Sharks coach John Plumtree has shuffled his backline with Pat Lambie’s move from fullback to inside centre the main talking point this week. The Sharks take on the Blue Bulls at ABSA Stadium at 17h10 on Saturday.
Somewhat surprisingly, given the amount of turnover ball conceded against Griquas, no changes have been made to the starting forward pack, with Ross Skeate coming into the bench in place of Anton Bresler as the only forward change. Willem Alberts, touch-and-go to return this weekend, will be forced to sit out one more week and Keegan Daniel, Mike Rhodes and Jacques Botes will need to play out of their socks to prevent the Bulls loosies running riot at the breakdown.
It’s all change in the backline, though, with Lambie replacing Riaan Swanepoel, who drops out of the squad this week. Rory Kockott, another player to deliver a below-par performance in Kimberley, will be in the number 20 jersey, handing the starting scrumhalf berth to Charl McLeod. Changes to the back three see a welcome return for Bok winger JP Pietersen in the number 14 jersey. Louis Ludik moves into the vacant fullback spot as a result.
Sharks v Blue Bulls
15. Louis Ludik
14. JP Pietersen
13. Stefan Terblanche (Capt)
12. Patrick Lambie
11. Lwazi Mvovo
10. Steve Meyer
9. Charl McLeod
8. Keegan Daniel
7. Michael Rhodes
6. Jacques Botes
5. Alistair Hargreaves
4. Steven Sykes
3. Wiehahn Herbst
2. Craig Burden
1. Patric Cilliers
Replacements
16. Kyle Cooper
17. Eugene van Staden
18. Ross Skeate
19. Skholiwe Ndlovu
20. Rory Kockott
21. Monty Dumond
22. Andries Strauss
Tweet
Better looking backline. Now if Mapoe can sort out his injury and FS contract it would be nice to see him at 13 (wishfull thinking)
Hi Rob. Great ‘mistake’ you made on FL by putting Lambie as a centre. 😆
@Pokkel (Comment 2) : I never make mistakes… just sometimes it takes a while for Plum to catch up
@robdylan (Comment 3) :
😉
I just hope that JPP is ready, he hasnt played for a while, maybe moving from 11 to 14 is just what he needs.
I still think we can and should beat the Bulls 😈
why wait for jp’s return when richards could have played against the griquas? imbeciles. again a case of lack of foresight by the coaching staff.
Great to see Charl starting at 9.
Strange that Swannie goes from first choice 12 straight out of the squad. Shouldn’t the dude on the bench drop out? Strauss comes to mind.
@Jarson (Comment 6) : I don’t think we have a snowballs hope……if Deysel & Alberts were there…maybe
@rhineshark (Comment 8) : Swannie had a poor game and the action that has been taken is certainly decisive…
I agree, though, that it’s pretty harsh for him to miss out completely.
Great side!
Of course 13 and the loose trio are not ideal, but the best we have right now.
Hats off to Plum for the back 3, bravely moving Lambie to 12, and dropping Rory and Swannie. This is decisive and smart selection, and I hope the players reward this.
@Big Fish (Comment 11) : yes – true.
We are so quick to criticise, let’s be equally quick to praise.
That is a bloody good backline. Pity we’re going to get stuffed up front 🙁
Sharks will win.
@Morné (Comment 13) : That’s what I want to hear 😀
GO SHARKS !!!
…Skapie @ 12, another Primadonna in the making, surely don’t hope so, keeping fingers crossed… 😐
@Morné (Comment 13) : I have a lot of respect for your opinions, but what makes you think the Sharks will win this match?
@Jarson (Comment 14) : …and see… 😈
@Jarson (Comment 14) : Me2!!!
@Charlie (Comment 15) : Lambie has good hands..he might put you into a couple of gaps when you return 😉
Come on Charles, Lambie has done absolutely nothing to warrant even the hint of a prima donna tag.
You are being ungenerous.
@Big Fish (Comment 20) : We need to build up some hits on this one 😈
@Pokkel (Comment 16) :
The only real issue you guys have are in the loosies.
For the rest I actually rate the Sharks combo’s more.
If the forwards lay the platform I suspect they will, the Sharks backline can have a field day in what I believe is a very shoddy Bulls midfield.
@Pokkel (Comment 19) : Prefer it vice versa… 😉
And even in the loosies, the Bulls only have Stegmann you can concern yourself about.
@Big Fish (Comment 20) : Your Honour to ad, I said “surely don’t hope so”, in defence… 😉
@Big Fish (Comment 20) : well said.
why is everyone knocking the kid, all of a sudden?
He was not THAT bad last week.
Time be positive about our players…getting tired of all the name calling 🙁
@Charlie (Comment 23) : I thought you prefered 13 🙄
@Morné (Comment 24) : Kuun’s not bad [email protected]Morné (Comment 22) : So you think an old fullback and a young fullback at centre for the Sharks should dominate the Bull’s two centre’s?? 😛
@Pokkel (Comment 28) :
Mate Kuun is the most useless player since Gus Theron and Jorrie Muller to ever play the game.
Not happy with Stefan at 13 but I see his role as a calming influence on Lambie at 12 as crucial.
Lambie at 12 will give your backline more dimensions than a review of the Hitchikers Guide…
(At least compared to what you had).
@Pokkel (Comment 28) : Will be interesting to see 😀
Must say, I’m looling forward to this game 🙂
Come on Saturday
Go Sharks
Can’t wait
“Changes to the back three see a welcome return for Bok winger JP Pietersen in the number 14 jersey.” that is pushing it a little. jp hasn’t played well in a sharks jersey for a while. so it will be more welcoming to see jp’s 2007/8 form return rather than him.
@Pokkel (Comment 27) : You getting influenced easily… 😉
So from 12 – 15 all play fullback for the sharks…mmm how wonderfull…
how good is this Greyling youngster that Bulls are playing at loosehead? Any idea?
Also, does anyone rate van Veltze? I saw a bit of his play against the Pumas and it didn’t exactly have me quivering in my boots.
@Me2 aka Mama Shark (Comment 30) : “looling” 😆 😆 😆
@Charlie (Comment 36) : “nit picking”??? 🙂
Excellent to see some changes to the backs – looking forward to seeing Lambie at 12, JPP back and Ludik at 15 this weekend!!
@Me2 aka Mama Shark (Comment 37) : 😆
I’m worried that Lambie’s going to get hammered at Centre… although I guess with all the Currie Cup teams only at half-strength this is as good a time as any to try it.
@CS (Comment 40) : He is only a “little Lamb” afterall
Go BULLE!!! 😈 😕
@CS (Comment 40) : I`m worried his self confidence will get a huge knock . .
But hey if it comes off we`ll be celebrating!
What do you guys think of Puma vs Leopards . . .
I`m leaning towards home ground cause I don`t have a clue!
Free State are weak at lock this weekend but I think Kwasse lost a lock as well. In KY I definately would`ve gone with Kwasse but in Bloem I`m not so sure . . .
It should give us a good indication of how good wp really is and I have to add . . . how bad we really are.
@Original Pierre (Comment 43) : I think the Pumas will take it…
Going to be difficult to predict a Leopard win this season… as a result I don’t think any of us are going to make it to the end on LMS.
@Original Pierre (Comment 43) :
You should go for the Leopards on LMS. Trust me!! 😈 😆
Lambie and Stefan at center worries me as it is a lightweight combination. i am certain the bulls are going to try and punch some holes through the center using the big loosies.
@dawj (Comment 46) : what big loosies? The biggest one they have is van veltze who weighs 102 kg 🙂
@dawj (Comment 46) : their centres arent that big either 🙂
@Jarson (Comment 48) : how big are their centres?
@robdylan (Comment 49) : I dont know 😳 They dont look big, I mean they are not Ma’ Nonus 😛
I would rather have gone with kockett, he is always a threat on attack and i believe if we lose him we got no 9 with pedegree. Many people in SA rate him and a quality 9 is essensial for a cup winning team. Don’t now if mcleod can make that step up. We sure as hell need to give young centers a chance or else we are going nowhere slowly!
I believe stefan watermeyer of the bulls will become a great player. He is the player holding the record with the most school point scored in SA. Sharks should try and snatch him from the bulls!
Just heard on SABC News that Jannie du Plessis is on his way home due to aggrevating the injury or something 😯
If P.lambie works out at 12 and charl macleod plays well and we get a outside centre the sharks have a good chance of making the super 15 semi,s , the sharks should actually make the super 15 semi,s if they don,t plumtree needs to go ,if he can,t make this group of players work then what else would he need .I,d say they should be in the currie cup final but I don,t really know what to expect from steve meyer I,m really backing him but can he win you a currie cup his better than monty dumond though that i,m sure of
greylings been there a while I havn,t really paid attention when his played cause he doesn,t stand out but if the bulls keep him and back him they must be something there ,the n0 8 is no piere spies but as far as I can tell his good ,they hyped him up alot at schoolboy level don,t know if he translates to the next level .What you think of stefan watermeyer the lions should steal him
just watch he has represented SA at under 21, only the bulls havent given him much of a chance at provincial level
Where is the Cronje twins? They not playing seniors or under 21’s!! This is obviously not good for their development! The Bulls team this week looks so strong I hope we can drill those blue guys!!!
Both twins are injured
@robdylan (Comment 58) : Is Guy still out with his foot? What did Ross do?
I think its ridiculous that Lambie is at 12. He is our best fullback and we move him to accommodate Ludick who has done nothing at 15 for some time. Cocking around a youngster once again. Idiots.
@Oubaas2009 (Comment 60) : did you watch the game against Griquas?