With the Sharks choosing to come home before flying to London to face the Crusaders, and then opting to only take a 22 man squad to the UK, the Sharks XV coach Sean Everitt has a few extra players to select his team from for the game against the Griffons on Saturday.
The players returning from their Super Rugby tour to Australia and New Zealand are Mark Richards, Riaan Swanepoel, Marcell Coetzee, Anton Bresler, Wiehahn Herbst, Craig Burden and Dale Chadwick. That is an entire front row, half a lock pairing, and some decent backs. All of them slot straight back into the starting line up.
Along with the above, Ross Skeate returns to rugby starting alongside Bresler in the locks, sending Jandre Marais to the bench. The coach has opted to stick with Dan Adonga in the starting line up for his second start of the season.
I am very excited to see young Lubabalo Mtembu on the bench and cannot wait to see this big flanker take the field and run over some Griffons.
The Sharks XV:
15. Kobus de Kock
14. Mark Richards
13. Jerome Pretorius
12. Riaan Swanepoel
11. Rosco Specman
10. Guy Cronje
9. Ross Cronje (Capt)
8. Marcell Coetzee
7. Daniel Adongo
6. Lambert Groenewald
5. Ross Skeate
4. Anton Bresler
3. Wiehahn Herbst
2. Craig Burden
1. Dale Chadwick
Replacements
16. Kyle Cooper
17. Sabelo Nhlapo
18. Jandre Marais
19. Lubabalo Mtembu
20. Cobus Reinach
21. Heimar Williams
22. Piet Lindeque
Tweet
…This is a serious team, overkill for The Griphons, but understand that the senior team fringe players need game time with The Stormers game coming up…
Is Deysel still not fit to play I was hoping to see him against the Stormers.
@Danman110 (Comment 2) : Deysel is very close to game time, but they are managing him. He will be in the mix after our first bye. He is training with squad. The big guy is almost ready…
Hope he gets a start against the Hurricanes Alberts needs a some time of he has played 400 min already.
@Danman110 (Comment 4) : Yeah looking forward to Deysel to return.
😈 stormers top of log …
Nothing makes me angrier
This team looks seriously strong in the tight 5.
It was very unfortunate that the weather was so bad in Jozi last week. Heimar only touched the ball a couple of times. I would love to have seen him showing his skills up there and then retaining his place in the starting 15. But it’s good that the compo for places is tough, it will keep the youngsters hungry and the older guys on their toes. Daniel Adongo is a good example of a player that made full use of his opportunity last weekend.
I see that Rosco Spec(tacular)man is back.
Richard, if you are going to watch. Please keep a good eye on Marcell. He seems to have molded his game around that of a more traditional style no.8, a sight for sore eyes IMO.
Cooper should be in Super rugby already. Not on a bench in the VC. Anyone agree ?
@Speed7 (Comment 8) : Dare I ask the obvious question, so that you can get the answer off your chest?
In place of who?
I would have had him in Burdens spot. Part of Sharks Super squad.
@Speed7 (Comment 8) :
Look, I agree with you that he is talented enough to play Super Rugby..
He will just have to be patient at the Sharks, his time will come!
@beet (Comment 7) :
Im almost certainly going to Empangeni to watch the match, so I will keep an eye on Marcell to see how he goes.
Looking forward to seeing Adonga and Mtembu play!
Mtembu’s the man. Good Dale College genes. Big future ahead.
We really have some great youngsters keeping the flag up. Should be another 5 pointer for us 😎
They need a good game and its a good thing that the returning Sharks players are given game time. I think they will have a few ghosts lingering from last weekend that need exorcising where they were properly bullied by the Lions.
Jipee, playing in my back yard.
@beet (Comment 7) : Is Marcell the guy who played no8 against the lions on Saturday?
@Ben (Comment 17) : Sorry Ben. Just saw your post now.
A: No Lambert Groenewald was charged with the responsibility. Marcell was overseas with the Sharks at the time. The conditions made holding onto the ball very difficult and Lambert was charged with the responsibility of primary ballcarrier. It turned out to be a tough day at office for Lambert. Even tho he’s from the W/Cape, I don’t think he’s played in conditions like that for a while. Even Kyle Cooper who is usually sound with the ball in hand struggled.
Altho it should be an easy match for the XV, Lambert has an equally big challenge this weekend as he has to prove his worth as a fill in openside flank. Everything about his physique and mobility suggest that he’s a bad fit for the position, so his determination is going to have to carry him.
@beet (Comment 18) : I’ve always reckoned that if Deysel can play 6, so can Lambert… but I guess Wolla is a fair bit quicker over the ground, isn’t he?
Jiss Dan stop commeting about yourself!!dan adongo aka dark destroyer
Jiss Dan stop commeting about yourself!!dan adongo aka dark destroyer hahahahahaha
@Talent (Comment 6) : Bulls top of the log is worse! 😈
@vermeulen (Comment 21) : 🙂
HeHeHe
Earl Rose running out for GWK now, get ready for some laughs! 😈