The release of hooker Monde Hadebe, fullback Gouws Prinsloo and wing Sbura Sithole to the Sharks under 21 side for this weekend’s clash against the Lions has provided the strongest indication yet that John Plumtree intends to include returning Bok players in his Sharks side this weekend.
Sithole in particular has gone from first-choice at wing in the Currie Cup side to starting for the under 21s, a sure indication that at least one of JP Pietersen and Odwa Ndungane will start for the Sharks against the Lions. Hadebe’s demotion could well be to make way for the return of Craig Burden, but could also point to the inclusion of Bismarck du Plessis in some capacity. Stefan Terblanche will probably return to the last line of defence for Prinsloo, although Pat Lambie, as incumbent Bok fullback, would also have a very strong claim to the number 15 jersey.
Hadebe takes back the under 21 captaincy this week, with Mike Williams coming up into the starting line up to replace Pieter-Steph du Toit at lock. Piet Lindeque returns to the outside centre position after missing out last week, while Siseko Jafta also returns from injury to play off the bench.
Sithole and Prinsloo’s inclusion see Jaco van Tonder shift back to wing, with Nico van der Westhuizen (bench) and Kieran Goss (out of the 22 entirely) missing out as a result. Goss can feel particularly hard done by, having scored two good tries against the Leopards.
Meanwhile, the Sharks under 19s have made a single change to their side, with injured skipper Allan Dell replaced at loosehead prop by Deucullen van der Merwe. Simon Kerrod comes into the match 22 as prop cover, with Gary Teichmann’s nephew, Guy Alexander, taking over the captaincy from the number 8 position.
| The Sharks Under 19s | The Sharks Under 21s | |
| Heinrich Arendse | 15 | Gouws Prinsloo |
| Siyabonga Tom | 14 | Jaco van Tonder |
| Tyler Fisher | 13 | Piet Lindeque |
| Dean Moolman | 12 | Heimar Williams |
| Janco Tiedt | 11 | Sbura Sithole |
| Robert du Preez | 10 | Paul Jordaan |
| Ivan Ludick | 9 | Cobus Reinach |
| Guy Alexander (Capt) | 8 | Lubabalo Mtembu |
| Alwyn Jansen van Vuuren | 7 | Brynard Stander |
| Khaya Majola | 6 | Chris Cloete |
| Stephan Lewies | 5 | Peet Marais |
| Ernst Ladendorf | 4 | Mike Williams |
| Nicolaas van Dyk | 3 | Nick Schonert |
| Franco Marais | 2 | Monde Hadebe (Capt) |
| Deucullen van der Merwe | 1 | Danie Mienie |
| Replacements | Replacements | |
| Chad Banfield | 16 | Shaun Malton |
| Simon Kerrod | 17 | Njabulo Mkize |
| Stephan Deyzel | 18 | Karolis Navickas |
| Jason Klaasen | 19 | Siseko Jafta |
| Braam Steyn | 20 | Fred Zeilinga |
| Stefan Ungerer | 21 | Jared Meyer |
| Riaan van Zyl | 22 | Nico van der Westhuizen |
| Keelin Bastew | 23 |
Tweet
the Lions u21s are going to KAK
Rob,
Where is this chap Odongo? Suppose to have been the next big thing 👿
@dawj (Comment 2) : still training with the Sharks, but hasn’t had a chance to play yet
No Marcell Coetzee? – Has he played enough games for them?
Cant wait to see this U21 team in action again..
Its the best part of my trip to the Tank
@hendrikp (Comment 4) : I am pretty sure he’ll be in the senior side.
Very happy to see Guy Alexander take over the U19 captaincy..
@Ice Ice Bokkie (Comment 6) :
Fair enough. A lot to pick from though. Kankowski coming back from injury right?
Keegan Daniel, Jean Deysel, Willem Alberts, Jacques Botes, Ryan Kankowski & Marcell Coetzee.
2 of them are going to have to miss out.
@hendrikp (Comment 8) : Unless Deysel or Alberts play lock
@hendrikp (Comment 8) : think kanko and botes on the bench
@hendrikp (Comment 8) :
Kanko might be ready, but certainly won’t just start..
Deysel in the locks again is likely..
Botes likely to miss out..
If anything they should put Alberts at lock.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 11) :
True completely forget about that.
It’s a pity about Gouws Prinsloo, I liked the look of him at fullback.
Also think Botes will miss..
With Gouws back with the U21’s, its a certainty that we wont see Stef in the centres, he will cover fullback..
Or will Odwa be at fullback? Maybe even JPP?
I just changed my mind in the middle of a comment, Stef to be at 13 then..
Lambie or JPP at 12?
Sorry meant JLP
Adrian Jacobs & Marius Joubert/Stefan Terblanche midfield anyone?
I would like a backline like this: 9. Hoffmann 10. King Freddie 11. Mvovo 12. JLP 13. Marius Joubert 14. JPP 15. Lambie
@robdylan (Comment 1) : Monde and Sbura haven’t exactly set the u21 scene alight this season, so this has to be coz Gouws is back.
@hendrikp (Comment 19) :
Adi is out for 2 weeks..
@hendrikp (Comment 19) : Jacobs not playing
It sounded like the Lions were going to send 2 possibly 3 weakened teams down to Durbs for Sat
I’m hoping thumbs that our u19s at least get to play against their strongest possible outfit.
How has Guy Alexander been playing so far? He didn’t feature in the first number of matches.. Wonder what happened..
@DonAlexander (Comment 25) : Are you related to guy ?
@DonAlexander (Comment 25) : I haven’t been able to see enough games to comment but during the WP game our loosies performed really well. They were disciplined and executed the patient game plan well. Unfortunately the ref was trigger happy and had “sealing” all over his mind, otherwise they would have done even more damage.
They also helped squeeze the life out of the dangerous WP backline.
Come back next week and I’ll tell you more.
@beet (Comment 24) :
The Lions will field the strongest side that they can in the u21’s.
Not sure about the U19’s yet but I suspect they will do the same.
Sebastian de Chaves and Ruan Combrinck are out with injuries and both will be missed. I believe Garth April, the former SA schools player, will return from injury on the bench. AJ le Roux will start at hooker ahead of 2010 SA U20 player Swys du Toit who will be on the bench.
1) Wessel du Randt
2) AJ le Roux
3) Ruan Dreyer
4) Ruan Botha
5) Kene Okafor
6) Uzair Cassiem
7) RJ Liebenberg
8) Carel Greeff
9) Edwin Bredenhann
10) Hein Cronje
11) Anthony Volminck
12) Robert de Bruyn
13) Wandile Mjekevu
14) JR Esterhuizen
15) Andries Coetzee
Two of ours there. Kene and greeff are both academy boys
@steve (Comment 28) :
Thanks Steve
I’m happy they’re sending their strongest possible team. I think it will be a good contest.
The battle between the 9s-10s-12s-13s will be good.
@Muzi, nope, no relation at all..
Wow, Garth April still exists, I thought he vanished off the face of the earth..
22min in our u19 lead 12-5 but playing with a fairly strong wind from behind.
The weather is pretty overcast so rain must be on the cards.
17-10 to the Sharks u19 at half time.
22-20 to the Sharks with 10min top go.
Damn. We lose 23-22. One of those games when the better team on the field comes off 2nd best on the scoreboard. Still a huge improvement on the first game when the same Lions team killed us.
Gouws Prinsloo. What a player. Sets up an equalising try for the Sharks.
Kene and Chris Cloete have made strong starts. 7-5 to the Lions u21.
Just started raining. 10-5 to Lions
Sharks hitting the front as I sit down at the Tank
Sharks 18 – 16 Lions
27 minutes left in the game
Prinsloo with consecutive penalties..
Heimar Williams dotting down about 10 minutes ago now..
Sharks 21 – 16 Lions
Hein Crnje hits back with a penalty
Sharks 21 – 19 Lions
20 minutes to go
Cobus Reinach scores a brlliant try in the corner
Prinsloo hits the cros bar with the difficult conversion
Sharks 26 – 19 Lions
14 minutes to go
Both good games!
I thought that the U19’s have shown a huge improvement since these teams met at Ellis park earlier in the year.
U21’s was an entertaining game between two evenly matched sides – 26-26 was probably a fair reflection at the end of the day.
@steve (Comment 43) : I agree. The u21 game was a good one. Just a sad finish after we looked like we’d taken control of matters in the 2nd half. If only 1 or 2 more of Gouws close misses had gone over the post.
I could see why the Lions made a certain youngster the captain. He looks like a natural and had a good game as well.
I loved Hein Cronje. Apart from the place kicking, his energy on the field is special. It will be interesting to know what his plans are for 2012 and beyond.
Carel Greef’s positional play was also exceptional.
I think the semis could turn out just as you’ve said, whoever of these u21 teams brings it on the day, wins it on the day. There isn’t a clearcut favourite this year. It should be good
@beet (Comment 44) : ha ha – the sad bit was the Lions not finishing off that last movement to snatch victory 😉
as a born and bred natal boy i never thought i would say that! but I guess loyalty to your kids has to take precedence.
Hein Cronje is certainly talented – he has good hands and feet and is deceptively quick off the mark.
He is rated at the Lions and spent quite a few inactive weeks warming the currie Cup bench earlier in the season. I’m sure he will be the Vodacom Cup 10 again next year.
Greeff has got better with every outing and i thought he was outstanding on saturday – He and the hooker AJ le Roux both carry the ball well.
Another player with KZN connections who has improved with game time this year is Kene Okafor – I would have liked to have seen him and de Chaves competeing with the injured U19 lock Ruan Venter for the starting spots. Instead another U19 Ruan Botha has played almost every game for the U21’s this year – bodes well for next year though.
@steve (Comment 45) : Kene had a super 1st half. Ruan Botha is a skilful player. I enjoyed his steals from over the top in the mauls. It showed good awareness and technique. Once he’s filled out a bit, he might just turn out to be the biggest surprise package of all the young locks we have around. I agree that AJ really stood out. He had a busy afternoon.