The Sharks might pay some form of penalty for their win over the Lions on Saturday, with news filtering through that Ross Skeate will miss the game against the Reds following a hip flexor injury, after he left the field during the first half.
This means that the Sharks currently have two locks out through injury, with Al Hargreaves two weeks away from returning to the field of play. In my mind, this means that Anton Bresler can get his chance to make the 5 jersey his own.
According to other sources in the media though, they feel that Alberts would be the best option to utilise in the second row, as Bresler battled in the first game against the Bulls at Loftus.
After starting that first game, Bresler has twice come off the bench and showed that he does belong in Super Rugby, and I am sure he will take the opportunity with both hands and stake a claim to be a regular second row starter.
Skeate has been in good form for the Sharks in recent weeks, but did not look fantastic in the opening minutes of the Lions match. To replace him with a flanker short on game time, is not the answer though.
Alberts should stay at the side of the scrum and Bresler should start next to Sykes against the Reds. The big quetion is who will come onto the bench to cover the second row. Might we see a debut for young Pieter-Steph du Toit?
Tweet
The guy who sounds like he has PTSD would hopefully come into the team off the bench.
I would not entertain the thought of Alberts at 4 or 5 at all this season; our loose forwards are our loose forwards, our tight 5 are our tight 5, we should back our players coming through and this could mean a call up for Jandre Marais – I think PSDT needs more time at Vodacom Cup.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 1) : that’s actually funny, after you’ve read it enough times for it to make sense 🙂
For the record, my call is also for Jandre to come up.
Marais has the superior experience, and for a game like the Reds, I would take the conservative approach as well.
But Plum could really surprise one and all with a call up for du Toit..
Go Joe Dirt.
Just like our special Jordaan had to bide his time; I think the same should apply for PSDT… Maybe a season or so in Vodacom Cup and Currie Cup before being brought into Super league… Jandre Marais is a perfect call up option for me, and think can easily challenge Ali, Bresler and Skeate for a starting spot. I rate Anton highly, but he is not a 5 lock; he is a tight lock, needs a lot of work on his line out skills… But a fantastic player. Great future. Skeate has been playing good rugby, but I back our depth… Also hoping Ali turns up primed and ready when his injury has been dealt with…
@Crock (Comment 5) : 😆
@Crock (Comment 5) : LIKE 🙂
Jandre has had some more exposure at a higher level, not much, but still – I’d back him anyday.
I like Ants’ playing style. His agility to the breakdown point are almoat as if we have a fourth loosie in the side.
Yip, bring in Marais as backup. Leave Alberts on the side of the scrum please!
I would def. put Du toit on the bench as he can cover 4,5 and 7, and from what i read he had a really good overall game for Sharks XV this past firday. Marais only a 4…and Du toit has pace, so it makes sense that he would make an impact off the bench.
BTW, i think Bresler has been amazing off the bench the last 2 weeeks, especially against the Lions, his play in the air was great, Lineouts and kickoffs.
My Team for the weekend.
1.Chadwick
2.Bissie
3.Jannie
4.Sykes
5.Bresler
6.Coetzee
7.Alberts
8.Keegan
9.Mcloed
10.Lambie
11.Mvovo
12.Whitehead
13.JPP
14.Jordaan
15.Viljoen
16.Burden
17.Herbst
18.Van Niekerk (Plum needs to keep chadwick fresh, his stats and workrate was poor against the Lions)
19.Du Toit
20.Botes
21.Fred M.
22.Bosman
Hope to see The Sharks properly kick on this weekend.
Marais has played a few CC games when Boks were all gone, that experience won’t count for that much…i will back Du toit on the bench, cos he has the speed to bring some impact and can cover 3 positions.
Lambie started in Superugby, Coetzee started in superugby, Jordaan has started in Superugby, they didn’t dissapoint, and Du toit will do the same…didn’t Bresler also get his first exposure(Senior Side) at Superugby? Vodacom cup experience doesn’t count…their is such a vast difference in the quality of the teams in Vodacom cup…i mean Teams like Sharks XV, Pampas and EP Kings…will smash many a vodacom cup team by more than 20 points, what experience does one gain from that…its a confidence booster, not a character builder…you build character playing against the best players.
Plum needs to sriously look at rotation for our tour…we play force? if we do, that game is the ideal one to rotate a bit, not that it will be an easy game, but easier than most.
@JJR (Comment 12) : you don’t think Jandre had a better game? I mean, we’re just going off reports, but Jandre did score twice as many tries as Piet-Steph! 🙂
@JJR (Comment 12) : you’re dropping Odwa based on what? Not liking his hairdo? 🙄
@robdylan (Comment 14) : Jandre is a great 4 indeed; but i just prefer Du toit because of his speed for a big guy, and his ability to cover more than one position…i just think that would be the better option off the bench. Du toit ran 70m to score his try…marais probably close range finish 😉
I rate players on long term worth, and i know Du toit gonna be a star…and the more ball carriers The Sharks have the better, with Alberts back and we still struggled to get the momentum we wanted…the more good carriers we have the more chance we will get a big guy running on a smaller guy. Not saying Marias isn’t a good ball carrier…he does have good weight.
@robdylan (Comment 15) : No not at all, i just prefer X-factor and speed over conservative and safe. Odwa doesn’t have an impact on the wing anymore…i only see him as a 15 for me know…and he is an obvious must at wing when the field is heavy and conditions are not great for a running game. But on South African fields i want speed on the wings. Look what Basson’s speed has been for the Bulls, Ndungane in the same situations and Bulls would’ve lost a losing Bonus Point. Ranger would’ve have caught an Ndungane brother.
Man oh man,did I make a mistake by telling JJR about PSdT’s try,overall I’d give Jandre Marais,though it must be said PSdT really has some pace for a lock and a mean hand off
@Ludz (Comment 18) : Ludzie… any chance I can beg you to write us a little old match report for Friday’s game?
@Ludz (Comment 18) : I was already raving about PSDT before that try…i wanted him in when Alberts missed the first 2 games. And i liked what i saw at the U21’s last year…he has a great work rate and gained more metres than our loose forwards.
I would love to see Steph Du Toit given a run. I’m almost certain 30min would prove that he’s made of the right stuff to use as the back-up or even sometimes starting lock for Super Rugby.
I’m glad that Sykes is back and he’s put in some really solid performances, but I wish Plum would see that one lock can’t play 16 games in a row and give Steph the game time he needs to cover for his other locks when they need a break!
@Letgo (Comment 21) : according to Sharks Rugby, Skeate might not be so bad
We could have used Mostert round about now. I would start with Bresler at lock and Alberts at flank, then move Alberts to lock and bring on Botes with Coetzee moving to 7 in the second half.