As predicted earlier. Sharks coach John Plumtree has backed 19-year-old Sean Robinson to wear the right wing jersey for Saturday’s clash against the Stormers.
Robinson replaces Odwa Ndungane in the only change to the starting backline; the veteran drops to the bench and may presumably fall out altogether depending on hos his hamstring injury responds to treatment. S’bura Sithole is the big loser, dropping out of the match 22, although it’s anticipated that he may still feature if Ndungane cries off.
The other change sees Ryan Kankowski, somewhat strangely, start at blindside flank, as Marcell Coetzee shifts to replace injured Jacques Botes. Jean Deysel comes into the 22, covering loose forward off the bench.
Sharks: 15 Frans Steyn, 14 Sean Robinson, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Keegan Daniel (capt), 7 Ryan Kankowski, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Beast Mtawarira
Subs: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Anton Bresler, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Riaan Viljoen, 22 Odwa Ndungane
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Drake! 😈
was Sithole that bad?
Now that I have annoyed Rob… was that a Blackadder reference in the headline?
The kid must be special for Plumtree to back him in such a big game. In any event, size wont be an issue against their backline, while strength in the air and kicking may be more relevant. Eager to see what he’s got.
How big is Sean?
So we play with Coetzee openside, Kanko blindside and Daniel at 8? Yeah, totally makes sense.
Can someone slap the sh*t out of Plum and put the 3 back to their best positions please? 6. Daniel, 7 Coetzee, 8 Kanko
Totally unfair on Sithole, really was not that bad, let’s hope he takes the old mans place on the bench.
@TRF_Ezequiel (Comment 5) : amen
@Seth101 (Comment 6) : Sithole was very bad last weekend, couldn’t catch a ball to save his life. Kanko also impressed everytime he came on at 7. I think we have a good chance against the stormers.
@jovner (Comment 8) : fair enough, but maybe I had too many beers in the suite, but i dont even remember him having to catch a ball lol
Doesn’t matter what number is on your back when it comes to the loose trio…they shift around depending on where on the field a scrum is taking place and in open play it will have zero difference if they have 6 on their back or 7 they will still play the way they play.
I see McLeod is both starting and on the bench… unknown youngsters elevated to starting berths, new CEO, perfecting cloning… it’s been a big week for the Sharks!
Sbura will probably get another chance soon, but against a team who kucks as much as the Stormers do, it’s not a shocker to select a guy who has also excelled at fullback over one who’s hands have been letting him down.
The fact that Daniel is captain and Kanko doesnt play CC means that the Sharks long-term 8 is probably going to be Daniel (particularly if Meyer doesnt give Kanko readon to resist the Euro). Therefore playing Kanko at 7 until our bruisers return causes the least disruption to our combination.
@Culling Song (Comment 11) : and that, folks, is why you must NEVER EVER try to multitask
Interesting stuff, let’s see what the kid is made off!
Like the loose trio ,its interesting .
Wonder if this young guy will step up or fold versus the De Allende
@Talent (Comment 15) : he’s not marking de Allende
How do you guys feel about Demetri Catrakilis as our bok flyhalf btw? or shouldn’t I have asked that with all the Lambie supporters here? 😛
@Uli (Comment 17) : what on earth makes you think Demetri Catrikilis is going to be Bok flyhalf? Pass the pills, mate… 🙂
@TRF_Ezequiel (Comment 5) : Agreed, this is just stupid. 6.Daniel 7.Coetzee 8.Kankan is the obvious way to go
Franco v/d Merwe must have paid Plum to stay in the starting 15 – makes no sense at all. It should have been Bresler and PSDT
@robdylan (Comment 16) : Well de Allende would be the easier of the two to mark. He up against Gio? Thats more concerning 😐
@Seth101 (Comment 6) : Agreed, he was not that bad at all and you dont discard a player over the odd dropped pass, you show faith in him and give him a chance to settle. Poor player management by Plum, especially considering he does not even make the bench
@Saffex (Comment 20) : Concerned about their line-out.
@Uli (Comment 17) : Bok flyhalf? Are you mad? Yes, I am a Lambie supporter, but I would have Goosen, Steyn, Grant, James, Jantjies, Bosman, Smit, Fouché, and even to be honest George Whitehead as Bok flyhalf before Catrikilis. He’s not even close to Bok worthy if you ask me. Like I said, the Kings are even better off using Whitehead at 10 if you ask me.
Good team for the weekend. With all the injuries, I actually wouldn’t have it any other way, myself.
@Saffex (Comment 22) : he had enough chances and could do nothing with it time to give someone else the opportunity
Robinson is 1.81m and 80-88kg with good skills and with lots of pace. Why is all the people crying now that plum is backing a young player is that not what we all wanted. JPP was a young unknown lock untill he got his chance. I hope Sean use his chance!!!!!
@JD (Comment 26) : Lots of pace will help to keep Aplon in check – who is 74-75 kg himself and not the tallest either.
I just hope Frans can kick in at 15. In his current shape I still prefer him at 12.
@Uli Demetri is ok but needs to perform in a lot more games before he can be picked at 10 for the bokke. Not only Pat is ahead of him to be the bok 10, there is atleast 4 other players on that list.
@Talent (Comment 23) : Why, Franco has hardly been a line-out giant
Sean Robinson judging by google images looks allot bigger than 80kg. Looks to have muscled up nicely, so there should be no issues with his size
A bit worried about starting a new guy against the Stormers at Newlands, but more worried about the fact that we only have Bossie as fetcher.
Will we see enough ball?
Wonder who the ref is. Hopefully not Peyper . . .
@Original Pierre (Comment 31) : It’s Craig Joubert and I’d MUCH rather have Peyper!
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@robdylan (Comment 18) : hehe I never said he would be , just asking the feeling around… 😉
Maybe I am blind maybe I see something more than others, that’s all I am asking, am I blind or do others see what I do 🙂
@David12246 (Comment 24) :
Ok fair enough, but what makes you think he is that bad? Is he really that bad that you think Whitehead is ahead of him? TBH, I don’t agree there. dont think James is even close to any flayhalf in SA atm. Forget him in fact. Goosen doesn’t mean much he is injured 14/7, Steyn is gone and his kicking is not great either. Grant is a had been, who could not win the CC for Wp, which Catrakilis did. Jantjies… uh whats there to be said? Bosman yes hes good for Sharks rugby thats about it.
I am asking in all fairness, as he really catches my eye, and his tactical kicking is great, kicking to post is better than the average joe. look I hated him but since the Cc final, he has really catched my eye and I feel he deserves more credit than he gets 🙂
He runs good, passes good, kicks out of hand good, posts good, left and right pass good, get a backline going good and sometimes I see him tackle good 🙂
He must be the most underated FH in SA, seriously now 😀
I have seen Sean play and he is going to bring a lot to the Sharks team, with Sean, Lambie (my hero) and others with-in the team, the Sharks are just awesome
I’m worried about the Stomers “wanting” the victory more. They are desperate and we all know how desperate, backs against the wall SA teams play – bloody well!
Well done to Sean. I hope he makes the steup this weekend and shows us he deserves the spot. Good luck mate.
Seriously, the pass from Jordaan to Sithole was poor. Nobody would have been able to catch that. Now everybody’s in up and arms about that one pass which wasn’t even his mistake. Give the kid a chance, he had a really good game in all fairness.
@sharkmom (Comment 38) : he dropped two, only one of which was a poor pass.
I think you also need to look at this against the backdrop of some similar mistakes in the Currie Cup last year.
You have to feel for Sithole.. I know he has wasted some chances, but man, last week was his first game in a long time, and against the Whitelocks… which create pressure just by thinking of it. Give him a break.
Imo, the youngster should’ve played of the Bench, let Odwa rest.
@Villie (Comment 32) : LOL all my Stormer friends wanted Peyper or Lourens vd Merwe for this one.
Craig Joubert only favours the bulls so we should be okay.
@SharksRTB (Comment 40) : It doesn’t seem like sithole can make the step up I mean he didn’t exactly impress in the cc so time to give someone else the opportunity to try and make the step up or how many chances do you wan’t to give sithole
@sharkmom (Comment 38) : I would also like to see him get another chance but this might be as good a time as any to give another youngster a shot. The upside is that Sbu will try even harder when he is on the field in the second half.