Scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, impressive enough for the Lions in Super Rugby that he received a Bok training squad call-up, has been released to the Pumas and will start for them against the Sharks on Friday evening.
De Klerk will be a full-time Lion next season, but along with a number of other players with Super Rugby experience, he will see out one last Currie Cup campaign with the Pumas before moving on to pastures greener. Prop Corne Fourie and lock Giant Mtayanda played Super Rugby for the Lions and Sharks respectively earlier this year and have both been included in MJ Mentz’s match 22 for this game.
Mtayanda, whose knowledge of the way the Sharks play will be invaluable, has been named as vice captain; also in the pack are two players who represented the Sharks at age group level, in prop Khwezi Mona and number 8 Lambert Groenewald. Groenwald, in fact, even has a lone Super Rugby cap for the Durban side, appearing as a replacement against the Blues in 2011. Plenty of attention will be paid to former Griqua opensider Marnus Schoeman, who has proved a real thorn in the Sharks’ flesh in years gone by.
Former Bulls centre Stefan Watermeyer captains the side from inside centre; he’ll be partnered by Trompie Pretorius, a man who scored many a try for the Sharks at age-group and Vodacom Cup level. Live-wire stepper (and Blitzbok) Rosco Speckman is at wing and the Sharks will need to keep a close eye on him too.
Pumas: 15 JW Bell, 14 Bernado Botha, 13 Jerome Pretorius, 12 Stefan Watermeyer (captain), 11 Rosco Spekman, 10 JC Roos, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Lambert Groenewald, 7 Uzair Cassiem, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Lubabalo Mtyanda, 4 Rudi Mathee, 3 De-Jay Terblanché, 2 Frank Herne, 1 Khwezi Mona.
Replacements: 16 Francois du Toit, 17 Corne Fourie, 18 Marius Coetzer, 19 Jason-Colin Fraser, 20 Reynier van Rooyen, 21 Justin van Staden, 22 Hoffmann Maritz.
Tweet
That Reinach is in the Bok squad ahead of Faf is a bloody disgrace.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 1) : Lions players will only be picked for the boks as a very last resort.
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 1) : Faf’s father wasn’t a Bok,and you know how big Meyer is on that.
Ja for sure, how Faf has not been involved with the Boks is a mystery. The game plan we played against the AB would have been perfect for his style. He would have made a huge impact from the bench in the last 20 minutes of that game. In this Country, if you are exciting, it seems to work against you!
They are gonna be tough to beat I think.However we also have a great team. May the best team win and please let that be the SHARKS!!!
@Vonno13 (Comment 4) : Unless you are a bulls player offcourse…
@Zibbie: Ja, like Zain Kirchner..? The only exciting Bulls player I have seen in a long time, is young Kriel. Meyer is far to favourable to his old Union.
As you seem to be a Lions supporter, how did you feel about Jaco Kriel not getting a call up to the Boks? I felt it was ridiculous. one thing that has bothered me though, is Whiteley at 8, I may be wrong here, but from what I have seen, he has not made the step up to International Rugby… Is this perhaps as a result of the Bok game plan?
@Vonno13 (Comment 7) : And pollard maybe. Im so us to lions players not getting noticed im not even suprised. Re Warren. I notixed against the abs that he seems very unsure. I am not sure why this is but it seems to me that he is instructed to not play his natural game, and that is a problem
@Zibbie (Comment 8) : It could be that he just doesn’t click with Pienaar. The eighthman/scrumhalf combo is just as important as the scrumhal/flyhalf one.
I’d bet with Faf behind the scrum Whiteley would come into his own at Bok level.
@Zibbie: My thoughts exactly, I do not believe it is a problem with the scrummie, that should have no impact on his general play! I too believe that it is the game plan of the Boks not suiting his more flamboyant style.
He is a natural roamer and likes to find space – but it appears they make him play more tight for the Boks
Wow… how is it that he is NOT with the Bokke? Feel for him, I think that if he keeps his form he could very well be the future Bok 9. Not throwing Reinach away but he needs to be a little more consistent at this level in my opinion.
@Zibbie (Comment 6) : Don’t worry Zibbie, maybe Ackerman will be the next Bok coach then he can select all the Lions Players.
@Farlington (Comment 11) : Reinach isn’t even consistent at CC level, unless consistently average (with moments of genius in between) counts.
The less Sharks players are with the Boks, the happier I am.
Go Sharks!!!!!
FAf Is the best 9 SA have ever had the closest to TJP or AS Bokke will ever have
@Spirit of Rugby (Comment 12) : what rubbish CR is the worst 9 in SR
@benji (Comment 16) : I know. I was talking about the CC, where he is average at best. One has to acknowledge his moments of brilliance, which is naturally cancelled out by his moments of dumbassness – making him average.
@JarsonX (Comment 13) : Agreed, although it does have some negative Long Term implications . . .