John Plumtree will put his extended squad through their paces on Friday night as they play in a do-or-die trial match set to have a profound impact on the make up of this year’s final Super Rugby group. The match will comprise four 20-minute chukkas and with the squad set to be whittled down to just 28 ahead of next weekend’s warmup against Boland, a number of fringe players will have at most 40 minutes in which to impress.
A few big names will be missing due to injury – Beast Mtawarria and Conrad Hoffmann are going to miss most of the season, while Kyle Cooper, Jean Deysel and Willem Alberts are unlikely to feature either (although all three should be fit in the not-too-distant future). In addition, the du Plessis brothers are unlikely to feature given that Jannie is getting married on Saturday, so it’s in the front row where the biggest claims for inclusion may be made.
Mondae Hadebe will get a chance at hooker, while a number of age-group props will be asked to show what they can do, along with the relatively-more-experienced trio of Wiehahn Herbst, Dale Chadwick and Julian Redelinghuys. What Plumtree and co will be looking for here is for one of the youngsters to stake a proper claim and show a readiness for Super Rugby; should the coaches not see that, I’m quite sure front-row cover will be sought from outside of the system.
The second row battle will be fierce as well – expect Alistair Hargreaves and Ross Skeate to engage in a personal battle for supremacy in the number 5 jersey, while all of Anton Bresler, Steven Sykes, Jandre Marais and Pieter-Steph du Toit will be determined to show that they are the best man to wear 4. For du Toit in particular, this game represents his big chance to show what he can do in a match situation against older, more experienced players; should he fail to come through (no real shame since he just turned 19) then one feels he may spend the season playing Vodaom Cup – and Baby Bok – rugby instead.
In a similar fashion, it’s the young duo of Francois Kleinhans and Tera Mtembu who will have most to prove amongst the loose forwards. Without Deysel and Alberts in the picture, expect Marcell Coetzee to be used at blindside, with my secret wish being that Brynard Stander also should get a run to see how he goes against more illustrious opposition. Mthembu needs to stake a claim for the backup number 8 spot, while Kleinhans also could show that he’ll be a worthy open side option behind Keegan Daniel and the somewhat ageing Jacques Botes.
In part 2 of this story, will consider the backs.
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Why did we let Daniel Adongo leave
I think the Sharks forwards will be (in order)
Props
Dale Chadwick
Jannie du Plessis
Wihan Herbst
Julian Redelinghuis
Hookers
Bismark du Plessis
Craig Burden
Kyle Cooper
Locks
Allister Hardgreeves
Ross Skeate
Steven Sykes
Loose Forwards
Keegan Daniels
Willem Albers
Ryen Kankofski
Jean Deysel
Marcel Coetzee
No Beats in my squad because he is injured
@Mutley (Comment 3) : and no Jacques Botes?
@Die Kriek (Comment 1) : because he sucks 😈
size is not everything!
@robdylan (Comment 4) :
I hear rumours on other sites that Frans Steyn is in negotiations with the Sharks….any truth to this?
@Greg (Comment 5) :
He could still develop into a great player with the right sort of training BUT the bit I saw of him he doesn’t seem to have the right ‘feel’ for the game of rugby. He doesn’t seem to know where to go or what he should be doing. It’s probably because he didn’t grow up playing rugby.
Brynard Stander is a great Ball Carrier and his work rate is high…a player the Union must hold onto. Hopefully he shows what he can do on friday against those more experienced…gonna be an interesting night.
@Pokkel (Comment 6) : That would certainly solve some headaches 😀
@Pokkel (Comment 6) : pleeease let it be true and I’m not even one of his fans
@Die Kriek (Comment 1) : He has everything but handling and passing skills…we don’t need him, we got Great young locks and a looseforward like Brynard Stander coming through. Not to mention our current top 3 ball carrying looseforwards Alberts, Deysel and Marcell.
@Pokkel (Comment 6) : 🙂
Does not seem this game being broadcast 👿
@Pokkel (Comment 6) : Would be shweet if he came back…Always got The Sharks over the advantage line and hit the ball at pace…and obviously having his long kicking boot can prove vital in many games…those 65m penalties 🙂 Imagine Lambie, Steyn, Jordaan, Viljoen, Fred, JPP and Jordaan jolling together…Would be Crazy good!!!
@JJR (Comment 14) : @Franshark (Comment 12) : @Sharksmad – The Blog’s Dudette (Comment 10) : @Viking (Comment 9) : It would be good but please understand that I’m not trying to spread a rumour….I’m trying to confirm a rumour. 😉
How many spaces will there be for locks in the SR side? My guess is at least 4 but probably 5?
@vanmartin (Comment 16) : Yup, i would also think 5, then again they often only choose 4.
@JJR (Comment 17) : You probably wouldn’t have 5 out and out lock because Alberts and Deysel can also fill that role. I expect maybe an extra loosie.
@Pokkel (Comment 18) : It would be a pity if both Jandre Marais and Pieter-Steph du Toit are overlooked (the two of them being less experienced than the others) but with the long SR season, odds are they probably get a few games somewhere along the line due to injuries.
Well done Brynard Stander. He’s form during 2011 earns him a right to be at the trials. He has the strength and determination to do well. I’m not saying Brynard will get there (just yet) but i’m a lot more excited about Brynard play than I was about Lambert Groenewald who went on to play SR last season.
@beet (Comment 20) : Lambert hardly played Super Rugby… 5 minutes 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 21) : Point is Lambert got there 🙂 . Even making it to the bench was a huge achievement. No matter how well Brynard plays this season, I think even making the reserve bench will be beyond his reach even tho I think he’s a better prospect than Lambert.
Must be hard for Lambert to swallow that his career may have reached it’s achievement peak at the age of 21.