Ryan Kankowski will earn a 100th Super rugby cap for the Sharks, when he starts at number 8 against the Stormers at Newlands this week.
Kankowski is one of 12 internationals named by Gary Gold in what looks to be the strongest available starting line-up for the Sharks. Marcell Coetzee and Willem Alberts complete an all-Bok loose trio, while Frans Steyn an JP Pietersen return to add test experience to the midfield too.
All told, five changes have been made to the run-on side. Thomas du Toit and English international Matt Stevens take over from Dale Chadwick and Jannie du Plessis respecitvely in the front row, with the latter rested entirely this week. Chadwick is on the bench, with Beast Mtawarira not quite making it back fro his leg injury in time. Alberts replaces Renaldo Bothma at blind side flank, with the Namibian moving to the bench to make way for his South African team mate.
Steyn and Pietersen, at 12 and 13 respectively, replace Andre Esterhuizen and Waylon Murray in a backline that is otherwise unchanged. Esterhuizen drops to the bench in place of Fred Zeilinga, with Murray missing out altogether.
Sharks
15. SP Marais
14. Odwa Ndungane
13. JP Pietersen
12. Francois Steyn
11. Lwazi Mvovo
10. Patrick Lambie
9. Cobus Reinach
8. Ryan Kankowski
7. Willem Alberts
6. Marcell Coetzee
5. Pieter-Steph du Toit
4. Lubabalo Mtyanda
3. Matt Stevens
2. Bismarck du Plessis (Captain)
1. Thomas du Toit
Replacements
16. Kyle Cooper
17. Dale Chadwick
18. Lourens Adriaanse
19. Marco Wentzel
20. Renaldo Bothma
21. Conrad Hoffmann
22. Andre Esterhuizen
23. Jack Wilson
Tweet
Good team.
11 internationals?? Bliksem. 😯 This has to be our best change of beating the Stormers. They haven’t lost a game yet, so I think a good hammering is due.
@Another Nick (Comment 2) : I miscounted. It’s 12.
I hope Matt Stevens can hold up his side of the scrum.
Backline looks a lot more solid – I hope we can use them more effectively this game.
Stevens better pull up his socks.
Thats a good side. But i think teams on paper very evenly matched. Stormers probably playing the better all round rugby but lets hope the Sharks away from home can play with a bit more freedom.
@robdylan (Comment 3) : 😛 Oh yea!! 😎
@SheldonK (Comment 6) : Lets hope we get a ref that will allow us to play with the freedom we want to. 😐
as Sharks fans, it amazes me how we will gloss over the 22 awesome names on the teamsheet and always choose to obsess over and belittle the one that we don’t like.
@JarsonX (Comment 5) : what do you care, you’re supporting the Stormers anyway.
I really want to see the Sharks open up a can of whoop-ass, like Bobby Boucher and the Louisiana Mud dogs. Time to shine guys, time to shine
@robdylan (Comment 9) : Not to be pedantic or anything, but that should be ” 20 awesome names plus Matt Stevens plus Conrad Hoffman on the team sheet”…
I contemplated switching to another team. But I will never be able to support any another team. My blood is black and my heart is white
@Culling Song (Comment 11) :
@SeanJeff (Comment 10) : They just need some of that Himilayan Magical H2O
@Culling Song (Comment 11) : Matt was the one I meant, so you are still one name short 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 15) : Am I correct in saying we have 14 internationals in the 22?
@KingRiaan (Comment 16) : no, for 2 reasons.
1) it’s a 23
2) we have 15
🙂
Bismarck, Matt (Eng), Piet-Steph, Marcell, Willem, Ryan, Cobus, Pat, Lwazi, Frans, JP, Odwa, Lourens, Marco, Renaldo (Nam)
@KingRiaan (Comment 16) : That’s my count as well.
Damn good side, hope to see our centers come into the game a lot more! And hyper excited to have Petersen and Steyn back!
@KingRiaan (Comment 16) : so depending on which 22 you pick, I guess you could be right 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 17) : Hah yes forgot about our Namibian international!
Very good side but I’m even happier with the fact that the coaching side had the guts to stick to their guns regarding rotation and rest Jannie for this game.
Folks, win or lose this game, that’s a bloody good sign for the future of the Sharks right there. Indicates that long term thinking is finally starting to trump short term gains.
@robdylan (Comment 9) : You’re only as strong as your weakest link.
We have Jaco Peyper this weekend. Last weeks “ref” got no game this week. Shame.
What a good team except the number 15,hell when are we going to rotate him,or lose him or get rid of him.
I just hope I don’t have to watch him showing Kolbe,De Allende,De Jong and company the middle finger as they stroll past him again.
@robdylan (Comment 19) : I forgot about Wentzel
Great team….Does this mean Frans will wear the 10 jersey when Pat gets rested?Interesting to see no Zeilinga.Might we see Esterhuizen getting gametime at 13?Cant wait for the kickoff!!!
Sbura still out injured?
@robdylan (Comment 15) : Oops, my bad! I’m still in 2013 mode…
Eish, these special occasion games never go well.
A possible good thread for this site – what is the Sharks’ win percentage when players have run out the tunnel first to celebrate 50 or 100 caps?
I bet the research results would be stark…
This team definitely has the ability to bring the Stormers back to planet earth…anticipating a good game though – Think Gary has done well with the guys thus far – this is still year one…can only get better and better!
Awesome to see Alberts back. And Steyn and JPP in the midfield can be dangerous on attack.
I’m really happy with this team.
This should be a great game. Peyper, if anything, is at least a very experienced ref.
Firstly congrats to Kanko, a legend for the Sharks no doubt.
Secondly, this is overall a good squad and I really like the starting backline, and I hope they get the opportunity to fire come Saturday. The loosies and the locks equally impressive.
My concern is over the front row and I know that some are praising the fact that they have stuck to the rotation policy. personally I feel that we need a bit more momentum and a couple of wins under our belt before doing this and resting the likes of Jannie, who has been immense.
Anyway looking forward to a great game against an arguably equally talented line up who have momentum on their side. If we do get to grab the win on Sat this for me would make up for the loss to the Bulls a week earlier. Go boys. ❗
@The hound (Comment 24) : SP actually looked darn good last week.
Very good team this. Go Sharks!
@PTAShark (Comment 33) : Was just about to say the same!
I think I may have gone for Zeilinga on the bench. Although, I don’t think he will get much chances of the bench behind Lambie.
Lets just say, when it’s Lambie’s turn to get rested, I hope they give him a run next to Frans Steyn.
Next week we could rest Lambie and Marcell so we can be back at full strength for the Chiefs.
@stevovo (Comment 32) :
I f we don’t rest Jannie now, we would have to rest Jannie, Lambie and Marcell next week against the Cheethas and if we don’t rest any of them against the Cheetahs they will have to get rested against the Chiefs.
These are the contracted Boks, they have to be rested before, or for the Chiefs game.
Bissie was out injured in the first game, so he can go to the Force game.
@PTAShark (Comment 33) : @Another Nick (Comment 35) :
I also thought so.
@Letgo (Comment 36) : I was also surprised not see Zeilinga on the bench but it may give Andre a much needed confidence boost to see that he’s still included in the match-day squad.
@Letgo (Comment 37) : Acknowledged although since we’ve only won 1 out of 3 I would of been tempted to keep him/them this game, try and get the win, build a bit of confidence and momentum going into the Cheetah’s game and rested them then, in order to have them back for the Chiefs game.
@JarsonX (Comment 5) : Or his gut, he is just plain tubby and isn’t as mobile as he should be.
This is a good team. I am still concerned about SP but he seems to be improving.
and WOW, 99 games already for Kanko in super rugby. Let’s hope his 100 will have a W next to it.
Good team.
Is Sbura still injured?
@vanmartin (Comment 39) :
Yip, and I think Zeilinga will get a start when Lambie is rested.
@Letgo (Comment 45) : With Cronje on the bench?
Holy mother! What a team. Most countries would give their left stadium for that team. Go boys!
Jannie is the player in most need of a rest. I am just asking for a big game from Matt – the Stormers have a pretty good scrum.
Would 23. jack Wilson not constitute an international player? He represented the NZ 7’s outfit?
@Big Fish (Comment 44) : Was wondering the exact same thing when I saw the team. Guess this means JPP will play 13 and Sithole will play wing. I would have had it the other way round.
I’m a little bit worried about the fact that we will have to rest Pat in one of the next 2 games, which are against the Cheetahs away and the Chiefs! 😐 Looks good for this week, though.
@Big Fish (Comment 44) : I believe so.
@David12246 (Comment 51) : I would definitely rest him against the Cheetahs. Him and all the other Boks that need to be rested soon. So that we can select the strongest possible team for the Chiefs.
@Ben (Comment 53) : I agree. The Chiefs will definitely be our toughest encounter in the short term.
Sorry to say but can’t see Kanko being on the winning side for his 100th game. Was however nice to see him run a bit like he used to.
Go Kanko! Give us a win on your 100th game.