While much has been made of the fact that Eldoraigne’s Stephan Lewies will start his first match for the Sharks at senior level this evening, he won’t be the only “starting debutant” for the Sharks. Justin Downey, who has a total of 29 caps in total for both Griquas and the Sharks, has never actually started a Currie cup game for the Sharks before
For the second week in a row, all eight members of the starting pack are graduates of the Sharks Academy. Seven of the 22 were schooled in KZN, with Westville again the best-represented school in the squad (Dale Chadwick, Brynard Stadner and Monde Hadebe). Glenwood and Dale College each have two players in the the starting 15, while Affies has one each in the starting fifteen and on the bench.
Here are some notable milestones:
– Keegan Daniel earns his 99th cap for the Sharks in the Currie Cup, meaning next week will be a special celebration for him if he is selected.
– Edwin Hewitt will earn his 20th career cap in the Currie Cup if he takes the field
Here are some other facts and figures about the squad:
– Average age (starting forwards) : 24 years
– Average age (starting backs) : 25.7 years
– Average age (entire 22) : 24.7 years
– Oldest player: Butch James (34)
– Youngest player: Fred Zeilinga (20)
– Average weight (starting forwards) : 108.4kg
– Average weight (starting backs) : 90.3kg
– Heaviest player: Edwin Hewitt (117kg)
– Lightest player: Fred Zeilinga (82kg)
– Average height (starting forwards) : 1.88m
– Average height (starting backs) : 1.82m
– Tallest player: Stephan Lewies (2.01m)
– Shortest player: Fred Zeilinga/Cobus Reinach (1.75m)
– Total Currie Cup caps (starting team): 506
– Average Currie Cup caps (starting team): 33.7
– Total Currie Cup caps (entire 22): 638
– Average Currie Cup caps (entire 22): 29
| Surname | First Names | Height | Weight | Age | School | CC Caps | CC Points | |||
| Sharks | Other | Total | Sharks | |||||||
| 1 | Chadwick | Dale Michael | 1.83 | 113 | 24 | WBHS | 31 | 0 | 31 | 10 |
| 2 | Cooper | Kyle Lorran | 1.78 | 109 | 24 | Glenwood | 32 | 0 | 32 | 10 |
| 3 | Herbst | Wiehahn Jovan | 1.80 | 113 | 25 | Klerksdorp | 47 | 0 | 47 | 5 |
| 4 | Marais | Peet Celliers | 1.98 | 115 | 22 | Welkom | 13 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| 5 | Lewies | Joseph Stephanus Theuns | 2.01 | 112 | 21 | Eldoraigne | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | Downey | Justin | 1.91 | 105 | 26 | Northwood | 6 | 29 | 35 | 0 |
| 7 | Mtembu | Lubabalo Siphosethu | 1.87 | 103 | 22 | Dale | 10 | 0 | 10 | 5 |
| 8 | Daniel | Keegan Rhys | 1.88 | 97 | 28 | Dale | 98 | 0 | 98 | 160 |
| 9 | McLeod | Charl | 1.80 | 88 | 30 | Wonderboom | 53 | 9 | 62 | 50 |
| 10 | Zeilinga | Frederik Johannes | 1.75 | 82 | 20 | Glenwood | 7 | 0 | 7 | 52 |
| 11 | Mvovo | Lwazi Ncedo | 1.85 | 94 | 27 | Maria Louw | 51 | 0 | 51 | 120 |
| 12 | Williams | Heimar | 1.80 | 93 | 22 | AHS | 4 | 0 | 4 | 15 |
| 13 | Whitehead | Timothy John | 1.88 | 90 | 25 | Grey High | 10 | 13 | 23 | 5 |
| 14 | Ndungane | Odwa Mzuzo | 1.84 | 93 | 32 | Hudson Park | 72 | 0 | 72 | 147 |
| 15 | Marais | Sarel Petrus | 1.84 | 92 | 24 | Paarl Boys | 6 | 15 | 21 | 15 |
| 16 | Hadebe | Monde Sakhile | 1.77 | 102 | 22 | WBHS | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 17 | Mienie | Daniel Jacobus | 1.79 | 111 | 22 | Merensky | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 18 | Hewitt | Edwin Westley | 1.96 | 117 | 25 | AHS | 7 | 12 | 19 | 0 |
| 19 | Stander | Brynard | 1.90 | 108 | 23 | WBHS | 7 | 0 | 7 | 5 |
| 20 | Reinach | Jacobus Meyer | 1.75 | 84 | 23 | Grey Kollege | 21 | 0 | 21 | 15 |
| 21 | James | Andrew David | 1.84 | 98 | 34 | MC | 52 | 14 | 66 | 410 |
| 22 | van Tonder | Jaco | 1.86 | 96 | 22 | Outeniqua | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
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“Graduates of the Sharks Academy” – I like that!
Yep, it sure is good to see local talent being developed and given opportunties.
I’m sure Vinny will be ever grateful regarding your choice of adjective this week
KZN schools are stepping up the tempo in terms of producing Rugby talent. It’s a matter of years before we see a near full KZN born and bread team.
On a random side note ,Im not sure Jaco Van Tonders best position is wing/fullback…
@Talent (Comment 5) : what would you say is?
@Talent (Comment 5) : @robdylan (Comment 6) : Yup what is ? Cause he certainly looks composed on defence and good turn of speed on attack and getting more confidence with more game time
@Talent (Comment 5) : You thinking center?
It’s amazing, at the beginning of the season we couldn’t imagine life without Ludik, yet I’ve only just noticed that he’s not in the 22 – is he injured or has he left for France?
been a while since Northwood had a representative 🙂 go Justin! Does anyone know when van tonder will get a shot. My heart aches for the kid. All in all its good to know that if you play well in school, your local rugby franchise might give you a shot… Thats if the bulls dont snatch you @ craven week
@FireTheLooser (Comment 9) : No, he’s one of the players being rested – Jean Deysel and Jacques Botes are two others that hasn’t been in the 22 the last 2 games, that’s also being rested.
@robdylan (Comment 6) : @benji (Comment 7) : @vanmartin (Comment 8) : Maybe center, he is not a small guy. I just worry about his pace over 40m. Probably need to see more of him before I make outright statements like that, he just reminds me of De’Allende a bit.
Justin Downey – poor man’s Mike Rhodes.