With Super Rugby 2012 done and dusted, coaches and players alike have not even had a moment to take a breath; the Currie Cup starts this Friday with not even a weekend’s rest for those of us who managed to reach the final of Super Rugby.
We’re right back into the swing of things. The Sharks have just traveled 50 000 km or something ridiculous like that and it seems that most of the players who were involved in the final, but have not been selected for the Boks, will also look to start this year’s Currie Cup season off with a win against Western Province at Newlands on Saturday.
Of the players who have not been selected to do international duty in the Rugby Championship, or gone back to their French Clubs, or gone to Japan for 6 month contracts, or are out with an injury, only twelve remain and of these twelve, only two will get a rest this weekend. Charl McLeod and Anton Bresler ran out in all 19 games the Sharks played this season and both men will be given a rest this week, with Peet Marais and Cobus Reinach stepping into their positions.
Plenty of young players are set to get opportunities during this Currie Cup season as Heyneke Meyer has decided to keep his 30 man squad, not releasing any players for provincial teams, unlike previous years. The extension of the Tri Nations to the Rugby Championship that will in effect be the Quad Nations, as Argentina joins the competition, will force provincial coaches to put their trust in their young players for most if not all of this year’s Currie Cup. Gouws Prinsloo, Cobus Reinach, Sbura Shithole, Lubabalo Mtembu, Peet Marais, Jandre Marias and Monde Hadebe look set to get a lot of game time this season.
A few experienced campaigners remain to guide the youngsters through the season. Riaan Viljoen looks set to be the man to take responsibility of the vacant flyhalf position, although Meyer Bosman was another that was mentioned that could also step in if needed. It’s unclear how many of the players that were in Hamilton last week will be used in the starting line-up for this weekends match, but it looks like most of them will be used in some way, at least one of them will be captain, but Plumtree was closed lipped as to who it might be and will announce this later in the week with the rest of the team.
There has also been talks that Plumtree will not be coaching the team this Currie Cup, this was confirmed in a manner of speaking as the coach announced that he will only be with the team for a few games before taking a break for a while, temporarily giving the coaching responsibilities over to his assistant coaches, Grant Bashford and Hugh Reece-Edwards.
Tweet
Bashford and HRE coaching the team in the CC (for a while). Hmmm…
So team for this weekend will probably be-
1.Chadwick
2.Burden
3.Wors
4.Sykes
5.Marais
6.Botes
7.Deysel(C)
8.Lubabalo
9.Reinach
10.Viljoen
11.Sithole
12.Bosman
13.Jordaan
14.Ndungane
15.Ludik
16.Hadebe
17.Redlinghuys
18.P.Marais
19.Kleinhans
20.Hoffman
21.Joubert
22.Prinsloo
@JJR (Comment 2) : yup – cannot improve on that one in any way.
@JJR (Comment 2) : let me also tell you, I reckon that team (if they’re not all completely shagged out) could run WP very close,
@robdylan (Comment 4) : You gotta admit that, that backline ain’t too shaby! But thank to Mr Meyer’s bais towards Province, they have more than enough of their top guns available for the clash!
Just remember what happened to the Bulls a year or too ago when a “young” side killed them after a dissappointing first week loss to the Griquas!
@robdylan (Comment 3) : Deysel will probably wear the armband, but who are our other candidates?
@Die Kriek (Comment 6) : Botes, Burden, Marais… maybe even McLeod…
@robdylan (Comment 7) : Marais? Isn’t he a bit down in the pecking order? McLeod, might just work . . . 😕 It did wonders for Bissie and Keegan
@Die Kriek (Comment 8) : Marais is a bit far down, but he captained the Vodacom side, so has some leadership skillz
@robdylan (Comment 9) : True, and granted he has other skillz too, but is that enough to pick him over PSdT, Sykes, Bresler?
@Die Kriek (Comment 10) : no – I don’t think so. Hard to justify a regular start for Jandre ahead of the others
Where`s Claytie, would love to see a possible wp team.
@robdylan (Comment 11) : Oh ja, we have 2 Marais 😆 related? Either way, could be awesome to have a Marais, Marais lock combo
@Die Kriek (Comment 13) : you know they’re brothers, right? 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 4) : “Shagged out”, yeah baby. 😆
Go forth and multiply the Shark supporter base in the Cape.
@Salmonoid (Comment 15) : a worthy activity… are there still so many girls there?
@robdylan (Comment 14) : I did not know that! Way cool!
@Die Kriek (Comment 17) : yup – Jandre is a year older than Peet
Possible WP team:
15-Pietersen
14-Aplon
13-JP Dup (legend)
12-Brache
11-Van Den Heever
10-Francis
9-Duvenage (captain)
8-Fourie
7-Armand
6-Holmes
5-Steenkamp
4-Elstadt
3-Malherbe/Brok
2-Liebenberg
1-Ginger
@wpw (Comment 19) : nah boet. Ginger is out… confirmed by Toetie on the website yesterday.
@wpw (Comment 19) : I fancy that loose trio… 🙂
Bench players: Brok/Malherbe, Scarra, Duane Vermeulen 😎 , van Aswegan, Lobberts, Klaasen, Schreuder
Rob
Tell me about it. 🙄
Ok well then Elstadt will stay at 7 with Lobberts moving to 4.
I believe we’ve signed a lock forward from the Lions – SA U20 player.
@wpw (Comment 19) : Thanx man.
Let the Speculation begin!!
I think amongst the backs we might give you a real go in the first half.
But yes ultimately I don`t think us sharks supporters expect too much from this one.
OP
Sharks are definitely favourites! 😉
SupeRugby finalists says it all really…
@wpw (Comment 22) : I don’t see any forwards on that bench of yours 😯
@JJR: Why would you not play Kyle Cooper?
@TRF_Ezequiel (Comment 28) : because he’s injured
it will be a great time to see our youngsters in top flight. gonna be tough this weekend