Tim Swiel will return to the scene of many personal triumph’s last year, when he wears the number 10 jersey for the Sharks under 21 side at Newlands on Saturday.
Swiel replaces Brendan Cope in one of three changes to the backline that played against the Blue bulls last week; fellow Super rugby squad member Tyler Fisher start at left wing in place of Alrin Eksteen, with Michael Cloete taking over from Lex Botha at right wing in the final change.
Jacques Taylor leads and unchanged forward pack, with many of those playing probably set to do so for the last time as Sharks. Our understanding is that not terribly many of this team have been offered senior contracts for next year.
Changes on the bench this week see Chris de Beer in for Cullen Collopy and Colin Willemse, who played regularly for the under 19s last year, earning his first selection of the season in the spot occupied by Fisher last week.
Sharks Under 21s: 15. Alcino Izaacs, 14. Michael Cloete, 13. Nkululeko Marwana , 12. Sandile Kubeka, 11. Tyler Fisher, 10. Tim Swiel, 9. Hanco Venter , 8. Louis Hazelhurst, 7. Johan Meyer, 6. Sias Koen, 5. Liam O’Connell, 4. Buzwe Mpotulo, 3. Marne Coetzee, 2. Jacques Taylor (capt), 1. Barend Potgieter
Replacements: 16. Chris de Beer, 17. Brandon Landsberg, 18. David Fisher, 19. Sabata Mokhachane , 20. Jacques Fick, 21. Colin Willemse, 22. Sipho Mkhize
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No Cameron Wright, injured? Cope injured?
Any idea who has been offered senior contracts Rob?
@SheldonK (Comment 1) : Didn’t pick up on that but you’re right. Could he be on standby for the senior side?
@StevieS (Comment 2) : nope, not really.
Am digging, of course
@SheldonK (Comment 1) : dunno about Wright. Strange he’s not there. Cope picked up an injury last week.
Well former Sharkie Robert du Preez will run things at 10 for WP
@robdylan (Comment 5) : Cope injury makes sense then. Strange about Wright unless he or one of senior scrummies has a niggle. Ungerer still injured?
@SheldonK (Comment 7) : ja, Ungerer got taken out by a Lions lock at the back of a ruck two weeks ago. Out with concussion.
@robdylan (Comment 8) : Oh yes i remember that…just another example of the Sharks poor ruck technique securing the ball. Although the Lions guy did dive in.
@Ludz (Comment 6) : Robert du Preez who???
Is this the same oke that won the WP backline player of the year award and if I remember correctly also the Varsity Cup player of the year.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 10) : That is him
@Ludz (Comment 11) : Yeah, Im still bitter that we saw fit to let him (and his old man) just waltz away.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 12) : Can’t keep em all…
@robdylan (Comment 13) : Agree, but some are not necessary to lose.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 14) : true
On current performances, I’d put RdP ahead of Swiel, but I still think Swiel can come good. It took a change of coaching to get the best out of Sithole, after all! 🙂
Quite a few young 10s, Lambie and Cronje are barely mid-20s, then we have Zeilinga. U21s we have Cope, Swiel, JLdP, then Bragman and Radebe U19. (Missing anyone?)
Fullback is there I’d like to see some depth being developed. Shame Robinson went to France.
@Here be dragons (Comment 16) : I think du Plessis is leaving
Why on earth is Fisher being wasted on the wing. Play him at 13 you fool
@Saffex (Comment 18) : ja not sure why maybe they think on the wing he will have less contact and they really want him to get game time so play him there rather than on the bench?!?!?!
@robdylan (Comment 17) : other clubs after him? Shame, from what I’ve heard he wasn’t a bad prospect.
@robdylan (Comment 17) : it’s sad but a lot of the young flyhalves currently playing for the juniors will leave as it will be extremely difficult to get some senior game time at the Sharks with all the talented (young) senior flyhalves currently playing.