News flash: Ryan Kankowski is back in Durban and trained with the Sharks Super Rugby squad today.
Gary Gold is not expected to make changes to his loose forward combination for this weekend’s game against the Lions, hence we should expect Tera Mtembu to retain the number 8 jersey. With Gold and Brendan Venter’s stated preference for rotation, though, it won’t be long before the man known as “Definite” – due to his nose for the tryline – makes an appearance in the match day 23.
Welcome back Ryan. Let’s see some of the magic this year.
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I’m guessing if there was any news on the other Japan-based players it would have been mentioned in the article.
@David12246 (Comment 1) : krek
Aww nuts! I read the headline and thought Night Rider reruns were back on telly! Man, I’m so disappointed!
En Pierre Spies is so mal,
hy val oor sy voete toe knock hy die bal
en die skare is vies
want nou gaan die coaches vir Kankowski kies!
Welcome back Ryan! Have a goodie…
Hope we get the ‘old’ Kankowski back. That lad that could outrun wings. Remember him?
Welcome back Hoff!
First Deysel and now the Hoff. Lure back Keegan and we can put the band back together.
@vanmartin (Comment 7) : There’s not even one word in that statement I don’t like!
@Ben (Comment 6) :
Agree. On the last 2 seasons, Tera is streets ahead, but the Hoff is a good bench option.
@Big Fish (Comment 9) : With Daniel gone I feel it’s vital that Kankowski focuses on filling the ‘illusive’ loose forward role again. He needs to run into space instead of into contact. I wonder if he’s lost any pace.
Oh man! Hoff used to be my favourite player at the Sharks. He was so destructive with ball in hand. Memories come back of his try against Wales and his intercept try against the Waratahs when he outran Drew Mitchell to score.
Still one of my favourite Sharks players. Let’s hope the ‘new’ game plan(that we are yet to see) can free up Kanko to play the open running game that he is so good at.
Will we ever see the Hoff that broke Ritchie’s nose on the way to the tryline again?
@pastorshark (Comment 4) :
Leker man Leker 😀
Against the lions you will need very mobile forwards. Personally I would like to have seen Bothma at 8 and Tera at flank next to Deysel. I saw a few japanese league games on youtube and I must agree Kankowski’s game has slowed down a bit. He and Keegan used to be very dangerous on the break because of their quick acceleration. Kankowski is still young why would he have lost pace in recent years?
I am also of the opinion that sharks should gamble a little more during game time, we are probably one of the most conservative teams when it comes to deciding if we will chase the try or settle for the safe 3 points even on days when the 3 points aren’t a sure thing (when our kickers struggle). I think playing the all or nothing kind of game will adjust the mindset of the players and they will produce a much more creative game.
@coolfusion (Comment 14) : He’s not that young…. think he turns 29 this year.
Agree that we need pace in the trio though. Marcell, wonderful player though he is, is a little ponderous with ball in hand but I certainly wouldn’t leave him out. Can’t pick him, Dado and Wolla in tandem though
so he is 28 (assessing him on the last time I saw him play) which means he is still young enough. Conrad Hoffman is 34 Nonu is 33 still have all the pace. I don’t think its his age or something physically, I think he has changed the way he attacks the game and maybe even settled into a different “softer” style. The game in Japan is not as physical and aggressive as over here, just a thought.
So good to have Kanko back and look forward to him running out in a Sharks jersey again.
Any further news on Keegan ? – yes I know, being greedy!
Lekke Kank the Tank! Glad he is back. See everyone is asking “Which Kanko will be back”.. I think he will be back with a bang. With so many good loosies we have now, no place is guaranteed. Very healthy competition imo.
Great news! 😎
@coolfusion (Comment 16) : Conrad Hoffmann is 27, boet. Facts are boring, but important.
@robdylan (Comment 20) : I think he means Conrad Smith who is 33!
@Ben (Comment 10) :
@Bokhoring (Comment 12) :
Those days were awesome – hope he can recapture that – but it must be said that was ages ago…
@Bump (Comment 21) : well, if he doesn’t say what he means, how can he mean what he says? 🙂
I think The Hoff was unfairly criticized in the last 2 seasons. He play the more conventional loose forward role as asked by the coaches. He played a lot tighter and was more involved in the hard stuff. Just because he wasn’t as flashy as we know his doesn’t mean that he didn’t play well.
Doesn’t really matter what form he’s in he is still 100X better than the Bulls captain.
@Pokkel (Comment 24) : The media just love to get hyped up about Spies, don’t they? I feel for the guy, I think that added pressure just sets him for failure. He’s probably very much a confidence player in the Ruan Pienaar mold.
@Uli Boelie (Comment 13) : We used to sing that…loud…
@Bump (Comment 21) : So he got the name and the age wrong? 😆
@Big Fish (Comment 22) : Very true. The intercept try against the Waratahs was in 2008 if I’m not mistaken.
@Pokkel (Comment 24) : You have a very good point. I hope the coaches give him the freedom to be his illusive best this year.
@pastorshark (Comment 27) : well, he got the first name right 🙂 1/3 ain’t bad 🙂
@coolfusion (Comment 16) : I meant Conrad Smith. I wouldn’t use Hoffman in any comparison to a good player such as Kankowski.
@Bump (Comment 21) : Yup, I got hoffman bothering me for some reason??
@pastorshark (Comment 27) : 33 , 34 whats the difference, the point is he still has the all the pace, but thanks for the meticulous fact checking and missing the point of the remark.
Is the Japanese style of play detrimental to edgy hard-nosed players such as Kanko, will this kind of thing eventually affect guys like Keegan too? Glad to see Deysel is hard as ever.
@coolfusion (Comment 34) : don’t think he will ever go soft!!!!!!!!!!! 😈
@Pokkel (Comment 24) : must agree with you I do think he was “forced” to play a style of rugby that does not let him show his dangerous pace. Remember the Bok coach like big hard loosies not loose running players and that also happened at the Sharks. Hard to chance once you’re set in a mindset.