The injury to Wiehahn Herbst that sees him forced to sit out for this weekend’s game against the Waratahs has opened the door for SA Under 20 tighthead Nick Schonert to join the tour squad.
This development was confirmed via the Sharks twitter feed this morning.
The 20-year-old tighthead, a product of Maritzburg College and the Sharks Academy, played for the Baby Boks last year and won over many fans with his great scrumming technique in the number 3 jersey. While inexperienced at senior level, he has started both matches so far this year for the Sharks XV, as well as playing a full season of under 21 rugby for the Sharks last year.
At 1.89m and 118kg, Schonert should be able to do the business against the Waratahs if required. We wish him all the best for the tour.
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Love seeing the youngsters coming through….
Maritzburg College!!!! 🙂
Hope he gets some time this weekend…Jannie surely can’t last the full 80 min. I would give Schonert 30 minutes.
@Franshark (Comment 1) :Yes, Awesome, especially when you know the youngsters coming through have the goods to be stars for The Sharks.
so let’s count…
Chadwick – Westville/Academy
Schonert – Maritzburg/Academy
Burden – Maritzburg/Academy
Bresler – DHS/Academy
Coetzee – Port Natal/Academy
Lambie – MHS/Academy
That’s 6 player schooled in KZN
Herbst – Academy
Sykes – Academy
Marais – Academy
Daniel – Academy
Pietersen – Academy
Jordaan – Academy
Mvovo – Academy
Another 7 from the Academy, who didn’t go to school in KZN
13/25 on tour came through the Sharks age-group ranks, in other words. Phenomenal!
1.98m prop , must be replacing one of the locks
Will the real Plum please stand up?? 😯 I am loving his bold moves lately!
Who is Nick Schonert – I am getting old and out of touch 🙄
@Ice (Comment 7) : shoeeesssh. don’t call him (the imposter is better 😉
Well done to Schonert,solid scrummager. Would’ve been great for Allan,but I guess Schonert has a bit more experience and he seems the logical choice
@rekinek (Comment 8) : You and me both! 😆
@Ice (Comment 7) : Didn’t have much other choice. Now did he?
@ Ben – the old Plum might have called on ol’ Ollie to be called up! LOL
@Ice (Comment 13) : 😀
@Ice (Comment 13) : Or alternatively convert Willem Alberts into a prop 😉 (which would probably have worked anyway) 😀
Good opportunity for Nick, from what i’ve seen of him he looks a very good prop with serious scrummaging ability. He seems to have acquitted himself well in the Vodacom outings so far and Im sure he can step up. Always nice to see a local boy getting a shot as well – and this will in the long run help the Sharks depth come CC time.
According to Sarugby.net he is 189, not 198 but definitely 118kg.
@Currie Chop (Comment 6) : @Pat (Comment 16) : typo, eh? Sheesh, you guys are relentless!
@robdylan (Comment 17) :
Sorry for being pedantic, I did have strong suspicions that it was a typo – anywayz looks like a career in auditing could be a strong pursuit for me
Great news for Nick but i must ask; What was the point of drafting in the Griqua’s tighthead?
@dawj (Comment 19) : there was never a Griquas tighthead, muppet… he was a loosehead. Hence him not going.
I have a special hat for you…
@Pat (Comment 18) : or nit picking… you could always work for a hairdresser or public health authority 🙂
@dawj (Comment 19) : It’s explained in the Janro thread: http://www.sharksworld.co.za/2012/03/19/harsh-call-on-janro/
@ comment 22,
Thanks for the link!
@robdylan (Comment 20) : 😆
@dawj (Comment 23) : No worries 😎
@ comment 24,
Ice, are you taking a dig at me 👿
@dawj (Comment 26) : hey, I just laughed, hey! 😆
Congratulations Nick from all the Speights in England
Go Sharks
@English til I die (Comment 28) : welcome! Which part of England?
@robdylan (Comment 29) : 😆 hiyas robertoooo! ,
bro just yesterday we said this kid should go, is plum maybe reading our posts???
😆
very happy for Schonert, kids got the talent and hope all goes great for him
@sharks_lover (Comment 30) : howzit 🙂
Ja, glad for him all right… just hope they find a way to give Dale a break, without established loosehead cover in the tour party. My guess is they’ll have to let Jannie start at 1 at some stage
@robdylan (Comment 31) :Was thinking the same Rob, luckily Dale is a tough kid, but yeah the body can only take so much
How long before Beast is back??
Living in Hertfordshire now. Originally from Southend in Essex, You may have heard of it, its where baby Jesus was born…
@sharks_lover (Comment 33) : too long
@ comment 27,
Alright i’ll let it go this time 😈
@English til I die (Comment 34) : I know where Southend is, but as far as I’m aware, baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem, same as Jannie and Bismarck 🙂
@sharks_lover (Comment 33) : sorry – that wasn’t a very helpful answer 🙂
I reckon he’ll be back about 2-3 weeks AFTER we get back from tour. At the earliest.
@robdylan (Comment 20) : “Here’s you sign” 😆
@robdylan (Comment 37) : Robert!! 😆
“1.89m and 118kg”
Huge lad for a junior! 😯
@Big Fish (Comment 41) : we know know why Dell can’t find any of the pies
@robdylan (Comment 42) :
😆
Well done Nick! Does anybody know what happened to John Roy Jenkinson who played babyboks last year and I think it’s Puma’s. In his school days he shunted every prop around and should be enticed back to the Sharks…
Oh yes, John Roy was 123kg at school!!
Great seeing the youngsters getting a chance.
All the best to Schonert.
Ah found out that John Roy is playing for NWU Pukke in the Varsity tournament, the Sharks should have a chat with him to bolster the prop department.
@robdylan (Comment 42) : good one
FYI – 2009 KZN Craven Week side that Nick and John Roy played in, interesting reading;
KwaZulu Natal: 15 Orefile Nakin (Michaelhouse), 14 Andile Dlamini (St Charles), 13 Kayde Fisher (Westville), 12 Patrick Howard (Michaelhouse), 11 Emil Schwartz (Hilton), 10 Frederik Zeilinga (Glenwood), 9 Michael Nolden (Hilton), 8 Siseko Jafta (St Charles), 7 Brendon Groenewald (Glenwood), 6 Francois Kleinhans (Glenwood), 5 Cameron Lindsay (Michaelhouse), 4 Frederick Schnetler (Glenwood), 3 Nicholas Schonert (Maritzburg College), 2 Senzo Mtshali (Glenwood), 1 John-Roy Jenkinson (Glenwood), 16 Ruan Grobler (Glenwood), 17 Shane van der Schyff (Glenwood), 18 Zwela Zondi (St Charles), 19 Siphiwe Mafareka (Hilton), 20 KM Bastew (Maritzburg College), 21 Lindokuhle Shabalala (Ladysmith), 22 Mzwandile Mbuyazi (Glenwood)
@Grasshopper (Comment 47) : nah dude. He has an AWFUL workrate
@Robdylan, the same John Roy Jenkinson that made SA Under20 in 2011? If so, he has either lost fitness or something. He scored the most points for a prop at Glenwood ever, maybe 10 tries in a season, maybe more and was very mobile, more mobile than Kyle Cooper. If you are right, that is disappointing…
@Grasshopper (Comment 51) : my view is that you don’t need a particularly high workrate to score loads of tries as a 123kg schoolboy prop.
Catch and flop over…
True true, but Sean Erasmus rated him highly and so did Dawie Theron, maybe those 2 don’t know much. All I know is he mashed every prop in KZN in 2009. Maybe if he trimmed down to 118kg his work rate would improve…
@Grasshopper (Comment 53) : I’m just saying that BIG kids don’t need much skill or determination to succeed. It tends to count against them when they hit the big leagues and they’re suddenly no bigger than anyone else.
Good luck Nick, hope you get some game time.
@robdylan (Comment 54) : hiyas Rob , hope you see this, you aint online on skype and i left you a message there of importance
cheers mate
@sharks_lover (Comment 56) : logging in now to check
@MarktheShark (Comment 55) : me too… I’m sure he’ll get on this weekend
😈 Great call! Nick has impressed my so much on Saturday. If this is his regular game he is destined to wear the Bok! Take this opportunity Nick. You got factor X man!!! 😈
@robdylan (Comment 50) : Rob dont diss Glenwood Old Boys, Hopper will be all over you like a locust on some grain
@robdylan (Comment 31) : think Nick will head back to Durban when Herbst has recovered and a loosehead will be brought in.
Rules state that there must be a tighthead on your bench.
Nice work slammerboy!!I am like an army locust!! 😉