The Sharks team to face the Waratahs on Saturday has been announced, and the team is pretty much as we all anticipated, with Steven Sykes playing off the bench, Jandre Marais getting his first start for the Sharks and JP Pietersen sitting out the game altogether.
Chadwick and the du Plessis brothers continue in the front row, while Bresler and Marais form a new second row combination, although they played together for the Sharks XV in last year’s Vodacom Cup. The loose trio of Coetzee, Alberts and Daniel remain unchanged.
The backline is also unchanged from the side that took to the field against the Reds last weekend, with Bosman and Whitehead continuing to build at the centre combination, after coming good in the second half last week. McLeod has retained the scrumhalf jersey over Fred Michalak
Young Nick Schonert flies straight into the match 22, covering the front row along with Craig Burden off the bench. Sykes will cover the second row while Jacques Botes will almost certainly make an impact off the bench.
The backline reserves comprise of Fred Michalak, who will cover both halfback positions, with Marius Joubert and Louis Ludik covering the outside backs. There is no place on the bench for young Paul Jordaan.
The match kicks off at 6.35am South African time.
The Sharks
1. Dale Chadwick
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Anton Bresler
5. Jandre Marais
6. Marcell Coetzee
7. Willem Alberts
8. Keegan Daniel (Captain)
9. Charl McLeod
10. Patrick Lambie
11. Lwazi Mvovo
12. Meyer Bosman
13. Tim Whitehead
14. Odwa Ndungane
15. Riaan Viljoen
Replacements
16. Craig Burden
17. Nick Schonert
18. Steven Sykes
19. Jacques Botes
20. Frederic Michalak
21. Marius Joubert
22. Louis Ludik
Tweet
Why is Joubert still there 🙄
We can still take them. Go Sharks!
Good team this, just one change to the actual starting fifteen..
Waar is Jordaan?! 🙁 Nee man!…Hopefully he gets a run next week.
The Tahs have gone for some big changes to their starting 15, the Sharks have opted for continuity. Should be a good game if the Sharks don’t get suckered into playing that boring kick and chase Tahs rugby style dribble.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 2) : Yes, it is a solid team for sure…and imagine the team with all our injured players back…won’t know who to leave out of the 22 🙂
@G West (Comment 4) : Ja, Tahs rugby is very boring………
@JJR (Comment 6) : VERY! they only have two exciting players really and that is Sarel and Adam. I hope the sharks have their tackle socks on for this one cause Adam will give them a hard time all game, esp with our current tackle stats.
😈 I must be honest. Jordaan did not impress in the VC game last week. Joubert was better although not very impressive either. They both need to lift their games!
Nick was impressive and deserves a shot.
I am disappointed with management’s indecisiveness and that he has to fly out later as it could be a bit harder to adjust later than the rest. If you are not used to travelling back in time it is hugely disruptive to your system. You wake up at 3am every morn and get tired at 8am. Your meal times are switched around and it throws your internal clock out. 😈
Shite bench. Inexperienced locks.
Tahs by 7+.
@John Galt (Comment 9) :
I love your positivity..
@John Galt (Comment 9) : shite comment. Raise your game
I am still not happy with Odwa on the wing. Sure he does the basics well and he looks for work but how many times has he not made the gap because he is too slow. Not to mention his butterfingers at crucial moments. Butterfingers aside, he is just too slow.
@lostfish (Comment 12) : Having said that, he is a good wing but just doesn’t have enough pace.
Ek gaan 6 uur opstaan (I rarely wake up so early on a saterday) , so please don’t disappoint me
Come on Sharks we know you can do it
Is JPP injured or being rotated?
@lostfish (Comment 12) : Im a big Odwa fan, and last week I was defending him here, but I must admit there were a few instances in the Reds game when he really needed the extra pace.
@lostfish (Comment 12) :
I tend to disagree wtih you on this one..
Odwa has been in superb form so far this season! He is solid under the high ball, and on defence.
Yes he is not as quick as he used to be, but he still quite a bit of go in him, and still shows a good turn of pace against other wingers..
His work rate sets him apart from any other winger at the Sharks
Whats up with JP Peterson? Injured or just out?
@KSA Shark © (Comment 15) :
Actually injured, but I think it is more of a rest to be cautious than anything else..
He WILL be back for the game against the Brumbies next week, there is no doubt about that.
I prefer him being given the week to recover fully, we don’t want it to happen again. The disruption to the backline was quite clear!
@lostfish (Comment 12) : 😈 Odwa played well!
If you are talking about the drop of Daniel’s pass then just watch it again. It was a surprise pass around his waist. Looks easy on TV but extremely difficult to expect and take if you are not running into the ball. Odwa was in line with Daniel.
😈
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 17) : I am not denying he has been in good form, he has a solid all round game but tends to get caught out because of his lack of pace and miss the gap. That is why he is such a conundrum. I like him and rate him but would prefer someone with a bit more pace.
Boo! I’m so freaking tired of Marius Joubert getting a free ride. His presence in the team is like a turd in an ice cream sundae, the rest might be awesome but that turd just spoils your day.
@lostfish (Comment 22) :
I know where you are coming from, but if you had to put another youngster on the wing, with Mvovo himself still learning the trade and Viljoen new to the setup, it could really go wrong.
I do understand what you are saying though..
@KILLER SHARK (Comment 21) : It wasn’t really that pass but it brought back memories of all of his other crucial butterfinger moments 😉
I am not denying he played well but his lack of pace gets him caught in the tackle when a faster winger would probably make it past.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 10) : @robdylan (Comment 11) :
Yeah look, just my immediate thoughts for Superbru purposes. And I hate voting against the Sharks hence my lack of exuberance about the matter.
That is certainly not the best bench I’ve ever seen with Schonert, half injured Sykes(must be slightly sore still or else why would he be on the bench), Joubert(instead of Jordaan)etc.
And those are 2 very inexperienced locks. I really like Jandre though, looks a good one.
@Butchie34 (Comment 23) : Please let me know wher u buy those ice cream sundays, so I can avoid that shop! 😆
@John Galt (Comment 26) :
Who would you suggest we put on the bench with the current injury concerns then? Enlighten us?
With the exception of Joubert, the bench really selects itself?!
Team as expected, just would have had Jordaan on the bench instead of Joubert. Pity JPP is still not ready for this game. Real hope he can start next week.
Go Sharks… 😎
@Ice (Comment 27) : No problem, that specific ice cream sundae is a speciality of the Marius Joubert ice cream delicatessen. Guaranteed of one per sundae, slow service and the bowls always leak
@Butchie34 (Comment 23) : Why do you think MJ keeps on making the squad and was brought on to the bench when JPP got injured last week?
@John Galt (Comment 26) : If Jandre plays like he done last week he probably could play for the full 80min and not risk Sykes yet. Remember he travelled a bit later than the rest to Oz and so did Schonert. They both probably have a bit of jet lag, but we need cover for th so just pleased we have Schonert there.
@John Galt (Comment 26) : perhaps the fact that Sykes flew out later and that it is precaution?
@Ice (Comment 33) : snap..hehe.
@Salmonoid (Comment 31) : Because he makes kak ice cream sundaes?…?
@Puma (Comment 29) :
me 2 🙁
@Salmonoid (Comment 31) : I’d be lying if I said talent. At one point he was brilliant but those years are long gone.
He adds nothing to the Sharks and will never have a bright future at the Sharks. Paul Jordaan on the other hand is a rising talent and will add to the Sharks and will benefit from sitting on the bench.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 28) : The bench really does select itself, except for Joubert. That spot should go to Paul Jordaan
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 28) :
Thats exactly my point Rich, there are no other options. Other than Jordaan.
Im not saying there are better options, Im saying our squad has had an unlucky run with injuries thus we have a pretty poor bench.
Im wieghing up the pros and cons for Superbru here, not saying there could be better selections.
@Ice (Comment 33) : Lets hope thats the case. Although I do think Plum would have started him if he was fully fit. Especially against the Tahs in Sydney against Mumm and Kane.
@Zibbie (Comment 36) : Hope JPP is ready for next week. Was going well until the small injury he picked up.
Id honestly have Adi Jacobs on the bench again, ahead of Joubert?!
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 41) : What is Adi up to now?
@lostfish (Comment 42) :
As far as I know, doing nothing at all..
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 41) : Joubert is the Sharks’ worst signing ever. Considering what he is being paid and how much (little) he is actually contributing.
@Ben (Comment 44) : You mean other than the highest paid Vodacom Cup Player ever signed in Kees Lensing? Then I agree, although at least he played in Vodacom Cup side and I was happy he was playing for them. With Marius Joubert, I don’t even want him tripping us up in the VC.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 43) : What a waste. Then we have MJ on the bench…
Who is Schonert? Local boy? Import?
Would’ve loved to see jordaan on the bench!!!! Cmon Plumo, give him a shot man!
@SharksRTB (Comment 47) :
Local Sharks XV player..
😈 HAHAHA so funny! Before the season started everyone was kaking on Bosman and I predicted that he will become a better player as soon as he settles into the Sharks’ rythm. NOW he’s okay. Well my point of view is that Joubert is capable of producing the same rugby if given the time.
He played a couple of minutes in games where we did not have enough pace of the rucks, thus giving our centres space to produce opportunities.
For me, Paul Jordaan needs to up his game as well to be selected as well. From the VC game last week he was less than average.
If you measure the two against Tim and JPP they are not up to scratch BUT give them both more game time and they are capable of producing better rugby. Just like Bosman, Joubert is still going to suprise IMO. 😈
@Butchie34 (Comment 23) : Thought he played well for the Sharks XV on Saturday.
@SharksRTB (Comment 47) : 😈 He had a great game in the VC last week. He showed he is serious about making the senior squad. He exhibited a certain factor X.
I hope he gets a good 15 plus minutes to show his mojo. 😈
@KILLER SHARK (Comment 52) : Is there any specific reason you start and finnish your comments with the twisted smiley? Just asking.
@Ben (Comment 53) : trade mark
@Ice (Comment 54) : Branding is so important – just as important as spelling player’s names correctly. 😉
@Ben (Comment 53) : 😈 I am as 😈 as a cream soda twister 😈 around a fig plant’s brances in a hurricane. And I am happy 😈 😈
I think this is a pretty good team. The bench also, Joubert is not my favorite, but I can’t complain when we have an X 50 Cap Bok on the bench.
That type of experience counts. I’d also like to see Jordaan there, but overall I’m completely happy.
@Letgo (Comment 57) : I moved this comment for you… assume it was meant to be on this thread