The Sharks team named to face the Cheetahs on Saturday contains an interesting mix of players, with a number of rather “senior” debutants in the mix. One player, in particular, will look at a rather unique record – that of the longest break between appearances in Super Rugby.
It’s hard to believe, but should Marco Wentzel take the field, he’ll earn a maiden Super Rugby cap for the Sharks at the ripe old-ish age of 35. Wentzel has, of course, plied his trade across the globe over a professional career spanning nearly two decades, but last played Super Rugby in the Super 12 competition back in 2003. He earned 11 caps for the Cats that year, adding to the 16 he picked up in Pretoria over the two seasons before that. With a 12 year gap between his 27th and (hopefully) 28th cap, Marco will want to make up for lost time against the Cheetahs.
Waylon Murray is another returning to the competition after some time away – he last played Super Rugby for the Kings in 2013, but made the last of his 41 appearances for the Sharks back in the 2010 season.
Matt Stevens, Mouritz Botha and Renaldo Bothma all make their respective debuts in the competition this week (Stevens, of course, will need to come of the bench for his maiden cap) and share the distinction of all having already earned test caps. Stevens and Botha are, of course, both capped English internationals, while Bothma has played for his native Namibia and hopes to do so again at this year’s World Cup.
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Judging from his Facebook status, Renaldo seems super grateful for the opportunity to make his Super Rugby debut with the Sharks. Really like this guy!
Sad to think Bothma cant play for the Boks.
@Uli Boelie (Comment 2) : We have spies. Hehe
@Uli Boelie (Comment 2) : Yeah he should never have gone the Namibia route
@Saffex (Comment 4) : That is his country of birth you can’t fault a player for being loyal
Two blonde bombers ,what pure class but three has beens as well eish
@Poisy (Comment 5) : or short sighted?
@vanmartin (Comment 1) : Absolutely…
@Saffex (Comment 7) : Maybe… but he seems like the sort of bloke who loves wearing his countries colours no matter what, so when you look at it from that view point nothing short sighted about it
@Poisy (Comment 9) : boet ignore the trolls!!!!!