Former Sharks flyhalf Guy Cronje is the highest profile of three former players from the KZN union set to feature in the University of Johannesburg’s 2012 Varsity Cup campaign.
Cronje, who last played senior rugby for the Sharks in 2009, struggled with injury and form during his latter years in Durban and opted, along with twin brother Ross, to rather try his luck in Joburg in 2012. Ross is training with the Lions Super Rugby squad, while it seems Guy will need to prove his worth in the Varsity – and possibly also Vodacom – Cup before being considered a real challenger to the likes of Elton Jantjies and Butch James.
Two UJ trial sides will take part in warm-up games against Shimlas in Kroonstad on Saturday and Cronje’s first challenge will be to show that he is a better starting option that Namibian Worsie Kotze, named in the other side at flyhalf. Another former Sharks player, hooker Shaun Malton, will play in the same side as Cronje. The former Glenwood boy was a fixture in the Sharks under 21 side last year, sharing hooking and captaincy duties with Monde Hadebe.
A third Durban lad, Westville prop Hulk Mkhize, will play for the other UJ trial side. Mkhize was also a regular for the Sharks at under-21 level last year.
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Good luck to the guys.
thinking Guy should see some action in the Nea Africa Series .
Maybe UJ won’t choke this year
Rob, has Malton moved on or will he come back? I htought he was pretty talented and we saw a lot of him in the Under 21 ranks last year.
Did I miss this news?
Wow, hard to imagine a better nickname for a prop than Hulk! 😯 😆
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 4) : ja, he’s left. I don’t think they could keep both him and Monde on senior contracts.
Franco Marais will backup Monde in Vodacom Cup… him and Allan Dell
@Culling Song (Comment 5) :
Beast comes to mind, but I have to agree!
Can you imagine Beast and Hulk together in a front row, its like a Comicbook storyline!
@robdylan (Comment 6) :
Oh thanks Rob. I do think they kept the better hooker.
Is Dell a hooker as well? Or is his preferred position Loosehead?
You guys think Worsie will make mincemeat out of Guy?
😆 😆
I think all 3 guys made a wise move. I couldn’t see any of them fitting into the Sharks plans at any time in the future and by playing in the high profile Varsity Cup they’ve put themselves on a good platform to impress scouts and secure their immediate futures as pro rugby players.
@Beet, agreed! Shaun was never going to be picked ahead of Hadebe if both fit. I think Shaun is the better of the two hookers but it seems all our young talent is ending up at the Lions or the Bulls. Also, with Bizzie, Cooper and Burden we are pretty covered at hooker. I wish all three the best of luck up there…
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 8) : tighthead, actually 🙂