John Plumtree hsa named arguably his strongest available line-up to face the Lions in Johannesburg this weekend.
Recently-released Springboks Craig Burden and Lwazi Mvovo have been included in the starting lineup, as expected; Burden comes in for Pieter Dixon, but to Plumtree’s credit, he has persisted with young Monde Hadebe on the bench, opting to leave the veteran out of the 22 altogether this week. Mvovo takes over from Roso Speckman, who we reported earlier today will join up with College Rovers at the national club championships. S’bura Sithole thus retains his bench spot.
Steven Sykes returns at lock, in a move we didn’t anticipate, with Jandre Marais thus replacing his brother Peet on the bench. The only other change to the match 22 this week sees Paul Jordaan included as backline replacement ahead of Marius Joubert; Cobus Reinach, in a key move, starts again at scrumhalf ahead of Charl McLeod.
The Sharks haven’t won a match at Coca-Cola Park since 2010, making this game a really big challenge for them.
The Sharks
15. Louis Ludik, 14. Odwa Ndungane, 13. Tim Whitehead, 12. Meyer Bosman, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Riaan Viljoen, 9. Cobus Reinach, 8. Keegan Daniel (Capt), 7. Jean Deysel , 6. Jacques Botes, 5. Anton Bresler, 4. Steven Sykes, 3. Wiehahn Herbst, 2. Craig Burden, 1. Dale Chadwick
Replacements
16 Monde Hadebe, 17 Julian Redelinghuys, 18 Jandre Marais, 19 Brynard Stander, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Paul Jordaan, 22 Sibusiso Sithole
Tweet
Jordaan on the bench?
I like…
Just Jordaan on bench, would have liked him to start…
I like the team
but,arguably a better backline would be:
10. Bosman
12. Whitehead
13. Jordaan
I still believe Whitehead is a better 12 than 13 and could create some space for Jordaan.
It should be a great game with both team playing some really good rugby at the moment.
So glad about Cobus…
Man how I’ve been burning to see Whitehead and Jordaan light up the midfield with….now Jordaan is on the bench, hopefully he’ll get an extended run and not just 10 – 20mins.
Glad Reinach gets another bite at the cherry.
Just need to keep Mapoe in check, he’s become a serious threat at 13.
@Pokkel (Comment 3) : agree…
I can’t tell you guys how happy I am about this team. Reinach starting again, Burden and Mvovo back and Hadebe on the bench instead of Dixon and Brynard Stander on the bench for us. Plus no Marius Joubert anywhere near the team
Plum is doing really well to respect form, I think… guys, Jordaan is talented, but he played himself out of the team with his performance against Griquas. Needs to show that he can bounce back.
Same rule applies to Sbura
Yeah, just got my second star and it took forever. Love being an under 21 player. Makes the old man feel good again.
@robdylan (Comment 8) : Jordaan just needs to harden up against the groot ooms on defense, he seems a little bit “nervous” still.
Good team, will be interesting to see how we fair in the scrums. Hopefully we can maintain the standards we set in the game against the thugs…
@MikeVS (Comment 11) : that Lions pack knows how to scrum, eh…
@robdylan (Comment 12) : Solid! You think they back Sykes to try and counter that?
@MikeVS (Comment 13) : yes, I think so… Lions will be without Roodt this week, which should also help
@robdylan (Comment 14) : Its going to be a cracker, when was the last timewe won a game there 2010?
@robdylan (Comment 8) :
Agree. Talent alone is not enough.
@MikeVS (Comment 15) : Maybe in the Super competition but I know we lost the CC fixture there that year.
Even without the likes of Lambie, Steyn and Pietersen, that is the most exciting backline in South African rugby at the moment. Along with a fantastically balanced loose trio and a hard-grafting second row, we really are spoilt.
Let’s hope Craig Burden’s Bok sojourn brings him back to the Sharks feeling refreshed and enthused, and that it in turn sees him lift the rest of the front row.
Strongest 22, not strongest starting XV…No Jordaan? Viljoen has been so hot and cold so far and Bossie has been sublime everytime he has played at 10…Bosman should’ve been at 10, Timmy and Jordaan centre combo; there is no doubt that, that is our best centre combo.
I truly agree whitehead & jordaan will be a good choice for centre’s, glad burden is back we so needed him, just sad he never had a chance to play for the boks, he deserves it. Sharks forever!!!!
@MerckZ (Comment 18) : I can see that happening, could be one of those MOTM performances by the man…sure hope so.
We’ve gone to Jo’burg with better teams and lost… Good team none-the-less and I hope they into the match with the right mentality. Paul Jordaan could be a really good impact player off the bench towards the end of the match when things open up.
I would have been worried about Mapoe had Jordaan been at 13 ,glad to see Whitead is there. Butch to put in a thumper on Bos 😆
Would have liked to have seen Marias starting and his boet on the bench.Otherwise good side.
Reinach staking a claim on that 9 jersey? Don’t underestimate Mcleod; the man mixes the brilliant with the bland far to often for my liking but at one point in time , around 2010, he was by far the form scrumy in SA.
@Talent (Comment 24) : That was when Kockett was palying and he tried to get into the team. Jordaan has lots of talent but don’t think he is really showing the class he should. Something is just missing with Jordaan does not seem to me like he is always 110% committed like he should be. GO Sharks.
Good team. I think Jordaan is on the bench as he may not be 100% but Plum wants to try use him if he can if he is needed. Id like to see Stander get a bit of an extended run as Deysel has been a bit off the boil of late in my opinion. Sharks seem to do silly things in JHB that costs them games so we will see. Hopefully Burden isnt too rusty as he has playes spectator for a while.
We hope that Mvovo and Burden didn’t learn to much from Heyneke Meyer.
Glad to see mccleod on the bench, also glad to see joubert off the 22. Nice team will be a mouthwatering clash
@Pokkel (Comment 3) :
My thoughts exatly Pokkel.
Much better backline that.
Viljoen still doing too many stupid things at the moment.
Bosman in great form at the moment both defensively and with the boot.
@Dunx (Comment 28) : Agreed 100% !
The only change I would make is to switch Marais and Sykes around. Jordaan and Whitehead hasnt played together for a while and that could be a weakness.
@JarsonX (Comment 31) I agree let the 2 centres play into form from a few minutes at the end. Bosman has been playing extremely well.