Former Bok outside centre Marius Joubert comes straight in at outside centre as John Plumtree today named a youthful side to take on the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup, at Kings Park on Saturday afternoon. Blitzbok winger Mark Richards will debut on the left wing, while a number of age-group stars feature on the bench.
Plumtree has named a strong-looking tight give, with Eugene van Staden, Craig Burden and Ross Skeate adding vast experience at loosehead prop, hooker and lock respectively. Anton Bresler and Wiehahn Herbst, both of whom have represented the Sharks at Super Rugby level this season, complete the lineup and it will also be Bresler’s first starting appearance for the Sharks at senior level. A trio of youngsters will deputise off the bench, with Jandre Marais (lock) the only one who has not been capped at this level. Kyle Cooper (hooker) and Dale Chadwick (prop) have tasted Currie Cup action for the Sharks in previous seasons.
A strong loose trio sees 20-year-old Marcell Coetzee, who is usually a number 8, named to make his first start in the number 7 jersey, as captain Keegan Daniel and Jacques Botes add further experience. Another 20-year-old, Franna Klenhans, is in line to make his senior debut off the bench this week.
Ross Cronje returns at scrumhalf, also his first start for the team, and will partner the experienced Fred Michalak, who’s at flyhalf. Meyer Bosman and Joubert offer plenty of experience in the centres, while Louis Ludik moves to the right wing to accommodate Stefan Terblanche in the last line of defence.
The exciting young Cobus Reinach and another Blitzbok in winger Sbu Sithole are also in line to debut off the bench, where they will be joined by the experience of Jacques-Louis Potgieter. The team contains 13 players who have attended (or still attend) the Sharks Academy.
The Sharks
15. Stefan Terblanche
14. Louis Ludik
13. Marius Joubert
12. Meyer Bosman
11. Mark Richards
10. Frederic Michalak
9. Ross Cronje
8. Keegan Daniel (Capt)
7. Marcell Coetzee
6. Jacques Botes
5. Ross Skeate
4. Anton Bresler
3. Wiehahn Herbst
2. Craig Burden
1. Eugene van Staden
Replacements
16. Kyle Cooper
17. Dale Chadwick
18. Jan Andre Marais
19. Francois Kleinhans
20. Jacobus Reinach
21. Jacques-Louis Potgieter
22. Sibusiso Sithole
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A very good team under the circumstances, I’m loving the ‘new’ Plum.
Richards up against Vd Heever and Ludik against Akona 😕
U tellin me this team can’t give the bulls..come on these sharkies look strong..at least the centre pearing looks good..
I still think we can win.
Well done Mark Richards and Francois Kleinhans ❗
Good luck to the Sharks and especially to all the debutants 😎
Well done Plum!!! This is a great team and should be able to knock them bulls over…
When compared to the bulls, this is a very well balanced side with plenty of experience. Especially in the backline. The backline will need to pitch up and make it count come saturday.
Not a big fan of Ludik on the wing, he doesn’t have enough pace. I am very happy with the young Sharks getting picked.
JLP must be wondering why he left the bench at the Bulls to come and ride the bench at the Sharks.
Is Stefan going to be scored as a centre or outside back? In FL that is? ❓
This team gonna clap those bulletjies :), congrats to the new comers…
Ludik moves to left wing to accomodate Stefan in the last line of defence……..
Do I detect some “tone” in there? 🙂
Right !!!! Fantasy League and Superbru picks in !!! lets do this !!!!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 13) :
Congratulations on the promotion, I am sure you will do a great job!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 13) : I guess they also didn’t want to go with 2 inexperienced wings.
@beet (Comment 16) : Are you on twitter?
@beet (Comment 16) : Yip could be.
If I had written the article I would have said, “Ludik’s versatility has seen him being kept in the side after he had to make way for the more experienced Stefan at Fullback.” 😉
😥 my young and inexperienced bulls team has no chance this sharks team is just tooo strong for us!
@KSA Shark © (Comment 18) : Isn’t Stefan the most ‘versatile’ of the two? 😛
@Muzi (Comment 17) : Ja, beet_b
What do you make of the switch. Dippenaar 12 Watermeyer 13?
Corne Fourie and Jurgen Visser are my “must watch with interest” players for Saturday
@Muzi (Comment 19) : Where’s the faith?
Fantasy League tossed and toiled with, LMS pick made and SB picks will be made in a minute. 😎 Currie Cup here we go! 😛
good team , much as expected
@KSA Shark © (Comment 18) : That seems to suggest Ludik is moving closer to the door.
I guess if you had written it that way, this would be comment 100 not 25
@beet (Comment 25) : I heard they wanted to try dippernaar at 12 he has lost his pace that he had at paul roos but i am happy he is starting to show his potential i have enough of old jaco pretorius he must go and pack his bags and leave!
@beet (Comment 25) : The powers in pretoria have been impressed with vissers talents that they want him ASAP in the bulls super 15 squad!
Good team….a bit more experienced than the Bulls I think. I reckon the Sharks should take this.
Sharks are the favourites 😐
Very happy with that Line up!! So much quality depth in KZN and at The Sharks. Lots of Academy players coming through; great to see them get their chance. With the squad we have available and looking at our competition we should retain the CC; but they still need to go and do it out on the field. C’mon Sharks, make it happen!!!!
Hope bresler has a long season .I think the guy is going to be a great find for the sharks. Worried about 9 however its do or die time for the cronje twins so hope for him he has a great game.Hope kooper gets a run aswell!
Great to see youth being developed!
@Talent (Comment 31) : Ross will be fine; he can do the job 4 sure. I am confident that he will be great for us in CC.
i`m really excited about this game… all of the fringe players coming into the starting line-up has been knocking on the door for quite a while. burden, bresler, coetzee, richards with a touch of experience in tereblance, joubert and michalak…
Only thing that worries me with this team is with Stefan at the back all the possession is going to be kiked away 🙁 (don’t worry I’m ducking 🙂 )
JLP not starting – how excitng 😀
@Sharksmad – The Blog’s Dudette (Comment 34) : at least the wings are likely to get the ball before him 😈 😎
oupa is good at the back.
@rekinek (Comment 35) : hehehe, congrats on your promotion.
Does anyone know where Lindeque stands in the big picture. Given how woefully short we are of quality centres we can’t afford to lose him. I would like to see him getting some senior game time even if it is off the bench. Marius is 30+ and we seriously need to get some sort of quality replacements for the midfield for the future.
Another question for scrumhalf – does anyone know how Shannon Rich compares to Ross Cronje? If the Cronje’s don’t improve this season surely it is time to let them go??
Rekinek very true that 😆
@lostfish (Comment 39) : I agree,
I was about to say, Ross come now, and prove me wrong.
@lostfish (Comment 38) : I used to know 2 guys once upon a time who were able to give us this kind of junior player info along with complete u19 and u21 team sheets. I think their names were Rob and Rich. 😈
@rekinek (Comment 35) : I find it very amusing that everyone hates this guy, when just a year ago everyone was like why the hect did we not buy him….
@Uli (Comment 43) : We only bought him because we were desperate to fill a void… then SuperPat came along and we were wondering why the heck did we buy him.
@lostfish (Comment 37) : what promotion 😯 Am I getting paid now ? 😆
@Uli (Comment 43) : i don’t think that “everybody” – you seem to be appreciate of this oke. Similarly I don’t think that “everyone” wanted to get him a year ago – as I never wanted Sharks to get him.
Get your facts straight buddy.
Besides – even if “everybody” wanted to get him a year ago IMO now “everybody” has the right to feel disappointed as JLP did not deliver.
@lostfish (Comment 39) : if I recall correctly I think Cronje played a lot in Vodacom Cup but I did not watch too many games. I liked him in 2009 but then he kinda disappeared so difficult to say what kind of form and skill he will display. I am quite chuffed though to see him play.
13 players who’ve attended the Academy – and yet there will still be idiots out there who say we import all our players, oh well.
@rekinek (Comment 46) : I Like the aggressive attitude, Sistah!!! I like it a lot! 😈 😆
@CapeShark (Comment 48) : exactly 🙄 🙄
@Ice (Comment 49) : my pleasure 😆
Loving all the academy players in this side! The extended S15 may just be a blessing in disguise for the Sharks!
All of my support!!! Awinning team…
@CapeShark (Comment 48) : Well said
In this starting lineup we only have 9 imports. 13 players were Sharks juniors.
It’s also encouraging to see that 8 of these 13 (over 60%) come from KZN schools. So it looks like we’re getting better in this regard as well.
sburaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
@CapeShark (Comment 48) : Or that the academy is a waste of time.
Well this is a pleasant surprise, I never saw it coming!
@rekinek (Comment 46) : @Ice (Comment 49) : Guess which Sharks player has been allocated to your table at the ladies breakfast? 😉
@Megatron (Comment 55) : Did you what Sibulele Nanto do the job for his home province KZN on Tuesday? 😛
Im faceless, but sober.
@rekinek (Comment 45) : I’d also like to get paid
@JarsonX (Comment 61) : petition ? 😆
@Salmonoid (Comment 58) : Freddiee???
@Salmonoid (Comment 60) : kinda think you might have gotten a raw deal here
@rekinek (Comment 63) : Not if karma has anything to do with it.
@rekinek (Comment 64) : Indeed.
@rekinek (Comment 62) : Or we can strike 😆 Does anyone have SABU’s (South African Bloggers Union) telephone number? 😛
@Salmonoid (Comment 66) : ypu KIDDING ❗ yey yey yey 😛
are you sure ? how do you know ? 🙄
@Salmonoid (Comment 60) : sorry… approved now 🙂
@JarsonX (Comment 67) : didn’t you know – I am the president
@beet (Comment 59) : POACHERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@Megatron (Comment 71) : just thought this morning, it’s a while since megs was around… And here u are 🙂 howzit mate!
@robdylan (Comment 69) : 😎 Could that have been the first (very amateurish) Sharksworld t-shirt that existed. I made it before the Stormers game at Newlands a few years ago. We won.
@Megatron (Comment 71) : SBUURRAAAAAAAAAA
@Salmonoid (Comment 73) : can you send me a bigger version?
@franshark (Comment 72) : howzit fransie, ek kan nie kla nie, just been flattened with a bout of bronchitis but feeling better now 😛
@robdylan (Comment 74) : yeah you know this sbuuuurraaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 😆
@Megatron (Comment 76) : I hear that 75% of people die in their beds, so if you feeling not so well stay away from your bed 🙂
@franshark (Comment 78) : wasn’t in bed at all, more on the couch than anywhere else 😀
@robdylan (Comment 75) : Mail sent.
Sharks by plenty!