The Sharks have quite a few players who have to prove their fitness ahead of the Currie Cup final this weekend, and a player awaiting a citing commissioner’s final outcome. So I got thinking…
An article on Sport24.com says that the key player to be fit this weekend is Jannie du Plessis, which I can understand. He is an anchor in the Sharks front row, a front row that looks the deal when he is playing. But is he your main man?
I am going to put the question to you – Of all the players listed below as doubtful, if only ONE could be fit or available for the final, who would you like it to be:
Beast Mtawarira
Bismarck du Plessis
Jannie du Plessis
Jean Deysel
Willem Alberts
Tweet
Bismarck!
Bismarck; because Scarra Ntubeni is looking far too cocky and needs to be put in his place.
Bismarck. Definitely Bismarck.
Bismarck every day…and for me its got nothing to do with Scarra haha. We lack fetchers, and we need him to combat Fourie and Vermeulen.
However I doubt he will make it and I truly believe we have little to no chance without him (especially since management will revert to 2 blindsides again this weekend regardless of who it is) BOTES IS SO UNDERRATED!!!
@pienaar111 (Comment 4) :
Kyle Cooper is a scavenger, but he has nothing on Bismarck in a lot of other areas. I think Bismarck also scares the opposition to a point, and we need that aggression to counter what is sure to be a strong showing from Eben.
I get the feeling we will be without the big guy this weekend, so we can only hope Deysel is fit and we somehow have Jannie in the frontrow..
Bismarck
Bismarck du Plessis
I would say,
1. Bismarck
2. Jannie
3. Beast
4. Deysel
5. Alberts
Our loosies faired pretty well as they were after Deysel left the field. I would say Botes has to start anyway, if Deysel is ready then Botes should start ahead of Keegan. Keegan is miles ahead of the walking error rate he was at the start of this season, but Botes has still been better than he had any time he has stepped on the field.
For sure bissy…
4sure need a good fetcher. Vermeulen and Fourie will have n christmas lunch without somebody to counter them.
as mentioned by @pienaar111 ,we need that aggression.
Without bissy, well our chances will drop significantly 🙁
Bismarck needs to combat duane vermeulen at the breakdowns,and hopefully deysel as well we need somebody to put some wp defenders on their backs
Ouens I also wont want to start a game without Bissie in my team, but this time I am going to say Deysel…
He is the 1st one I will pick to take on problems! We need to find a way to counter vermeulen en fourie, Deysel seemed to be hungry to do it last time out.
Bismarck!
However, if we were talking fitness and not just availability then it would probably have to be Beast.
Definitely Willem……
Well Bismarck isnt really injured so its more about hoping the lawbook isnt thrown at him. Cooper picked up a knock on Sat so if they both out then I worry about our hooking depth! Id Love either the BEast or Jannie to play off the bench on Sat- or even both altho i still think Jannie needs rest. Deysel im not too worried about. Id start Lewies to counter Etzabeth in the lineouts. If i was Keegan id ask the officials to check the WP lineouts go the required 5m.
The Bismark,he brings so much on so many levels without him Sharks are poked. Current loose trio in which ever combo are no match for showpony Vermeulen,he simply monsterred Deysel et al
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 5) : Agreed. Say Deysel is fit…what is your starting loose trio??
@pienaar111 (Comment 16) :
A fit Deysel would have me play 6. Botes 7.Deysel 8. Daniel with Marcell coming off the bench to give an impact for whoever needs the rest.
Bismarck, but I have a feeling that will be unlikely. If not Jannie, or Beast.
The WP scrum is far ahead of the Cheetah scrum. As great as Chadwick and Herbst did, we going to need all the help we can get
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 17) : YES YES YES!!! Totally agree…any likely hood the management would see that necessity??
@pienaar111 (Comment 19) :
Can’t see the Sharks dropping Coetzee after the game he had, even if Deysel is fit.. So we are sure to see another bench spot for Botes, even though he has been fantastic all season long.
Botes was as ineffectual as any other Shark at disrupting the Cheetahs ball, but he was invaluable in his support play. He run excellent lines, takes the ball as full speed (as opposed to a standing start) and generated a lot of momentum. His support play culminated in the 2nd try that really took the game away from the Cheetahs.
@Richard Ferguson (Comment 20) : Yeah I reckon that will happen. I dont mind which of Coetzee/Deysel play blindside (maybe leaning to Deysel) but Botes will most likely be treated poorly again
I have looked at you player rating and the articles above and are concerned about the relevance. Irrespective of who in the squad plays and the wins we had in the season to bring us here, we have lost three times consecutively to those F …king mountain goats. They humiliated our forwards in the last outing and their pack is currently on a roll. What are the couches going to do differently? Has BMH got the experience and respect from the experienced forwards to change the lineouts, scrums and rucks/loose ball tactics so we actually win the ball to compete? I wonder ! I would choose deep experience and combinations to counter those goats. Otherwise it will a long day! We need the believe and passion !
If not Bismarck then Deysel.
Lets hope they all fit!!!
Bismark to play hooker.
I will play Alberts at lock with PSDT – worked when we made final of super rugby last season.
Deysel 6.
Beast at prop.
I thought Chadwick was good at tighthead so will play him again. Jannie for bench.
I like Tim Whitehead too better than Louis Ludik at centre
My hopeful 15 man team, depending on injuries:
1. Beast Mtawarira
2. Bismarck Du Plessis
3. Wiehahn Herbst
4. Willem Alberts
5. Pieter Steph-Du Toit
6. Marcell Coetzee
7. Jean deysel
8. Keagan Daniel
9. Charl Macloed
10. Pat Lambie
11. Lwazi Mvovo
12. Tim Whitehead
13. Louis Ludik
14. Odwa Ndungane
15. SP Marais
16. Jannie Du Plessis
17. Kyle Cooper
18. Peet Marais
19. Jacques botes
20. Cobus reinach
21. Fred Zeilinga
22. Heimar Williams
@CPT Shark (Comment 25) : Chadwick played loosehead. Confusing him with Herbst maybe?
Bismarck
I see hell and high waters coming.
mountain goats…kon dit nie beter stel nie!!! Lol
with that injury list I think its gona be a walk in the park for wp…
dont think we have the aggression to counter province with that list. Ai ai ai
come on sharks…prove me wrong. Would love to see my brother in law cry Saturday 🙂
If you want physical ability, strength and experience to match Etzebeth, Steenkamp and Vermeulen, the coaches have choose Hewitt at 4 and PSDT at 5 and Willem Alberts at 8.This is a final where you need balls!
@Observer (Comment 29) : agree agree agree
balls of steel
Its a pity Alberts is not available… 😕
You not going to out-bash WP – you need to out think them.
@Bokhoring (Comment 31) : pin them back
hit the corners and feed off their errors
if im not mistaken their error-rate was high against the lions? 😆
oh…and book Aplon in Tygerberg Hospital 💡
Kyle, Alberts and Beast has been ruled fit.
apparently Cooper Beast and ALBERTS declared fit for Saturday according to The Sharks twitter feed
TRUE?
@capesharks (Comment 34) : So says their FB page…
@capesharks (Comment 32) : That would mean actually contesting their line-outs this time. That is why I would start with both Lewies and Du Toit. Keegan also needs to do his bit to spoil at the back
Definitely Bismarck…and if he doesn’t make it then definitely Cooper…after all, who are our third and fourth choice hookers? Hadebe? And?