The Sharks are looking pretty well stocked in the second row for the upcoming Super Rugby season, based on the latest set of pre-season training pictures.
I can now confirm that Lubabalo “Giant” Mtayanda, the 130kg-odd monster lock from the Pumas, has indeed returned to Durban to join up with the pre-season squad and will hopefully be in the mix once the tournament proper kicks off in February.
Also in the picture is young Namibian lock Tjiuee (pronounced “CHOO-way”) Uanivi. The 2.00m tall 24-year-old joins the sharks from Brive in France, but it was playing for his country in the 2015 World Cup where he really caught the eye, as an athletic lineout forward who even managed to take a few balls off the All Blacks. Hyron Andrews, who was part of the under 21 team this year, also appears to be training with the team, along with Etienne Oosthuizen and Dave McDuling. Stephan Lewies should hopefully also be fit by the time the season starts.
The Sharks will confirm the full squad tomorrow and it is a bit of an open secret that another even bigger name, that of Stormers lock Ruan Botha, will be added to the list when they do.
Pictured is Tjiuee Uanivi, courtesy Steve Haag.
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Good stuff
Things are coming together nicely.
Lol I spent a while decrypting your “U A Niva going to” tweet earlier
glad to see the confirmation! Lock suddenly feels like a well stocked position.
Now if only we could sign a hooker of any worth. 😈
Muuuch better
Good work guys, great to see that the problem area’s in this years squad are being addressed!!!
Add the new defence (Mouneimne) and attacking (RDP) additions and dare I say this…..feeling slightly less pessimistic than this year 🙂
Great news!
Except the fact that Fool’s Gold is still going to be in charge (hopefully only head coach in name only) I think the Sharks are looking a bit better than last season. Now we just need a decent hooker and a fitness coach that actually makes sure the players are fit. With Omar there the defense should already be much better than last season.
Some interesting new players. Glad to see some locks coming into Durbs as opposed to leaving. Will definitely be an interesting look to the Sharks team in 2016.
Auestion. Seeing that couple of big names are only returning when Superrugby starts. How much is defence coach going help or any other coach? We should change system to have all players available at pre-season.
Lood would be a great name to see in Durbs. Still not convinced we have competitive tight 5. Hope to be proven wrong.
@KingRiaan (Comment 7) : you call him a fool, but who do you think is the guy making the decision to appoint the new coaches and to bring in the new players?
Maybe the guy had to get through his first year making do with what was left over by previous coaches…. and now actually gets to be a “real” director of rugby by making his own appointments? Could be worth waiting to see before just writing them off.
Great!!!!!!!!!! Glad to see Sharks are really stepping up for the new season!!!!!!! Can’t wait for tomorrow to see whose in and whose out!!!!!!!!
@ebenp (Comment 9) : it would require a seismic shift to the entire rugby calendar to ensure that happens. Trust me, I’d loive it, but to be fair, the World Cup Boks simply have to have some additional rest.
As for the “Japanese” players, I’m not sure when they get back but hopefully they will not just move straight into the team. Long competition and depth is vital.
@robdylan (Comment 10) : Maybe I would have had more time for him if he had a proven track record of success, plus the fact that he seems to read from the same book of excuses and cliches as Heyneke. But I will gladly eat humble pie if he steers the Sharks to a title or at least a huge improvement over last season, it’s just that up to now I have not seen him bring anything as a coach to the table. And yes, he might be a better manager than coach, by bringing in the new players and coaches, but it still counts for nothing if you are the coach and the team plays crap.
@robdylan great news!and thanks for explaining how to pronounce tjiuee uanivi’s first name 😀
@robdylan (Comment 12) : Or a complete change in global economics. Which is easier to achieve?
Looking way better in the second row. Hooker may not be such a problem area. Cooper has the potential. Chilli can also produce the goods. I think the Sharks are very thin on FH depth behind Lambie, and good centre combinations.
@KingRiaan (Comment 13) : Gary Gold has a better record in his first year at the Sharks than Ackermann did in his first year at the Lions and that turned out well for them…Sharks have gone through some serious changes in last couple years. Consistency and patience is key
Eeeexcellent!
@robdylan (Comment 12) : Hopefully the Japan guys will be put through a pre-season that runs concurrently with the SR season…and then gently reintroduce them into the SR team.
Btw, what’s the latest news on the newly watered down CC-pre-cup (whatever the heck they calling it)? Any clarity on how it will work – which teams compete and how it affects the actual CC?
@Seth101 (Comment 3) : Or centre…
So let me get this right, we are all hailing Gold now as the savior again and when the Sharks fail then only every one is going to attack him again? I am sorry but this is the first year ever where I am going to be skeptic instead of excited before a season. I am just so done with having to listen to excuses and cliches week after week.
Lekker! Much welcomed news.
Rob, any news on Planet? Gav Rich sure did stir the pot yesterday.. Please tell me he is staying?
@KingRiaan (Comment 21) : Lol don’t worry mate, I am definitely not going into this season with high expectations. I am hopefully but I am pretty sure we won’t win our conference, wild card slot maybe.
@robdylan (Comment 12) : Calling the Boks Coks is not very nice…
@Seth101 (Comment 23) : If that’s even how this dumb system even works anymore, I don’t know 🙄
@pastorshark (Comment 24) : … but very funny!
😆
@KingCheetah (Comment 16) : Yup…those are the two areas that need a bit of attention…maybe we can get Fred back from you guys…
@pastorshark (Comment 27) : Though I think at flyhalf they are happy to go with Inny and Joe as the backup…
@SheldonK (Comment 17) : I smell a debate coming…I agree with you though…
@KingRiaan (Comment 21) : Ah and there it is…
To be fair, you will find that sheldonk has not changed his point at any stage…he was always saying pretty much what I’ve always been saying…patience…let’s see what happens…
@Seth101 (Comment 23) : I’m just so….eh…I don’t even know what to call it anymore, I’m sad, angry, disappointed, disgusted with the Sharks all in one befuddled emotion. I just want my team back, the one that I love supporting, that makes me want to wear the jersey and fly the flag.
@robdylan (Comment 10) : If people still want to remain negative after all the positibe things that have happened at the sharks the last couple of weeks, they will remain negative no matter what 😉
@Another Nick (Comment 26) : Very…and maybe even legitimately Freudian…
@Another Nick (Comment 22) : let’s wait until the announcement tomorrow.
@KingRiaan (Comment 21) : nobody is hailing anyone as anything.
Let’s just go into the season with a realistic expectation that things will be better than the clusterfuck that was 2015. Then maybe we can evaluate people fairly based on that.
@HeinF (Comment 32) : “Positive” is only counted in results, you could sign the entire All black team, if you do badly in your games then they weren’t positive signings.
@pastorshark (Comment 28) : Curwin Bosch and Willie le Roux can also step in, in a pinch. I’m more concerned about centre to be honest.
@robdylan (Comment 34) : 😕 Don’t like the sound of that sentence Rob. Not one bit. Thanks anyway.
@robdylan (Comment 12) : willie, marcell coetzee,renaldo bothma all on 3 months contracts.be available from 1st feb 2016.
Not sure about potgieter or jpp’s contracts.
@Another Nick (Comment 38) : You really think he should stay at his age? Do you not think that players can be to old or not good enough?
@pastorshark (Comment 29) : hahaha my bad. To be honest with all the new personnel playing and coaching wise i have no idea what to expect going into 2016. Well other than i think the comp is crap. So yeh at the moment im basically shovelling in popcorn while the previews play and am waiting to see what the movie is like with an open mind…
@vanmartin (Comment 37) : Yup, I reckon it’s fair to say that centre is now the biggest area of concern…
@SheldonK (Comment 41) : Good description!
@robdylan (Comment 34) :
@Seth101 (Comment 36) : Very true, but all these changes in coaches and players atleast have me hopeful again 😉
@pastorshark (Comment 42) : Well hey we have that boxer who plays center. The last boxer I saw play center is sitting happy with his world cup winners medal, so maybe we will get lucky and have a player just as good.
@Seth101 (Comment 40) : I think he adds MASSIVE value in terms of leadership, experience and mentoring. Lots of young guys coming in that can learn a lot from him.
@Seth101 (Comment 46) : That boxer got mugged by a lil kid pretending to be a fan. So now he just has a replica 😉
@Seth101 (Comment 46) : Well, that would certainly be nice!
@SheldonK (Comment 48) : Something tells me he is not to worried about the specifics of the medal, more the having it that counts 😀
@SheldonK (Comment 48) :
@Another Nick (Comment 47) : Does anyone know whether he will be hanging around in such a role, but just not part of the actual squad?
Ok wait. ….Ruan Botha? Finally a nice catch!
@Another Nick (Comment 47) : But is his player contract really worth some off the field leadership? I don’t argue that he has been great for the Sharks, but his time has come, along with others. Maybe we can keep him around as a coach/mentor but he definitely doesn’t need a players contract for that. And even that hasn’t worked out with other ex players recently.
For me center is still a concern. Unless the Sharks coaches will consider Morne’s suggestion of playing Willie at 12, one which I really think could work brilliantly at the Sharks.
10. Lambie
11. Mvovo/ Andre
12. Willie/ Heimar/ Andre
13. Sithole/ Andre/ Paul/ Mjekevu
14. JPP
15. Joe/ Mvovo
Otherwise I would have loved if we could have snatched up at least one settled midfielder to play either 12/13 with one of our guys.
Hooker and tight head is also still a bit of a concern.
@pastorshark (Comment 52) : get him working with the u19 and u21 forwards.and at the sharks academy.line-outs and kick-offs specialist.
@Letgo (Comment 55) : Id still love to see Williams given a real run at 12. Not just the odd game
@Letgo (Comment 55) : re: willie at 12: on attack yes,but what about defence?
@SheldonK (Comment 57) : maybe omar can toughen up his defence.then there is johan deysel.how is his tackling?also marius louw.
@50shadesofshark (Comment 59) : Williams is fine on defense. Deysel and Louw still a bit inexperienced so will tend to make a few errors on defense. But its the small things you can only learn from playing
@SheldonK (Comment 57) : @Letgo (Comment 55) : I really really really hope that we have moved quickly and signed Tim Whitehead now that he’s left the Kings!!!
He was so good for the Sharks and was really underrated!
@ChrisS (Comment 61) : No mention yet about where he is off to etc. I think he comes with pros and cons. So guess we shall see
Keep this up and I might just change my profile picture to a slightly happier Shark 😆
@SheldonK (Comment 57) : you and me both!!!!!!!!!!! Think he can be really good if given support and time!!!!!!!!!!!
I really wanna see who the sharks getting rid of player wise. I can’t help but be excited about that
maybe the kings can pick up some of those players. Hoping monde is not one of them but maybe could do him good to play for another union
Ruan Botha is class…..well done Sharks.
I also liked the look of that Namibian lock and centre….
Ruan Botha is class…..that Namibian lock and centre looked the real deal too…well done Sharks
@Farlington (Comment 63) : looks more like a dolphin! 😈
@SheldonK (Comment 62) : I still prefer him to Williams and Esterhuizen but between those two I would choose Heimar everytime.
Esterhuizen relies on brawn and not brain. If he learns to draw create space for those around him then he can become a Bok but he is a bit predictable. I’m hoping that working with RdP will give him new skills and unlock his true potential.
@JD (Comment 68) : Or a barracuda
@JD (Comment 68) : It’s a sad shark dammit!!! 😆
@Farlington (Comment 71) : it’s a very sad shark indeed
@ChrisS (Comment 69) : Esterhuizen is now at the same point Nuno was early in is career- big guy, good ball carrier and hasnt developed a good passing/kicking game yet. I like Williams in the games i have watched him play for the Sharks and at club level. Whitehead has good hands and an eye for the gap, he sometimes gets bullied in the contact situation though and lacks a little bit of pace. If he develops his kicking game more id prob tell him to look at playing 10.
@SheldonK (Comment 17) : well said
@Poisy (Comment 65) : Etienne Oosthuizen, pretty please!
Lubabalo “Giant” Mtayanda
lewies
ruan Botha
Jaque potgieter (can play four like Alberts use too)
Tjiuee (pronounced “CHOO-way”) Uanivi
these guys are leagues ahead of the rest
Etienne Oosthuizen and Dave McDuling have thus far only looked like vodacom cup level players
super glad that Hyron Andrews is training with the squad but i wouldn’t risk him just yet unless there’s a injury crisis. him and PSDT’s little bro could develop into quality players for us
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Marco for his service to the sharks, i really wasn’t looking forward too seeing him run out for us in super rugby
So happy when i saw the ruan botha new on SA rugby mag website
@Ben (Comment 75) :what about waylon sideways murray?
@pastorshark (Comment 28) : Joe is solid enough as a stop gap measure. Has Radebe even played at any level higher then u21? Varsity shield is hardly a top tier competition. This is the reason why the Sharks end up having to buy a team, there is no Varsity Cup representation. Varsity Cup has been an immense breeding ground in other unions.
@vanmartin (Comment 37) : Is it really wise to throw the likes of Curwin Bosch and Radebe straight into Super Rugby? Sure the talent is undeniably there. Neither has played any rugby at a level close to CC level even?
@Poisy (Comment 65) : they’re real people and this isn’t some kind of reality show… You can work out roughly who they are and most of them have given a lot to the Sharks cause over the last few years and are due our thanks…
@KingCheetah (Comment 79) : Radebe a possibility if really needed, But Bosch definitely not! If Bosch plays he will get injured…
before we officially signed Ruan i felt that lewies was our best 5
but seeing as lewies had played a few games at 4 in CC and SR i feel id rather start with my two best locks
Lewies at 4 and ruan at 5 with giant on the bench ready top make a impact, potgieter at blind side
my starting team will be
15 willie
14jpp
13jordan
12 esterhuizen
11 mvovo
10 lambie
9 classens
8 terra
7 marcel
6 Potgieter
5 Ruan botha
4 lewies
3 adreense (give him a chance)
2 Franco Marais
1 beast
bench gets interesting, lots of permutations
16 cooper/hadebe
17 tank (cover loose head)
18 coenie (i feel sorry for gerhard Engelbrecht, he looked solid at tight head, and we still dont know if coenie was bought to cover 1/3 or both)
19 giant
20 Jean-Luc du Preez
21 cubos
22 Little joe P (or inny) anyone but cronje
23 Wandile Mjekevu (he had a tough CC, but his a quality player, big guy with tons of speed, and almost everyone had a bad CC)
cant wait for SR
PS hooker might still be a issue but there were issues in the currie cup that likely wont be there in SR so i hope to see a good performance from all three young guys and chilli
@JR (Comment 80) : get off your high horse I never said they are not people. I said what I said because it will send a strong message that if you do not perform or get lazy and take things for granted it can end and frankly that is needed in this union in my opinion. If you don’t like what I say why not keep your mouth shut and move on to the next comment why do you have to start this bullshit
@revolverocelot (Comment 82) : No place for vd Walt in your team? 😯
@Farlington (Comment 71) : hahaha!!!!!!!!!! 😈
@JR (Comment 80) : The unfortunate truth is that in professional sport you are an athlete first, person second. You think this is bad? This is not even close to what it’s like in the NFL.
Anyone who is interested in how brutal and unfair the NFL can be on players read this:
http://www.houstonpress.com/news/plan-b-brennan-williams-hopes-to-turn-his-nfl-disappointment-into-a-wrestling-career-7932302
@KingCheetah (Comment 78) : just wait it’s coming!!!!!!!!!!! Impi will be there soon and then you better watch out!!!!!!!!!!
@revolverocelot (Comment 82) : not even a mention of the ginger Ninja?!?! Best no 8 in Sharks team!!!
@JD (Comment 87) : For the sake of the Sharks I really hope so. The Cheetahs have two teams in the Varsity Cup, only other union with that is the Stormers with Ikeys and Maties. Bulls have only Tuks, and Lions only UJ. Quite a quirky situation given how the Cheetahs battle two keep top players
@KingCheetah (Comment 79) : I think we both know it’s not wise (hence the ‘in a pinch’ wording). I’m just mentioning we have options aside from Lambie, Pietersen & le Roux. Would I like more senior cover though? Definitely. I suspect that WP would be the first destination for experienced flyhalves though, if the Coleman rumours are true.
@JD (Comment 88) : that was a tough call for me, i wantd to put him on the bench ahead of JLD but i felt like going with youth
thats my first choose team if everyones available
the ninja will get plent of game time though, its a long season ad i hope we rotate in a health and constructive way
i hear you though
i guess I like what terra brings to attach and his line speed
will terra be ready to start from week one of sr is another question, wouldnt start him or have him on the bench if his not 100%, cause of the bepth we have theres no need to play people that arent 100%
Im glad kanko’s at the 7’s, not that i dislike the guy, its just that he use to be so so good and set the bar so high that watchinn him play for us in the last two super rugby seasons was torture
hopefully he comes back to us a better player (unlikely though, his getting older, he’l probibly go overseas and cash in)
What difference a day makes!giant ,uanivi and ruan botha.three good additions.with lewies and potgieter there.hyron andrews also training with the squad.
hoping to see oosthuizen also push hard at 4-lock.dont think he must spend time between 4 and 7.
@Poisy (Comment 83) : that was unnecessary. JR was within his rights to question your comment, dude and wasn’t actually nasty about it, so please extend the same courtesy.
@robdylan (Comment 94) : My comment wasn’t meant personally or confrontationally – apologies if its been taken this way..
@JR (Comment 94) : it’s fine.
@robdylan (Comment 96) : the apology was to him!
@KingRiaan (Comment 7) : He and his bosses have been hard at work trying to fix problems which is better than they were doing a few months ago. Some good youngsters being signed stole a great prospect from wp. Highly rated defensive coach. Du preez has an awesome record in his league getting rid of deadwood. To me these are all good things and I glad to see him making some good moves at last.
I’m revising my squad, remember this is assuming everyone is available
only change is Sithole in at 13 for Jordan, before we all lose our minds. I rate them both. How ever sithole at 13 in 2014 was amazing, he killed it. We’re luck to have both of them in out team
inside centre could be a problem for us though
esterhuizen, big, talented but still very rough around the edges
H williams: on paper the ideal guy, but struggles mightly to play up too our expectations
Cronje: God help us … Kidding kidding, maybe this could work
Lambie: in a emergency this could work, play joe or inny at 10 then
who else could help us at inside centre, jordan possible, i seem to remember him playing there
15 willie
14 jpp
1 Sithole
12 esterhuizen
11 mvovo
10 lambie 9 classens
8 terra
7 marcel
6 Potgieter
5 Ruan botha
4 lewies 3 adreense (give him a chance)
2 Franco Marais
1 beast bench gets interesting, lots of permutations
16 cooper/hadebe
17 tank (cover loose head)
18 coenie (i feel sorry for gerhard Engelbrecht, he looked solid at tight head, and we still
dont know if coenie was bought to cover 1/3 or both)
19 giant 20 Jean-Luc du Preez
21 cubos
22 Little joe P (or inny) anyone but cronje
23 Wandile Mjekevu (he had a tough CC, but his a quality player, big guy with tons of speed,
and almost everyone had a bad CC)
@grant10 (Comment 67) : You must really mean that…
@ChrisS (Comment 69) : @SheldonK (Comment 73) : I still reckon that Esterhuizen has a lot of potential and I am glad he is in the squad. He has much to learn, but in the second half of the CC he did show some very good touches…
@revolverocelot (Comment 76) : Hear, hear…
@Poisy (Comment 77) : Surely he will go…
@KingCheetah (Comment 78) : Very good point about Varsity Cup…hopefully that will change next season…
@KingCheetah (Comment 78) : I don’t think Inny has played any higher…but then, that is how Lambie stepped up as a youngster. Strudwick tells me he rates Inny as highly as Lambie and that he reminds him a lot of Lambie at the same age. I am happy with that…
@KingCheetah (Comment 79) : I agree on Curwin Bosch…step by step…
@revolverocelot (Comment 91) : I’d pick van der Walt at 8…and I’d pick Coenie at 3…otherwise I’m on board with that side…
@pastorshark (Comment 105) : leopards fullback rhyno smith also training with the squad.havent seen him play,but sounds like he is rated by bloggers.
1.73m 77kg 1993
Goalkicker.has some dropgoals on his scoring stats.
@50shadesofshark (Comment 107) : Interesting…I have heard good things about him and was wondering if we would look at him. Good to hear that we are. Another young fellow…
@50shadesofshark (Comment 107) : He was the “Player that Rocks” (Player of the Tournament) in the Varsity Cup this year…
All this shows that RdP certainly has an influence in the setup…
@pastorshark (Comment 109) : thanks for the info.couldnt follow varsity cup this past season.
@JR (Comment 96) : Now don’t you go starting a fight over your apology. 😉 😛
@KingCheetah (Comment 89) : now that you mention it basically the Sharks also have two teams in Varsity Cup they’re just placed in Bloem. Thanks for sharing, you know what they say: “sharing is caring”!!!!! ;-P
@revolverocelot (Comment 91) : also glad Kanko is at 7’s, I really hope he finds his old form there and can bring it back to Sharks in 2017!!!!
@pastorshark (Comment 110) : seems like interesting times ahead!!!! Let’s see what happens during chapter 1 tomorrow!!!!
@pastorshark (Comment 99) : SA first…Stormers 2nd….we need a powerful Sharks….the country that is….
@JR (Comment 94) : thank you. I am sorry too I should have waited before replying in anger. You have never been nasty to me and in future will try listen more than I talk.
@grant10 (Comment 116) : I appreciate that… 😀
@pastorshark (Comment 100) : 100%. I mean the kid i what 21? Lets give him some time before we want him to be world player of the year. Same as the DuPreez boys and DuToit.