The Sharks team named to face the Chiefs in Saturday’s Super Rugby Final has changed substantially from the outfit that last battled for the title, back in 2007.
Only two players that were in the starting line up that day are named to start again five years later, with Ryan Kankowski the only one to do so in the same jersey number. The rangy number 8 has never worn any other starting jersey for the Sharks in his career there, although the same cannot be said of JP Pietersen, who starts at 13 this time around after being on the left wing in 2007.
Jacques Botes was the open0side flanker that day, but this year will have to make do with a spot on the bench, while two other current stalwarts have moved the other way; Bismarck du Plessis and Tendai Mtawarira will be wearing the low numbers on Saturday, whereas they both played off the bench in 2007.
One other player who was in that starting line up, Frans Steyn, is also still (or once again) with the Sharks, but is not eligible to play in this game. The other 16 players have all moved off to other pastures – or in many cases retirement.
Here is the match 22 that played that day, together with their current wherabouts:
1 Deon Carstens (WP)
2 John Smit (Saracense)
3 BJ Botha (Munster)
4 Johan Ackermann (Retired – Lions coach)
5 Johann Muller (Ulster)
6 Jacques Botes
7 AJ Venter (Retired)
8 Ryan Kankowski
9 Ruan Pienaar (Ulster)
10 Butch James (Lions)
11 JP Pietersen
12 Brad Barritt (Saracens)
13 Waylon Murray (Lions)
14 Frans Steyn (Unavailable)
15 Percy Montgomery (Retired)
16 Bismarck du Plessis
17 Beast Mtawarira
18 Albert van den Berg (Retired)
19 Warren Britz (Retired)
20 Bob Skinstad (Retired)
21 Rory Kockott (Castres)
22 Adrian Jacobs (Retired)
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And one of them is now an England international!
This brings shivers down the spine. Hand on heart I think our current crop are man for man better than the class of 2007.
My only wish is that FS was eligible 🙄
I think we stuck with the best of the bunch.
Always thought Keegan was part of that 22, and didn’t realise Beast was on the bench nor did I know Kockott was part of the Sharks back then already.
A lot has changed in 5 years.
Adi Jacobs 🙁
Weren’t there speculations not so long ago that Butch James want to rejoin The Sharks or something in that line?
I honestly believe the Team of 2012 – Has the ability and self believe to play winning rugby for 85mins…from 1-22
@Bayshark (Comment 2) : I agree!
Awesome team. How did we not win?! 👿
@Original Pierre (Comment 8) : Two words….Steve Walsh.
@Bayshark (Comment 2) : don’t think I agree – some good names there.
let’s hope that as collective the Sharks will do better this time. 😛
@klempie (Comment 9) : you beat me to it
but let’s not hold grudges (if he reedems himself – that is 😆
@klempie (Comment 9) : 😥 i feel ill at the thought since he is reffing again on saturday!
@Just a Fan (Comment 12) : He did pretty well when we played the Streamers, mostly informing the players when they are about to infringe.
And this time around he’s a reformed ozzie alcoholic, as apposed to 2007 when he was a kiwi alcoholic
@Just a Fan (Comment 12) : @rekinek (Comment 11) : I just watched the 80:42-80:50 again. Thiart gets tackled and isolates himself, I think it’s Skinstad that does the work. Bis assists and is on his feet contesting for the ball, which Thiart is holding onto (imo penalisable). Then the balls pops out of the ruck, which could have been caused in two ways. Either Thiart ruks the ball out of Bis’s hands (this seems the more likely scenario), or Bis ruks it out of his. The ball bobbles towards the Sharks side of the advantage line, and then Thiart’s flailing hand reaches out for it and knocks it on. Should have been Sharks scrum. After that, Alberts secures the ball and takes it back into the ruck…then mysteriously, the ball comes out on the Bulls side. Even Blades said that he doesn’t see how that could happen. 👿
How about debating the best 15 of all time? I think I will put mine out there:
15. Andre Joubert
14. James Small
13. Pieter Muller
12. Trevor Halstead
11. JPP
10. Henri Honeyball
9. Craig Davidson
8. Gary Teichman
7. A.J. Venter
6. Wahl Bartman
5. Mark Andrews
4. Vleis Visagie
3. Guy Kebble
2. John Smit
1. Beast
16. Bismarck
17. B.J. Botha
18. Steve Atherton
19. Shaun Sowerby
20. Ruan Pienaar
21. Brent Russel
22. Stefan Terreblanche
Sorry if I missed some big names.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 13) : I’m hoping he will be paying the NZRU some retribution. 😈
@Bite me (Comment 15) :
Don’t go there…..Megatron will just love it!! 🙄
@Pokkel (Comment 17) : Oh No 😯
there were some good players there. pity about how some have gone, but we have improved loads on our centres. JP is a wing though.
@klempie (Comment 9) : 2 more words…
Frans Steyn!!!
@pienaar111 (Comment 20) : He shouldn’t have been given that kick at 19 years of age.
@klempie (Comment 21) : was he given it, or did he take it without it being offered while AJ was buried at the bottom of a ruck?
Where was the leadership?
@pienaar111 (Comment 20) : @klempie (Comment 21) : @robdylan (Comment 22) : We might as well get over that and look to the future – being tomorrow. 😉
@robdylan (Comment 22) : The ruck clears long before a penalty is taken, boeta. 😐
@FireTheLooser (Comment 23) : Rob started it with this article. 😛