Junior Springbok coach Dawie Theron has named five Sharks players in his starting pack for tomorrow’s second friendly match against the Argentine under 20 side, Los Pumitas.
Theron has made sweeping changes to the side that beat these same foes 25-20 on Tuesday, in the interests of ensuring game time across his squad ahead of the Junior World Championship later in the year.
Thomas du Toit, who is clearly being backed to make a success of his switch to tighthead, starts again in the number 3 jersey, with fellow Sharks junior Ruan Kramer his deputy. Westville Old Boy Mzamo Majola gets a start on the other side of the scrum, with lock Hyron Andrews also in the tight five that will start the game.
There was a little confusion in last week’s releases, with Jean-Luc du Preez mentioned, despite it actually being his brother Daniel who started. There is less cope for confusion this week, with the pair of twins named to start in tandem on the flanks, Daniel at 6 and Jean-Luc at 7. Bulls Super Rugby player Hanro Liebenberg captains the side from number 8, with two of his teammates completing the pack. The backline comprises almost exclusively Western Province players, bar at Bull at scrumhalf and outside center.
In a rather interesting stat, the Sharks, Bulls and Western Province each have exactly five players in the starting team.
Junior Springboks:
15. Grant Hermanus (DHL Western Province)
14. Khanyo Ngcukana (DHL Western Province)
13. JT Jackson (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
12. Daniel du Plessis (DHL Western Province)
11. Leolin Zas (DHL Western Province)
10. Brandon Thomson (DHL Western Province)
9. Ivan van Zyl (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
8. Hanro Liebenberg (captain, Vodacom Blue Bulls)
7. Jean-Luc du Preez (Cell C Sharks)
6. Dan du Preez (Cell C Sharks)
5. Hyron Andrews (Cell C Sharks)
4. Jason Jenkins (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
3. Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks)
2. Jan van der Merwe (Vodacom Blue Bulls)
1. Mzamo Majola (Cell C Sharks)
Replacements
16. Joseph Dweba (Toyota Free State Cheetahs) 17. Njabulo Gumede (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 18. Ruan Kramer (Cell C Sharks) 19. Abongile Nonkontwana (Vodacom Blue Bulls) 20. Rikus Bothma (DHL Western Province) 21. Marco Jansen van Vuuren (Xerox Golden Lions) 22. Ernst Stapelberg (DHL Western Province) 23. Michael Jaer (EP Kings)
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So excited to see how tommie does at tighthead. And also the dupreez brothers.
Good to see so many young Shark forwards. But where are the young Shark backline players of this calibre – do we have any?
@Bokhoring (Comment 2) : We are not big on backline play. Our forwards just crash the entire day.
Only real back line talent this year are either committed or injured the rest didn’t show too much spark else the se ties would have ended differently.
@Bokhoring (Comment 2) : Isn’t there a chap named Marcel Coetzee cutting his teeth atm? Played 13 in VShield if I remember, there’s one 😉
@Surprise Attack (Comment 5) : Ja I recall he did an interview with pastoor.
Nice some good news for the future
@Sharkfinn (Comment 7) : I feel bloody great knowing that we have two Baby Bok tightheads on our books
@Surprise Attack (Comment 5) : @coolfusion (Comment 6) : Yup…here’s the interview…
http://www.sharksworld.co.za/2015/04/10/impi-interviews-part-2-marcel-coetzee/
I think that’s pretty good result given we don’t sign millions of school boys every year. A little concerned about a lack of backline players coming through though
@robdylan (Comment 8) : Even me
@Surprise Attack (Comment 5) : Not a single Sharks back line player in the squad for the tour to Argentina. Radebe probably would have made the squad if he was not injured.
Kramer a good player but like Marne Coetzee will get pumped at scrum time at that level
Marius Louw looks to be a handy center