Sharks under 19 coach Etienne Fynn has named a 25-man squad ahead of this year’s ABSA Under 19 competition.
While a little short on Craven Week and SA Schools representatives (those boys have, as usual, signed for the Bulls and Western Province in their droves), Fynn’s side does contain a few pretty big names and has been put together from the cream of school leavers currently plying their trade on the local club scene. With a fair bit of international flavour thrown in, it’s an interesting side and the challenge for the Sharks under 19s this year will be to see whether hard work and team unity can upset the superstar-laden “Real Madrid”-style outfits that several other unions will field in the competition.
Fynn has managed to find three SA Schools players and another who represented the SA Academy side in 2011. Waterkloof hooker Morne du Plessis and school mate Sean Robinson (fullback) were judged the best in their respective positions last year, as was centre-cum-wing Tyler Fisher, who was capped by the Sharks under 19s whilst still at school. Prop Matthew Jones, from Kearsney, played for the SA Academy team at tight head, while flyhalf Rob du Preez (Kearsney) and scrumhalf Stefan Ungerer (PMB College) also both played for the Sharks Under 19 side in 2011 whilst in matric.
A number of other players have come in based on Craven Week credentials, mostly for smaller unions. These are loose forwards Petrus Uys (Boland), Andrew van Tonder (Valke) and Johan Meyer (Border) , flyhalf Brendon Cope (KZN) and centres Mike Bernhard (SWD), Sphu Msutswana (Border) and Gareth Meikle (Zimbabwe).
Meikle is not the only foreign player in the squad, with Alcino Izaaks hailing from Swakopmund in Namibia, and Kotara Matsushima a product of that famed rugby academy, Toin Gakven High School in Tokyo!
Rondebosch has done well in providing three players to the squad, including tall lock forward Myles Tucker, whose father Andrew played for Natal in the 1980s. Their captain, Nic Roebeck, is a mobile prop who may be in with a shot of captaining the Sharks this season, as will loose forward Louis Hazelhurst, who captained George Campbell’s first team last year while juggling his part-time modelling career! Finally, I’m pleased to report that my own alma mater, Pretoria Boys High, does indeed have a representative this year, in lock forward David Fisher.
Sharks Under 19 squad:
Forwards:
Nic Roebeck (Rondebosch)
Richard Palframan (Rondebosch)
Matt Jones (Kearsney)
John-Hubert Meyer (Paul Roos)
Morne du Plessis (Waterkloof)
Warrick Venter (Selborne)
David Fisher (Pretoria Boys)
Myles Tucker (Rondebosch)
Louis Hazelhurst (George Campbell)
Petrus Uys (Swellendam)
Schalk vd Merwe (Paarl Gim)
Theo Kruger (THS Sasolburg)
Andrew van Tonder (EG Jansen)
Jean Pretorius (Sentraal)
Johan Meyer (Queens)
Backs:
Bokkie Carstens (Paul Roos)
Stefan Ungerer (PMB)
Hubert de Haas (Klerksdorp)
Robert du Preez (Kearsney)
Brendon Cope (DHS)
Alcino Izaacs (Namib High School)
Leandre Ebersohn (Daniel Pienaar)
Kotara Matsushima (Toin Gakven High School Tokyo)
Matt Phillps (PMB)
Gareth Meikle (Lomagundi)
Coenrad du Toit (Paarl Gim)
Michael Bernardt (Oakdale)
Tyler Fisher (Westville)
Sean Robinson (Waterkloof)
Sphu Msutwana (Dale College)
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Very sad to see only 7 local boys make the side. Shows that they are seeking greener pastures at ‘bigger’ unions. I think it has to do with the quality of universities in KZN. What happened to Marne Coetzee the Glenwood tight-head brought to KZN last year and now not even in the squad. To be honest I have not heard of many of these guys so the Sharks Under19’s could struggle
@Grasshopper (Comment 1) : this must be the first time in ages that a Sharks under 19 side has had no Glenwood representation.
It’s the nature of the game now, though… I mean, let’s count how many Natal boys make the Bulls, Province, Free State and Lions sides before we start to smell a conspiracy. It might not be the lack of universities driving players out of the province… it might just be that our schools aren’t producing the goods.
No Grey Bloem boy might I add Rob
@Grasshopper (Comment 1) : he’s still a schoolboy Grassy,let’s 1st let him get his matric certificate
@Ludz (Comment 3) : that’s a good point, ja.
No Grey Bloem, no Affies, no Monnas, no Paarl Boys High… What’s become of all the traditional feeders?
@Ludz (Comment 4) : the oke is 19 and still in Matric… don’t you think that ship has sailed already? 🙂
And the Big White Elephant in the room?
Kotara Matsushima (Toin Gakven High School Tokyo) 😯
@FireTheLooser (Comment 7) : I’m told the kid is actually very good and is making waves on the club scene
8 players from the Western Cape. 🙄
@robdylan (Comment 8) : So the Sharks are on Tunami watch then 😉
@robdylan (Comment 6) : hahahaha,pretty chuffed for PBHS and Queen’s each have a representative,Plank my boy gonna look good in that Sharks no.8 jersey,Kankowski,Daniel and Mthembu my as well give it to him now because in Johan Meyer they have the future 8
@robdylan (Comment 8) : Let’s hope it’s not another Daniel Adonga 😐
@wpw (Comment 9) :
Jealous much?? 😈
Anyone find out how old Siyabonga Tom really is?
Too old for the U21’s? 😆
@hendrikp (Comment 14) : I reckon there’s a veterans team somewhere that would take him
@robdylan (Comment 15) :
😆 Good call.
Will be interesting to see how Sean Robinson goes. Remember reading good things about him when he signed up.
@hendrikp (Comment 14) : when he was playing u16 Grant Khomo,it was his last year of u21,that was also Kyle Cooper’s last year,he’s part of that vintage
@hendrikp (Comment 16) : he’s good Hendrik,watched him about four or five times,SA’s very own Christian Cullen
@Ludz (Comment 17) :
Sort of ironic.
He was thought to be the youngest player attending Dawie Theron’s U20 training camps towards the end of last year.
In reality, he was the oldest 😆 😆 😆
@Ludz (Comment 18) : him and Tim Swiel would become cappped seniors at 20 in Australia,such is their natural ability
@Ludz (Comment 20) : Sean Robinson? Really that good?
Hope these forwards can provide him a platform… at least Fynn will get them to scrum
@Ludz (Comment 20) :
Sounds good.
@robdylan (Comment 21) : if his exploits on the schoolboy rugby field are anything to go by,then you have a special talent at the Sharks
@Pokkel (Comment 13) :
Not at all. Those are the inferior ones who couldn’t make it at WP!! 😈 😉
@Ludz (Comment 23) : well, let’s hope so, although we know that it doesn’t always translate.
@wpw (Comment 24) : Oh, sort of like Tim Whitehead? OK then…
@Culling Song (Comment 26) : good form that man
@Culling Song (Comment 26) :
Nope, We’re talking about schoolboy players bru! 😈 🙄
Let’s hope Kotara Matsushima knows how to do a Tokyo drift into gaps and has a couple of karate moves to deal with those Boere Boys from other teams
@wpw (Comment 28) : Like Pollard?
Matsushima…what possie does he play?(Hope Outside Centre… need proper backup for Jordaan) Good to see Rob Du preez there; and then hopefully we have Pieter Jordaan in this squad or U/21 squad next year…then our 10’s Lambie, Du Preez and Pieter Jordaan to take us forward the next 10 years.
Sharks must take adavantage of “the Lions Situation” and get Paul Willemse to sign a contract for us ASAP. We also need to get Piet Van Zyl down to durban, IMO.
@JJR (Comment 31) : he plays flyhalf/fullback/wing
@Salmonoid (Comment 30) :
shurrup!! 😈 😆
@robdylan (Comment 32) : Interesting…would be great if he’s a good 10…Sharks always seem to be looking for solid backup at 10; good stuff. Still can’t wait for the day i see Jordaan’s boet on a Sharks Junior team sheet 🙂
Rob what you think about Paul Willemse? If we don’t sign him i pretty sure Bulls will snap him up very quickly. Cos i mean Bresler and Du Toit are both really number 5 locks; and Sykes has been solid for us, but Sharks have not had a proper Enforcer since Ackies…our pack needs that again, IMO.
@JJR (Comment 34) : don’t get too excited about Pieter Jordaan. I heard something that makes me believe he’s not coming to Durban.
As for Willemse… WOWEEE! Really like that kid and think he would be great in our under 21s.
@JJR (Comment 34) : BTW, to my mind, Steph is a much better 7 than a 5.
@Ludz (Comment 11) : who is the dude on your avatar?
@Megatron (Comment 37) :
Looks like Allan Dell. Just a guess..
I thought it was Ludz himself, as in Le Xhosa blanc.
@Salmonoid (Comment 39) : 😆 😆
@robdylan (Comment 36) : Agree, reason why i wanted him at 7 so bad at the start of the year, when Deysel and Willem were out. PSDT reminds me a a lot of Juan Smith. Don’t know why it took Dawie so long to realise he could accomodate all the forwards that have superugby experience into the starting XV. Du Toit was great at 7.
Hope Willemse is on twitter…need to guide him towards The Sharks 😉 🙂
If we sign Willemse i see no reason why he can’t make a Bok squad by the middle of next year…if he gets starting gametime…i think he’s gonna be quality and i think he would be amazing backup for Etzebeth at the Boks…Willemse is a lot better than Flip, IMO.
Personally i would actually try Etzebeth at 5 and Willemse at 4 in the future for the Boks…i can’t see any reason why Etzebeth can’t lead the lineouts.
Regarding players that might take up a move to Durban…we really need similar backup for Beast at The Sharks…i’m a huge fan of Marcel Van Der Merwe, i wish The Sharks would sign him…he would also be a great option off the bench as he covers both sides, he has to become a Bok one day, he has got too much potential not to.
@hendrikp (Comment 38) : Dell went to Selborne what would he be doing posing in Queens jerseys
@hendrikp (Comment 38) : @Megatron (Comment 37) : that is indeed Allan Dell,think it was after a match against Dale on reunion in 2010
@Megatron (Comment 42) : Dell went to Queens, not Selborne
@Ludz (Comment 43) :
Cheers for that.
yo, my bad…was sure he went to selborne…@Ludz: ta for the reply.
@robdylan, well Shaun Adendorff will play for the Bulls Under21 and the likes of Dean Moolman and Jacques Taylor should play Bulls Under19. I am aware Carel Swart from Glenwood and Reegan Smith of College are off to the Bulls next year too. Glenwood seems to be a feeder school to the Bulls now, probably helped due to a great university in Tukkies
Ja I heard “UKZN” has gone down the crapper and I guess this must play a role… to some degree. Pretoria have Tukkies and CT has UCT and Stellenbosch, along with Wits these are the elite universities in SA. [I am eternally grateful to have obtained my degrees from the “University of Natal” and not this new diabolical mishmash of a joke]
I wonder how much of it though – the young player exodus to the Bulls and Stormers – is simply down to the general malaise which has pervaded all things Sharks in the last half a decade. Think how many top names have deserted the main Sharks team to be replaced mostly by over the hill journeymen… not all is right at the Sharks with recruitment across the board…
Now. Who is responsible? Oily Stroily? Do you remember how Stroily picked, arguably, some of the worst Boks in history and could never settle on a consistent best 15, cheapening the Bok jersey big time. Sack him. And get rid of the “coaches” too (I use the term lightly). We need a new broom to do a bit of sweeping at the Sharks. The sooner the better, a Currie Cup is on the horizon and it’s the perfect chance for a new set of coaches to blood their ideas and new players before the S15 next year.