
So hopefully this answers the question that was posed a few times yesterday 😉
I’m assuming this game won’t be televised.
@robdylan (Comment 2) : Have you got someone lined up to give us some updates?? Just offer more points for sitting in the cold in Nigel. 😉
Willa is our man… He’ll be passing updates to Richard F who will keep us in the picture.
Come on, Pokks… How do you know me? 😉
@robdylan (Comment 4) : Sharp my Bra 😎
I guess Rhodes is covering lock as well which would indicate his fitness is fine.
Rob, I see your allegiance to Downey is strong!
Truth is, we need a big hard hitting 7 which Rhodes is and Downey isn’t. Kegan, Botes and Downey is just not the right mix.
By the way, thanks for finding out about Van Staden and Jenner…
Lets see what these lads can do.
I guess they just want to see what they have in the other players, I’m glad for the amount of youth getting a chance even though its only a friendly.
On a sad note. I missed the Sharks opening S14 and now I’m also going to miss their opening CC game 😥
On a sad note. I missed the Sharks opening S14 game and now I’m also going to miss their opening CC game 😥
@JarsonX (Comment 10) :
We heard you the first time!! 😈 😉
@JarsonX (Comment 9) : @JarsonX (Comment 10) : Twice as sad 😆
@Pokkel (Comment 12) : @wpw (Comment 11) : 😳 😳
Apparently the Western Force has an eye on Sias Ebersohn as a potential recruitment. Andre Pretorius does not have a contract with the Sharks yet, like Meyer he will have to proof himself first.
@JarsonX (Comment 14) : Looks like someone at the Sharks has a brain! Good call not to dish out contracts to these 2.
Rugby player: ”Doctor Doctor, every morning when I get up and look in the mirror, I feel like throwing up! What’s wrong with me?”
Doctor: ”I don’t know, but your eyesight is perfect.”
Q: Why do people tend to hate Australian rugby players on sight?
A: Because it saves time.
Good to see some young guns comming threw,sharks rugby is back! GO CRAIG BURDEN YOU ROCK BUDDY! Lol
Andre Pretorius went to the Doctor one day and said: ”Everytime I touch my legs, arms, tummy or anywhere else, it really hurts” The Doctor replies: ”You’ve broken your finger”
@JarsonX (Comment 19) : 😆 😆
Dries Strauss again?! How long must we stick with this plonker?
How long till Adie gets back?
Dick Muir takes the Lions out for a training run and first up he tells them to assume their normal positions. So they all go and stand behind their goalposts to wait for a convertion.
@JarsonX (Comment 22) : Funny this morning 😀
@Original Pierre (Comment 21) : looks like he’s going to miss the entire first half of the competition, along with Mapoe
@Pokkel (Comment 23) : 😯
@JarsonX (Comment 22) : 😀 😆 🙂
sharks are the emergency ward at the moment 🙄
@sharks_lover (Comment 27) : I have a bone to pick with you…
@robdylan (Comment 24) : So there’s no point in me choosing Adi for my fantasy team then is there? At least initially?
Between injuries and bok selections it’s quite hard to choose a squad of 30 that is guaranteed consistent playing time!
PS: Are you going to fix Lambie’s position from Centre to Fullback?
@CS (Comment 29) : is he down as a centre? Goodness me.
I’ll fix it in a little bit
@robdylan (Comment 30) : Thanks Rob.
Any idea when we can expect Deysel and Alberts back from injury?
@CS (Comment 29) : or hang on… maybe I won’t fix it.
Problem is, if anyone has already selected him, it’s gonna be a nightmare to change it.
@CS (Comment 31) : sorry – I can’t move Lambie now… he’s going to have to stay a centre. It’s actually a bonus, because any tries he scores will count more.
@CS (Comment 31) : Deysel should be fit by 3rd or 4th round. Not sure about Vic
@robdylan (Comment 32) : Might be easier to get Plumtree to change HIS team sheet
@CS (Comment 35) : exactly.
Am I the only one thinking Pat would be an all right 12? 🙂 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 36) : yes, but at the moment he is a brilliant 15! we should either move him to 10 and keep him there or keep him at 15
@war1 (Comment 37) : and what do we do with all our other 15s? 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 32) : I think I picked him aswell. Doesnt really matter though. 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 38) : i dont know, its a good problem to have, you know you will get a lot of flak for even mentioning making lambie a utility back
@war1 (Comment 40) : I think when you’re 19, no matter how good you are, you need to be a bit flexible for the good of the team.
@robdylan (Comment 38) : Ludik and Stef can play on the wings
@robdylan (Comment 41) : how about we use some squad rotation?
@JarsonX (Comment 22) :
@robdylan (Comment 41) : this begs a question : when you are old enough / experienced enough / established enough etc to stop being flexible.
there is a school of thought (of course) that team comes first – always.
@rekinek (Comment 45) : you should never stop being flexible, but I would imagine that if you are an established (international) first choice in a particular position, you should expect to be picked in that position for your provincial side.
@robdylan (Comment 46) : the flexibility and team’s first go hand in hand. And usually the players who are picked in various positions are good ones – I mean you are wanted in the side despite that your usual spot is taken. So in this many words I agree with you that one should never stop being flexible.
The problem is that a player when shuffled in between positions may start playing badly. So again it is a balancing act (like all things in life – surprise surprise :grin:)
However, there is a difference between asking an established player to fill in somewhere else and shuffling youngsters. I think youngsters are more in danger of “confusion” and then dropping out altogether. And then again they are the ones least likely to object.
@rekinek (Go Podolski!) (Comment 47) : let’s talk specifics…
Frans Steyn. Problem with him was that he INSISTED on being picked in a position that he was no bloody good at. If anything, he always put the needs of the team last. Kind of why I was happy to see the back of him.
Ruan Pienaar. The issue with him (from a Sharks perspective) is that he is more than good enough to be first choice at either 9 or 10. To my mind, the problem came when he started being stuffed around at national level. I think the Sharks have always been pretty good about playing him in whichever position he wanted to be played in. At least he was never a liability at 10. I think the biggest issue was the Boks (ab)using him at fullback, which was quite simply a disaster full stop.
@robdylan (Comment 48) : Why do so many people have an axe to grind with Pienaar, believing that he’s some brattish kid who insists on where he wants to play. If anything, he’s beeen messed around (as you state “abused”) and his confidence takes a knock. I’ve never believed him to be some petulant frans steyn style of player.
@Baldrick (Comment 49) : yes… I am a big Pienaar fan… after I had the error of my ways shown to me. Should never believe the Keo spin
I’ve never read anywhere that Pienaar stated where he would and wouldn’t play and any ultimatums. And anything you read on Keo…. suffice to say, they stated that Ludik is on the injury list, despite being named to play tomorrow night. So much for researching their articles. It’s just hits, hits, hits!
I also like hits
@Baldrick (Comment 49) : urm Pienaar cost us the semi final last year. . . That`s enough for me.
Any truth in this story I read in the papers today regarding Andre Pretorius? I would think we need someone who A stays fit enough to start and finish a season and B someone who doesn`t put his own team under pressure by trying to run out of his own in goal area???
@robdylan (Comment 52) : Your aim should be what WTR is. Man they have fans delux!
At least they don’t nick content like another site I could mention
Lmao
You guys are snaaks!! 😆
Wes, you smell like boloney! 😉