The Sharks have named their side to face the Lions at Ellis Park on Friday evening, with Louis Ludik set to feature in midfield in a surprising experiment.
Sean Robinson will start at left wing as the least experienced member of a back three containing Riaan Viljoen and Odwa Ndungane, while Heimar Williams enjoys a rare start at inside center. Ludik will wear the number 13 jersey for the first time, with Butch James making his long-awaited return to the side at flyhalf. Charl McLeod starts in the number 9 jersey.
New boy Edwin Hewitt springs straight into action as he starts at lock, alongside Jandre Marais. Keegan Daniel leads from the side of the scrum, with Jean Deysel and Tera Mtembu completing the loose trio. Up front, there’s a return to action for Dale Chadwick, as he starts at loose head, alongside regulars Kyle Cooper and Wiehahn Herbst.
It’s on the bench that a number of exciting youngsters have been included; Allan Dell, Brynard Stander (covering lock), Khaya Majola, Fred Zeilinga and Tyler Fisher will all look to impress, with Monde Hadebe and fit-again Cobus Reinach completing the complement.
Sharks v Lions:
15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Louis Ludik, 12 Heimar Williams, 11 Sean Robinson, 10 Butch James, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Tera Mtembu, 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Keegan Daniel, 5 Jandre Marais, 4 Edwin Hewitt, 3 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Kyle Cooper, 1 Dale Chadwick
Subs: 16 Monde Hadebe, 17 Allan Dell, 18 Brynard Stander, 19 Khaya Majola, 20 Cobus Reinach, 21 Fred Zeilinga, 22 Tyler Fisher
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Should have just played Fisher at 13, really??
Really looking forward to seeing Butch play once again for the Sharks.
Ludik at 13, have they tried that before? ’cause it might actually be a pretty decent positional change for him.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 3) :
Why?
Viljoen is leaving, so why move our only other fullback (who might even be leaving as well) to the midfield??
Why the Louis experiment?
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 1) :
Agree.
Where is Viljoen off to?
Interesting!
Looks like a decent side that the Sharks have picked, looking forward to the match to see how the Lions shape as the promotion / relegation match is only 5 weeks away
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 4) : Viljoen leaving? How did I miss that.
Ludik at 13 because 1. we currently don’t have much happening at 13, 2. he is super fast and will definitely be able to properly hit a gap, 3. he is very solid on defense and 4. he does not quite have the boot we require at the back.
Throw Steyn in at 15, because let’s face it, our backline will be super stagnant with him at 12 just crash-balling for the entire game, his greatest asset is his big boot.
How long before Whitehead (whom I’d like to see at 12) is fit again (and Steyn for that matter)?
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 4) :
Apologies, got Viljoen confused with Bosman leaving..
@Big Fish (Comment 5) : @Richard Ferguson (Comment 4) : Where is Viljoen going to??
looks good , a few surprises , lets hope we do well.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 10) : Thank goodness!!!
Where’s Kleinhans? Thought he was our next big thing at fetcher.
@snowflake (Comment 12) : you going to watch?
I guess stander and deysel are the lock cover there, during super rugby we couldn’t keep all out locks happy with regards to game time! Now they all injured, eish
@RuckingFun (Comment 16) : funny old game, isn’t it?
Pretty decent team. I wonder if Dale Chadwick had learn how to pull up his socks and stop being lazy on the field?
Lions side for the match:
Lions: 15. Chrysander Botha, 14. Ruan Combrinck, 13. Stokkies Hanekom, 12. Alwyn Hollenbach , 11. Anthony Volmink, 10. Marnitz Boshoff, 9. Ross Cronje, 8. Willie Britz, 7. Derick Minnie, 6. Warwick Tecklenburg, 5. Hugo Kloppers, 4. Hendrik Roodt, 3. Julian Redelinghuys, 2. Francois du Toit, 1. JC Janse van Rensburg (c).
Replacements: 16. Robbie Coetzee , 17. CJ van der Linde, 18. Gavin Annandale , 19. Lambert Groenewald, 20. Michael Bondesio, 21. Dylan des Fountain , 22. Deon van Rensburg
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 1) : Agreed. Again poor form from Plum…we are out of the running so why not give new things a try. Fisher is a #13 so give him a go. Ludik is our #1 fullback – play him there.
Know when Timmy will be back??
Backs should be: 15 Ludik, 14 Viljoen, 13 Fisher/Odwa, 12 Williams, 11 Sean, 10 Butch, 9 Charl. Where the hell is Peet Marais?
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 4) :
@Big Fish (Comment 5) :
Because the fool is leaving and he has nothing to lose so he is stuffing things up.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 22) : you probably right but at least his gone would have plaid ludick at 15 riaan at 10 james at 12 with fisher at 13 then give zallinge a good 30 min on to see what he kan do any thoughts
@KSA Shark © (Comment 22) :Nothing has changed has it?
Thank you Sharks for fielding a decent team. This will be a good test for my Lions.
My 2 biggest concerns are
1. Our line outs
2. Our dissiplen
It let us down in the past. We need to up our game and gather momentum
@FireTheLooser (Comment 9) : Um there is Tyler Fisher as a 13, far better option than Ludik
the sharks are known for playing their players out of their positions so no surprises… use fisher at 13 and allow him to settle in where he is at his best, hope he is allowed some decent game time.
@JD (Comment 21) : Odwa at 13 has to be the worst selection I have seen in years
@JD (Comment 21) : @JD (Comment 21) : Odwa at 13 has to be the worst selection I have seen in years
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 1) : I believe fisher is a prospect for future at 13, can’t understand messing players about at the sharks, it doesn’t make business sense. I hope the union sharpens up soon.
@Saffex (Comment 26) : How many games of senior rugby has Tyler played to date?
anyone know if this is being televised ❓
My memory is playing tricks on me. Is Ludik leaving at the end of the season?
@The Hobbit (Comment 32) : Yes it’s on SS1 and SSHD
@GreatSharksays (Comment 33) : we don’t know yet. The guys at Agen claim they’ve signed him, but we’ve had no word from the Sharks or Ludik’s agent as to whether that’s true.
@walter van Lions World (Comment 34) : Shot Thanks 😉
Ludik needs to play with some freedom like Le roux and he needs to sharpen up his kicking game. He kicks away a lot of possession. Think he still has a roll to play but if we are loosing him I would sign Beyers from the Bulls, Kriel or really give Robinson a fair chance. Give the boy 4 games, on wing and 5 on fullback. Just give him exposure.
And what happen to Our vodka om fullback of last year, and the pearl gim boy se Kock.
Not vodka vodacom cup!! I just shat that knot!
@BoerSeun (Comment 37) : Gouws Prinsloo is still around. De kock is with the Lions
http://www.therugbyforum.com/forum/showthread.php?30102-Transfers-2013-2014-recap
Player transfers, 80% sure at this stage
@robdylan (Comment 39) : haha de Kock also at Lions, What a surprise.