The Sharks have made a number of changes for their team to play the Lions this Saturday.
Let’s start in the backline. As expected, Pat Lambie starts at flyhalf in the absence of the injured Steve Meyer with Dries Strauss filling the inside centre berth vacated by Lambie.
But it is in the forwards where most of the changes occur. Willem Alberts starts at blindside flank in place of Keegan Daniel who drops moves across to openside flank with Jacques Botes dropping to the bench. Al Hargreaves retakes his number 5 jersey from Ross Skeate, who moves to the bench. Beast Mtawarira takes the place of Pat Cilliers at loosehead prop while Jannie du Plessis starts at tighthead prop with Wiehan Herbst dropping out of the match 22. Bismarck will make a welcome return to rugby from the bench while Eugene van Staden will cover both prop positions from the bench, the bench is again a 5-2 split with Jean Deysel completing the forward replacements while the back replacements are Rory Kockott and Riaan Swanepoel
Sharks team to face the Lions:
15. Louis Ludik
14. JP Pietersen
13. Stefan Terblanche (captain)
12. Andries Strauss
11. Lwazi Mvovo
10. Pat Lambie
9. Charl McLeod
8. Ryan Kankowski
7. Willem Alberts
6. Keegan Daniel
5. Alistair Hargreaves
4. Stephen Sykes
3. Jannie du Plessis
2. Craig Burden
1. Tendai Mtawarira
Bench:
16. Bismarck du Plessis
17. Eugene van Staden
18. Ross Skeate
19. Jean Deysel
20. Jacques Botes
21. Rory Kockott
22. Riaan Swanepoel
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Who will be flyhalf replacement?
Cant wait for this match, Elton vs Lambie. Go Sharks ❗
No flyhalf cover in Dumond?!
Seems Kockott will obviously cover that position then..
@war1 (Comment 1) : Good question…probably Kockett.
Great team except maybe centre although Strauss has been good lately. Great bench…the Sharks should take this.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 3) : Can Kockott play flyhalf? Will be interesting to see
@war1 (Comment 1) : Hopefully we wont need one, I’d rather have Monty there than Swannie at this stage.
We have Strauss at 12 and we are upset becasue we bought Bosman?????
I see WHY we bought Bosman
@Jarson (Comment 2) :
Have the Lions named their team. i hope jantjies is the 10
@KSA Shark © (Comment 8) : Lions have named Elton at 10.. great match up this one!!
Any news on Mapoe yet?? How long does a hearing take 🙄
@KSA Shark © (Comment 8) : Yep, Jantjies at 10, will be an interesting match up
Most of the bench players have something to prove, whether coming back from injury or trying to reclaim their starting spots.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 9) : The Lions team is unchanged from last week.
GO SHARKS !!!
@Greg (Comment 11) : Will be nice to see two youngsters nailing each other, just a pity Jantjies is going to come off second best, I hope it doesn’t affect his confidence for the future. 😛
5-2 split again. Hope we dont hav injuries in da backs again. Monty should hav been der instead. Should dominate upfront and strong replacements on bench
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 9) : Actually, Lions have named an unchanged side from last week, first time this year (I think) ❗
Patrick Lambie against Elton Jantjes.
That is the intriguing battle of the flyhalves that may be fought in Saturday’s Currie Cup match between the Sharks and Lions in Durban.
If the ages of the two 19-year-olds are added up, it amounts to just three more years than Sharks captain Stefan Terblanche.
Sharks coach John Plumtree spoke to Lambie on Tuesday about the expected move to flyhalf.
“We realise he has already played fullback and centre for us and I will have a word with him before we pick the side,” said Plumtree.
Lambie is just happy to be able to play, irrespective of the position. He played flyhalf as a schoolboy at Michaelhouse and it is his favourite position.
Sharks assistant coach Hugh Reece-Edwards has said for a while that he believes Lambie will be best at No 10.
“He has all the skills required for a flyhalf. He runs superb lines, kicks the ball very well and his defence is very good,” said Plumtree.
If Lambie is announced as the flyhalf on Thursday, it will set up a terrific showdown between two of the country’s top youngsters.
Jantjes is viewed as the future of Lions rugby and this match may well be the start of competition between the two that can only be good for South African rugby.
@Greg (Comment 17) :
@RuckingFun (Comment 16) : I reckon they know they have burden who can cover both forwards and backs, even though he does not want to play backline, at least he CAN..
Watch out for Alberts and Deysel running at the fly-half channel of little Jantjies. I have a feeling he will be sore on Sunday.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 15) : Will reply to that shortly, at the moment am just rolling on the floor laughing 😆 😆 😆 😆 😆
@Jarson (Comment 10) : Just checked around, and I can’t find anything.. will post as soon as there is news..
@Greg (Comment 22) :
For sorry for that Cooper kid, because he was playing some great rugby off the bench.
@Tackler (Comment 21) : Assumong they get hold of the ball first 🙄
Why is Deysel not starting?!
Lions: 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Deon Van Rensburg, 13 Waylon Murray, 12 Doppies La Grange, 11 Michael Killian, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Trevor Hall, 6 Derick Minnie, 5 Franco Van der Merwe (captain), 4 George Earle, 3 Kevin Buys, 2 Martin Bezuidenhout, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Replacements: 16 Edgar Marutlulle, 17 Ross Geldenhuys, 18 David Bulbring, 19 Ronaldo Bothma, 20 Chris Jonck, 21 Carlos Spencer, 22 Marius Delport.
@molly (Comment 25) : Kyle Cooper is a great talent, and I can’t wait for him to get some more game time… which I assume he will get as soon as Beast and Jannie get called up to the Bok camp again..
@KSA Shark © (Comment 28) : Hell I feel really sorry for Wikus van Heerden.. the Lions finally look like they are building on something and now he aint there..
@KSA Shark © (Comment 28) : The Lions actually has a very good backline…
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 30) :
When he’s back he’ll fit into the set up really well.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 32) : Will he be back in time for the Currie Cup, I got the idea he was out until nxt year.. I may be wrong though..
@Pokkel (Comment 31) :
backs, loosies and FRs are all good. This is NOT going to be a onesided affair.
@Greg (Comment 26) : With Baywatch and/or Wickus there you may have had a point. But now Sharks will get enough ball to play with. Or else Deysel and Bismarck will just go and take the ball 👿
Not a bad team… although as most of you said the fact that there is no “real” cover at flyhalf is a bit concerning.
And as Charlie once said
“GO SHARKS!!!!!”
@Pokkel (Comment 31) : Its a backline that can only get better as the season goes on and into the Super 15 next year..
Encouraging stuff, maybe they can win a game next year 🙄
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 20) : sure was just thinking if lambie got injured we’d b a bit stuck. And we hav many options to cover ifa centre gets injured but none 4 flyhalf…
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 33) :
not sure when he is back but think it will be next year. His absence is actually a little bit of a blessing with them using other players who wouldn’t usually get a chance. Will help with depth for the S15.
@Farlington (Comment 36) : They must have a lot of confidence in young Lambie to not have a plan B..
@Farlington (Comment 36) : 😉
I expect Whitely to lift his game to an even higher standard than it already is when he playes against his old province.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 39) : True.. they must be gunning to finish higher than 15th.. I think they might surprise us all this eekend and put up a real fight..
@KSA Shark © (Comment 42) : I didn;t know that..
How old is he? Really didn’t know he was a Sharks kid..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 43) :
If the run they gave the Bulls is anything to go by then we are going to have a nervous 80 minutes in front of the TV. 😳
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 43) : The question is who’s going to coach the Lions in the S15 next year? Maybe all Mitchell’s good work will be undone?
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 40) : Confidence is one thing… the problem is if Lambie should get injured (heaven for bid) then we might have a problem.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 45) : Or at the Tank 😆
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 44) :
His Bio.
Full Name – Warren Roger
Surname – Whiteley
Height – 192
Weight – 97
Birth Date – 18 September 1987
Birth City – Durban
Marital Status – Single
Favourite Film – Gladiator
Favourite Music – Everything
Favourite Food – Pasta
Primary School – Dirkie Uys Primary
Secondary School – Glenwwod High
Tertiary Education – Sharks Academy
@Pokkel (Comment 46) : Surely Dick and the Gang can’t screw that up as well?!?!
Strangely der are a few english names in da lions team
@KSA Shark © (Comment 49) : Stalker much??
Lol.. just kidding, thanx Andre..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 44) :
Squads he has been in
Xerox Lions (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division) – 2010
Lions (Absa Currie Cup Compulsory Friendlies) – 2010
Golden Lions (Vodacom Cup) – 2010
Mighty Elephants (ABSA Currie Cup First Div) – 2009
Sharks XV (Vodacom Cup) – 2009
Sharks u21 (ABSA Under 21 Competition) – 2008
Wildebeest (Vodacom Cup) – 2008
Sharks U/21 (ABSA Under 21 Competition) – 2007
Kwa-Zulu Natal (U18 Coca Cola Craven Week) – 2005
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 52) :
I learn from the best, have been friends with Rob for a while. 😆
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 50) : I wouldn’t be surprised
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 48) :
Lucky Shit!!
@Farlington (Comment 47) : True..
We might have a slight problem then.. Surely Kockott or someone somewhere will have had some flyhalf experience. Im sure I’ve seen Kockott play first receiver somewhere.. Might have been a dream though.. 😳
@Pokkel (Comment 46) :
And he’ll have to start all over the next year in the S15, 😉
his contract eith the Force is finished and i think they already named his replacement.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 57) :
Not a dream, i also believe he has been a 10 before.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 56) : On that point, have you been to the press box before Andre?
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 29) : Cooper is a hooker.
@lostfish (Comment 61) : 😳
Then I meant when Bissie gets called up to the Boks..
@Pokkel (Comment 55) : Me neither!
Five former Lions in the sharks squad, and three former sharks in the Lions squad ❗
@Greg (Comment 63) : Ja I’ve lost all confidence I had in Muir. I hope the Lions can hold onto Mitchell.
@Pokkel (Comment 65) : Was optimistic when he joined, but he really made his name ass in the S14 🙁
@Pokkel (Comment 65) : would be good if Mitchell could stay on, has done a lot in a short space of time
@Pokkel (Comment 65) : I was actually hoping the Sharks could poach Mitchell 😉
@CS (Comment 68) : I don’t mind if Plum stays on…if we can poach Slaptjips for the backline. 😉
I am happy with this team considering the injuries we have just suffered… Monty is not there for a reason, and we have to accept that… They are obviously wanting Lambie to play a full 80 minute game, and they will have a strategy in place for him not to crash ball, with big support players running off him should someone like Doppies try to rush him…
I am looking forward to Bismarck making a return, and agree with Plum’s philosophy of continuity… Deysel cannot just pop back into the team, it doesn’t send the right message to the squad, he is playing his way back, and is Plum’s trump card, imagine what must be going through the mind of the defense when you are struggling to contain Willem Alberts and there is still Jean Deysel, one of the hardest men in world rugby itching to get on to the park… It is psychologically very unsettling for The Lions, and any team for that matter… He also needs to gain match fitness, he is an anomaly, but is ultimately human.
I disagree about feeling sorry for Kyle Cooper, he is a kid, and must make way for a Springbok, a Springbok, that will not be there long (see Beast, Jannie & JPP) – they are going to get call ups very soon, so Kyle will get game time very soon again, we must use the Boks as a trump card and take the most out of this match… (Also Kanko of course)…
The person with the biggest boot and most responsibility and experience in the backline is Stef, thus Flyhalf will be his responsibility should things go awry with injury…
Mvovo is going to shine and Deysel saves his best for The Lions (ex union), and Willem and Luidk will be hungry to show their worth… Come one guys, please come down to this game!!!
Sharks FOREVER!!!
@Pokkel (Comment 69) : Even better!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 59) : I don’t recall him starting a game at 10, or formally playing flyhalf during a game, however, in a few of the matches where Ruan was at 10 with Rory at 9, they swapped positions quite often throughout the game, with Ruan often at the base feeding to Rory at first receiver. As I recall, Rory even had a drop goal attempt from first receiver in one of those games.
I have been perusing rugby365.com where I used to be a contributor, they have good content, but are far too liberal with their threads… There needs to be some moderation there, it cheapens the whole site to have excellent content diluted with numbskull bloggers, we need to ensure that riff raff gets banned from this site if they over step the mark.
Moderators, keep up the good work here… Still no news on Mapoe which is why I went there, this is obviously a nasty case. I am beginning to think that The Cheetahs have secured him, and are shagging The Sharks for a formal release fee… IMO
@DarkDestroyer (Comment 73) : I don’t see why transfer fees aren’t the norm in SA. Imagine the Pumas, EP, SWD, Valke etc. They get raped of good players something cronic and their finances are in a terrible state. Why not turn them into Academies of sorts so that the big unions buy the player from them and they become more viable.
It’s crazy! And so freaking simple!
@DarkDestroyer (Comment 73) : court cases do not happen quickly, anyway do we know for sure that the hearing was today? I for one am not jumping to conclusions
I see no one has actually mentioned this. This will also be Waylon Murray’s 1st game against his former union. He might have a point to proof. Question is: Can he run straight yet?
BTW happy birthday to Steven Sykes!
@Dancing Bear (Comment 72) :
The Drop goal I can remember, I cannot actually picture him playing 10 in my mind, i just have a feeling that i’ve heard it somewhere sometime.
@Dancing Bear (Comment 72) :
BTW. I still owe you an apology. We ducked outta DC a day early coz we had to get up to Ohio a day early. Kette had a sudden roadtrip to Indianapolis with her friends that was decided the day before we left DC.
Annapolis was cool. THANKS
@Jarson (Comment 76) :
He will certainly go out and try to prove that point. I actually missed that bit.
Waylon is as likely to grow straight as a WP supporter.
He should just be happy he is facing the innocous Stef opposite him.
He is a great cover tackler though: interesting to see if he can help contain JPP and Mvovo.
@Big Fish (Comment 81) :
Waylon is as likely to grow straight as a WP supporter.
Stefan will not let Murra get past him, mark my words.
I dare Big Feesh to say that to my face!! 👿
He are very bang for me!!
@wpw (Comment 83) :
He Obviously knows how big you are. 😛
eeeaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh
😉
@war1 (Comment 75) : Well… It wasn’t only a court case, it was already in the arbitration stages, and it was today, and there are obviously appeals etc being chucked back and forth, I do know that court cases take time, but I guess got optimistic considering that it was at this stage in the legal negotiation process.
😯
Wpw: have I told you lately how much I respect you?
On paper this is a particularly good side, allowing for the expected good performance of Lambie in his new position. If this side clicks, the Lions are in for a hiding despite the fact that they are improving with every game. Why is it then that I always have a nagging feeling that somehow The Sharks may fall short of expectations? We have to get it right for next week when there will be no chance of experimenting.
@Donald (Comment 88) : next week is the Leopards, dude 🙂
Oops! Thought it was these guys from Cape Town!!
@Donald (Comment 90) : that’s the week after 🙂
You’re in the UK, aren’t you?
@Baldrick (Comment 74) : Because it is far cheaper to go the legal route, find a loophole in a contract, and force a union to release a player. No contract is water tight, and all it takes is time and money to find that loophole. Once found, go to arbritation, and it costs nothing, because the ‘losing’ union gets lumped with the cost. The releasing union has two options, either take the chance of arbitration, and run the risk of losing both the player, and a lot of invested time and money, or just give up and release the player. Either way, the ‘purchasing’ union gets the player at no cost.
I have no problem with player movement, as has been pointed out many times, this is the ‘professional’ era, there is no such thing as union loyalty for players, and it is not expected, they need to go where the money is. The transfer process, however, needs to be done in a professional manner, and the selling union needs to be compensated for their investment.
Good team put out by Plum. Would like to see Deysel in the starting line up as soon as he is match fit. Would like to see a flyhalf on the bench in Monty or Guy Cronje. I would have dropped Botes out the squad. IMO you either pick him or Keagan, not both.