Former EP Kings and Edinburgh strength and conditioning coach Johan Pretorius appears to have joined forces with the Sharks.
Pretorius’s name has not been officially included on the Super Rugby coaching roster announced a fortnight ago – then again, neither was Mark Steele’s, so we’re a little bit in the dark as to exactly what’s happening in this area. I’ve approached the Sharks for clarification and will share this with you once I have it.
Pretorius, like Omar Moumeinme, has worked extensively with Alan Solomons in the past, acting as head strength and conditioning coach for the EP Kings in the 2013 Super Rugby competition and then following the coach to Edinburgh a year later. He returned to the King in January this year but now appears to have joined the exodus from the Bay. A graduate of Zululand University, Pretorius has also worked with the Junior Boks in the past and did a 7 year stint as Head Biokineticist at the South African Sports Science Institute.
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Sounds promising.
New thoughts and ideas into conditioning…now this i like to hear! Cant argue that some good noises are coming out of Kings Park in the off season.
I see prince Harry has also joined the coaching staff….probably as PR manager 😉
With all these coaches, I wonder if we have enough players in this team, let alone hours in the day.
These are all Gold’s mates only one missing is Solomons.
Neither he or the defence coach have ever achieved much,my main problem is that both their claims to fame seem to be a dismal spell at the Kings,folowed by a mediocre spell at Edinburgh ,both with Solomons.
Hell even Zondagh’s son is involved.
Solly on his way????
@The hound (Comment 4) : Bite your tongue…..on the Solly point.
I’m finding it hard to get excited about these ex Kings personnel joining the Sharks coaching squad.
I hope and pray that Alan Solomons does not come anywhere near the Sharks.
update: John Smit doesn’t think it’s worth announcing this sort of thing. You’d think a man as under pressure to deliver results would be a little less cavalier, but hey, it’s his gig, right?
@The hound (Comment 4) : @jonnow (Comment 6) : Remember that these guys were involved with the Kings in their 2013 Super rugby season, when they exceeded expectations. As far as I can remember they were a good team defensively and well conditioned which were two of the major weak points of the Sharks in this year’s Currie cup.
@robdylan (Comment 7) : Yep, it is HIS gig allright.
@The hound (Comment 4) : Let’s see how they do before we criticise them. They may surprise us.
@war1 (Comment 8) : I’m hoping for big changes in those areas as well as on attack, scrumming, lineouts, mental attitude and tactical kicking. I see these appointments as a step in the right direction.
5 stars at last!
😀
It’s not a bad thing. The Sharks need as much help as they can get in the conditioning department.
@war1 (Comment 8) : I think the Kings were pretty well conditioned during this past Currie Cup, mentally and physically, considering where they were as a union.
@ChrisS (Comment 11) : So basically everywhere? Lol
Sheeesh I thought we hit rock bottom last year when our losing under 23 semi final was seen as a cause for celebration.
But now we looking to the dregs of South African rugby the perenial bottom feeding Kings for salvation.
Most of Solly’s crew including these two scuttle from one disaster to another,normally leaving their last port of call far worse than when they arrived
Very interesting to see so many negative comments on recent threads, It seems as though the Sharks supporters feel as though 2016 is already a write off. Oh well wonder if ill be the last supporter standing come November 2016…maybe ill win a prize
@SheldonK (Comment 17) : Probably be two tickets to the under 23 semi final in P.E.
@The hound (Comment 18) : Under 23?? Are you adding VAT to the Under21s?
@SheldonK (Comment 17) : just in case you’re wondering, 2016 is already a write off.
@West Indies Cricket Board (Comment 20) : Not by a long shot. But hey if you would rather watch netball dont let me stop you
@SheldonK (Comment 21) : 😆
Mark Steele has resigned to pursue other interests. Pretorius takes over from him
@The hound (Comment 18) : I will still be supporting the team.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 24) : So i see competition for my last fan standing prize has increased….hmmm
@robdylan (Comment 23) : Where did Steele fit in the coaching camp?
@The hound (Comment 16) : Your long term memory is pretty good but your short term memory seems to be failing you. 😆
It’s U21’s and it was this year. 😉
@HeinF (Comment 26) : Conditioning.
@HeinF (Comment 26) : @Ben (Comment 28) : Johan Pretorious is replacing him, basically.
@StevieS (Comment 15) : Exactly 😆
@Ben (Comment 28) : It’s good to switch things up and bring in new ideas.
@jonnow (Comment 6) : I would a actually appreciate him joining us. Very good coach. Better HC than Gold and better backline and attack coach than Everitt.
@robdylan (Comment 23) : The Sharks were badly conditioned under Mark. In fact, the only time they looked fit was under Jake. During Plum time, it was a norm for our guys to start SR with the festive fat and their rugby out the window. I say bye to Mark and hope he was asked go leave.
@Ben (Comment 29) : thanks!
@GreatSharksays (Comment 32) :My initial reaction was to ask you to substantiate that statement,but hey it’s probably true,that Under 18 semi loss last year is looking better and better.
Solly is not a good coach in any other context other than next to Gold.
Too many cooks…. Not very distinguished cooks at that.
@The hound (Comment 35) : Who was Mallet’s backline coach when we went 17 games unbeaten. Kings, with the talent they had were no walk overs in 2013. I think we only beat them by 12 points. You are kidding yourself if you say Solomonds is not quality.
@GreatSharksays (Comment 37) : I read Brendan Nel’s column on SS, where he outlines Eddie Jones’ failures……how he went on an 8 game losing streak before the wallabies fired him (I think I read 8 games)….also how he was the coach of the Reds when the bulls hammered them in that 92-3 game in 2007 (score was somewhere in that range).
Apparently the Japanese weren’t happy with him as coach before the wc started….yet now, he is the most sought after coach in the world.
Point is, a coach’s quality is relative and very subjective…..HM had success at the bulls, but was utter rubbish everywhere else – especially on the international stage.
Look at how successful Dick Muir was with the Sharks, yet he couldn’t emulate that at the Lions nor as assistant coach at the Boks.
Seems every team has different requirements, and a coach that had success with one team won’t necessarily have success at his next…and vice versa.
So according to an article of 365, the Lions and bulls have the best chance of topping the SA pool.
According to most of the lot around this neck of the woods, the Sharks should fall on their swords and try playing club rugby, and quit appointing coaches (unless all of the coaches had coached NZ teams that formerly won SR titles)…..so much confidence 🙄
@FireTheLooser (Comment 38) : I agree with your sentiment,I have always believed that there’re two major factors that contribute to a great team.Coach and captain.When those two click you have magic,when one is missing there is mediocrity.
Mallet couldn’t tie his bootlaces after he got rid of Teich.
Boks were never going to win anything with JdeV as captain,no matter who was coach.
Whitely is a huge part of Ackermann’s success,Gold and Wentzel were really substandard mix.
Martin Johnson and John Eales were huge parts other World Cup winning success.John Smit was as good for Jake White as White was for him,Peter deVilliers knew that and hung onto John but he didn’t have it
What worries me about this turkey Gold is that hostile hasn’t announced captain,what she waiting for.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 39) : It appears as though people are now anti everything Sharks…except Lambie….
@The hound (Comment 41) : I have a feeling they might announce the captain at the jersey launch this week. My money is on Lambie with Van Der Walt VC.
I am glad the Sharks are getting a new conditioning coach, as the last year or two our players were in hideous shape. Real fit players don’t get as injured as often as ours were getting injured.
@KingRiaan (Comment 44) : How can you say that Matt Stevens was in fantastic condition,used to love the way his gross fat white gut spilled out his jersey at scrum time.and they way he breathed after the run out the tunnel onto the field.
@The hound (Comment 45) : I will quote from what I previously said :”the last year or two our players were in hideous shape”. And that doesn’t even begin to describe the shape Stevens was in. He disgraced the jersey in more ways than one.
@SheldonK (Comment 42) : I’ve heard of a glass-half-empty perspective…but this lot will find fault with every-bleeding-decision….
I’m all for wanting the best, and complaining when the best has not been delivered…but give this group a chance before writing them off.
Heck….has Steele delivered when measured against the past season or two? NO…so let’s try something new, and give it a chance to fail all on its own, before we start another dripping-tap thread.
🙄 🙄 🙄
@FireTheLooser (Comment 47) : Glass half empty…geez i think the glass is bone dry and been smashed to pieces with contract hits taken out on sharks management’s lives and opposition jerseys being delivered by DHL. It seems the only way people will be keen for 2016 is if we bought the entire New Zealand RWC winning side plus coach and then put Lambie in as captain then they gave away free season tickets with champagne, balloons and puppies given out at the entrance and even paid for the Uber ride home…
@KingRiaan (Comment 46) : Yet this same guy got contact with Toulon probably the highestt payers in the world and did quite there in his past games,I blame Gold for allowing him on the field in that condition.
@SheldonK (Comment 48) : And what would make you happy,if we fired Gold and hired Meyer,or better still Meyer with Gold as his assistant sheeeeet now Shelly that would be christmas.
@GreatSharksays (Comment 33) : Now that is the most accurate and honest comment I have read in a long time. You have hit the nail on the head regarding conditioning and echo exactly my thoughts. The team looked so much better conditioned in the one year under White than any time under Plum and this year they looked even worse, and it showed in the results. The best part is, under Plum they blamed their poor starts on the humidity in Durban that time of year rather than the fact they were still carrying around their Festive meals from the holidays.
@The hound (Comment 50) : Im happy as is…im not the one thats all doom and gloom. I think there have been some exciting developments in terms of players and coaching etc and im interested to see what 2016 brings. This is sport and results etc are not set in stone. So being super negative only makes your life miserable…
@SheldonK (Comment 52) : I am not unreasonably negative,but at the same time I am not a happy idiot.
I have only found one appointment to get excited about.that being the appointment of Robert .The reason I welcome that is he is a Shark through and through ,unlike all these Gold appointments which are very dodgy.
I am sorry but a guy who coached the Kings,or was the defence coach when Mallett coached Italy does very little to excite me.
Mallet never won a single game when he coached Italy.The Kings are not a team I would look to for inspiration.
Look at Gold’s record he has never been better than mediocre,no matter where he has been,and the same rings true for the guys he is recruiting.
I
@The hound (Comment 53) : To be frank a lot of your comments are pretty negative even if tongue in cheek…but thats genuinely how you feel which is fine. Not everyone can like everything. In terms of judging a guy before he has done anything…well i like to give a guy the benefit of the doubt and lets see what transpires before i become judge, jury and executioner. I just take the Paul Anthony example…as Bulls junior coach he beat all and sundry…as Sharks junior coach he got smashed…so yeh he has had tough time…doesnt make him a bad person
@SheldonK (Comment 48) : I welcome the move and other moves that have been done. With regards to Everitt and Gold, it could be that we are keeping them for continuity with all the changes. I can accept that. Let’s hope the changes will also help them be better coaches cause currently they are giving us a raw deal. Mark had to go….our players were just not fit enough and not even shaped like professional athletes. Flip….you will have to take my word…I’m even better conditioned every February when compared to these guys.
@The hound (Comment 53) : Look at the other franchises in SA, and compare what they have to what we have….then tell me how much worse off the Sharks are.
Lions are looking good, but how far have they had to come to get where they are now? Which magic appointment time-traveled them from mediocre to the most exciting team in SA? Their success was a culmination of many things finally coming together after years of planning and effort (and a fair bit of failure).
Streamers tried to buy themselves that magic time-traveling machine to success, and he traveled his way straight through their coaching stocks, all the way to England.
Now they’re looking at employing the guy that got the Lions started on their 5 year recovery journey.
Sharks also tried the magic time-traveling machine – it too bombed.
The only team to have won a SR title in SA, took how many years of mediocrity under the leadership of an inept monkey to get their success? Some 6 years if I’m not mistaken.
So, in essence, this WILL take time to get right….best start practicing your patience now.
@SheldonK (Comment 48) : Sounds like a great idea. But i’d like Sithole to be played at 13 for a while, who needs Conrad Smith
. Can’t wait to get my free season ticket. My girl friend is going to be so excited about attending the game and getting that free puppy 😀 . Any idea what breed we are going to get?
@The hound (Comment 53) : You need to look beyond that. What gives me hope is that two guys that I respect from a rugby point of view roped him in whenever they got coaching gigs anywhere in the world. Does Mallet strike you as a coach that would recruit a useless person on his coaching team? The guy was even at the Stormers when they started their defending crusade. The fact that Italy and the Kings never had talent must not be used against those coaches including Oumar. Italy can not even be compared with Japan. Japan has a model specifically targeted at growing the sport there and the influence of foreign players in their league and national team has really helped. I’m to a certain extent happy with the changes from a coaching point of view. Would have wanted more, maybe too much change at that level isn’t good…for now.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 56) : So basically you are saying that in about 6 years we can look forward to winning the Super 36.
@SheldonK (Comment 42) : And it seems like you are pro everything Sharks except Lambie. 🙄
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 59) : Well we’ve waited nearly 20 years already….what’s six more years – at least we’re trying different things, ’cause what we’ve been doing has been a miserable failure.
@The hound (Comment 53) : To be fair, Italy was nowhere in terms of international rugby. mallet did bring some steel into them, and they have progressed. You have to look at things in context sometimes.
@SheldonK (Comment 17) : @Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 24) : It’ll be at least three of us then…I’m not going anywhere…
@robdylan (Comment 7) : bit of a shit attitude?!?! Fans need and deserve to know these sort of thing and they’re just dismissing it!!!!
Some breaking CT news….it appears the weepeee have once again butchered the Mitchell deal….seems its dead in the water with Fleck the favorite to take over…..well as a long suffering weepee man I have now hit the end of the road….no more Newlands for me….done, klaar . kaput….I just cant handle the amaterurs anymore…
@grant10 (Comment 65) : Fleck?!
Give me Gold any day of the week if that’s the choice.
@JD (Comment 64) : Don’t you just miss the transparency from the pre-Smit era?
Personally I think we’re getting a ton more insights into what’s happening at the Sharks than we ever did before…
…so not mentioning the appointment of the general fitness guy is a minor issue in my book – especially when you look at the reaction of most around here, clearly feeling that this new appointment is a nobody replacing the formidable and world renowned Mark Steele. 🙄
When last have we had this much Sharks news at this time of the year?
@grant10 (Comment 65) : From a selfish point of view, I hope you are right. From an SA rugby point of view, it’s bad news unless Mitchell gets the Bok job. IMO our coaches in SA have simply not evolved with the times and are basically still employing the tactics they were taught by their coaches when they still played the game. We need foreign coaches in the system to trigger a rugby revolution. If it means the Stormers will lead that revolution so be it. I for one can’t take this one dimensional rugby any more.
@pastorshark (Comment 63) : Make that 4, thank you very much 😉
Well I would have preferred a scrum and or lineout coach, instead of this appointment without our Jannie and Bissie we need to get our pack trained for the experienced teams.
@coolfusion (Comment 70) : Maybe we had one, Smit didn’t see it necessary to release yet another press release for our umpteenth coach appointment…..heck, I wonder why nobody has complained about Smit not announcing the name of the coordinator/captain/coach for the flasher girls for 2016?! 😈
….and who’s responsible for keeping the game day kit clean, pressed and ready?! Why hasn’t that been announced yet? Smit should really take his job serious and announce, announce, announce! 😈
@Ben (Comment 60) : Ive never been against Lambie…ive always said id pick him in my side any day. I just dont think its quite right to declare him the saviour of the world and that nobody else matters but him etc. I guess knowing the guy gives me some perspective i dunno. So yes in case you are wondering i do think he should be Sharks captain and no.10 in 2016.
@pastorshark (Comment 63) : Dammit the competition just got real…haha
@GreatSharksays (Comment 55) : I said many months ago, possibly even last year that i didnt think the Sharks conditioning staff were quite up to it. Mark Steele been in that position for quite some time so has perhaps become a bit stale. Nice guy though so id never attack him personally as we love to do with coaches but i definitely think its time for fresh ideas.
@Hulk (Comment 57) : Geez its hard to cater for such demanding fans…u just take what you get..first come first served 😉
@grant10 (Comment 65) : What I cant understand is that Wakefield chap shooting from the lip, about transformation and who should be coaching the Boks etc while all the time ignoring PDivvy as an option to coach the Stormers. I dont get it,
@grant10 (Comment 65) : What about Dobson? WTF is going on down there in All Black land.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 71) : Smitty was entertaining Royalty yesterday, give the guy a break.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 78) : …and he never even announced that the Prince will be arriving – how rude. 😆
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 78) : Speaking of….I wonder what the Sharks public relations dept gets up to. Yesterday Prince Harry spent time at the tank with a group of youngsters, he was wearing a Sharks jersey, stuck his head in Sharkeys jaws, Smitty was in attendance. The worlds media has covered this. The Sharks have not murmured a word on their website. Probably scared they get it wrong and have to issue a “clarifcation” statement.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 79) : Some real pro mileage missed there.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 81) : Clearly the PR department is in desperate need of a shake-up…but I guess it will be one issue at a time for Smit – coaching structures should rightly be the first order of business….now it’s time to fire the whole PR team, and get the pro’s to take over.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 79) :
@FireTheLooser (Comment 82) : …then again, maybe the PR team has been busy getting everything in place for tonight’s jersey launch, and Saturday’s meet-and-greet in Jo’burg.
They certainly have a lot on their plates.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 84) : It looked like some outside PR company was handling the event of the Prince and the Sharks. So just thinking that is perhaps why we havnt seen anything yet. My guess would be that the Sharks would get the second bite of the cherry with the other PR agency having first rights to showcase it and only allow the Sharks to show it off after the fact. I mean the photos were on their fb page but it was a low key event…well except for security as they were still there when i went to gym long after Princey Pants had left
@grant10 (Comment 65) : Howzit boet, when I saw Flekkie as favourite I immediately thought of you lol, eish WP being run into the ground by this Thelo idjut.
@SheldonK (Comment 85) : It could be that……but then again, why spoil yet another opportunity to have a full go at Smitty?
So as per the standard Sharks fan terms and conditions: It is simply Smit’s fault, and don’t forget blaming Gold. 😈
@sharks_lover (Comment 86) : …and nobody challenges him for the presidency – same as Cheeky.
Absolute power again proven to absolutely ruin everything for everyone.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 87) : Yeh look i dont know if that is the case, just judging by the photos i saw it seems it was another PR company. So yeh perhaps Smitty and Co are a bit off the pace but hey at least he came to Kings Park not Newlands…
@sharks_lover (Comment 86) : Very interesting that Fleck should jump the queue especially after Dobson jumped ahead of him when it came to CC. Perhaps the CC loss has pushed Dobson back down and elevated Fleck again. One thing with Fleck is that you can be sure that the Stormers will do things a bit different- whether its a good or bad different remains to be seen.
@SheldonK (Comment 90) : Who knows boet, I doubt he is tough enough to be head coach though?
@FireTheLooser (Comment 88) : Yup same old shit.
@SheldonK (Comment 89) : “but hey at least he came to Kings Park not Newlands…” yes, thats the point Kings Park, inner field, Sharkey, Smitty, Sharks jersey etc,
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CVM_qydXIAQF90J.jpg:large
New Lions jersey looks, okay…
@sharks_lover (Comment 91) : Eish who knows…he seemed to do well with the u21s. They have a good strong pack so he would need a good forwards coach. Their backs could be quite disrupted by the 7s which should make that a bit tricky. And he does lack options at 10
@Seth101 (Comment 93) : Yeh i think it looks pretty decent…even if a bit out there. But they went with a bold design so good for them. Interested to see if BLK has anything interesting planned other than a different shade of black
@FireTheLooser (Comment 82) : Smit has been at the tank for 2 years now, any shake up should have been done and dusted.
@SheldonK (Comment 95) : I like the idea, but as someone who did art at school I don’t like the composition :lol:. Too much empty space, with everything crammed into 1/3 of the jersey.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 87) : And you should know, considering that you applied those T”s and C’s to Strools and Plumtree liberally. 😈
@SheldonK (Comment 90) : Yep, WP were very erratic. and took a few big pastings along the way, so that would probably be the reasoning if Dobson doesnt get the nod.
@Seth101 (Comment 97) : Yeh that is the one feeling i got that it is a bit cramped at the top. (Although my idea of Art is seeing a cold beer in the fridge). Personally i do like more of a vintage design for the home jersey and then something a bit funky for the away jersey.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 99) : The pitfalls of trying to play more expansively after a defensive minded super rugby approach for years under Coetzee…
@Seth101 (Comment 97) : I didnt do art and I thought much the same. I was wondering if they had lost some sponsorship because available space just seemed “empty”.
@SheldonK (Comment 101) : Thats it. It would have been interseting to see how the Stormers would have played under Jones.
@SheldonK (Comment 100) : I like the black and gold one. This doesnt really make sense for me because I would also prefer something more traditional and that would then be the red and white one. Maybe I just never liked the Lions jersey before.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 81) : they covered the f*ck out of that event on Facebook , Twitter, Instagram…. that little website of theirs really does suck on the hid tit these days.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 103) : I think if you look at their team makeup briefly then i would suspect that they would possibly resemble the Brumbies of old with lots of phase play and ball retention to try wear down opposition. I cant remember Jones ever playing a ‘big chap’ at 12 so interesting where he would have played DeAllende. Just on Jones- i see his hands are pretty much tied in terms of selecting an Eng side for the 6 Nations…only allowed 10 changes to the squad
@Seth101 (Comment 93) : That guy at the back left could have been standing kaalgat or pulling zap signs, for the amount of jersey exposure he is showing.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 84) : the meet and greet on Saturday has nothing to do with the Sharks themselves. It’s a shop that organising it.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 104) : The black one is cool (think the away jersey has to be very different in terms of colours from the home jersey). I would have liked the SA home jerseys to resemble the old currie cup jerseys of say transvaal, natal, bulls etc
@SheldonK (Comment 106) : Havent seen that, who / what is restricting him?
@SheldonK (Comment 109) : Fully agree on the home jerseys.
@SheldonK (Comment 106) : The Brumbies of old….ahhh what a great memory I have of Newlands in 2002. The Brumbies entertained royally that day, they just clicked in everything they did and their angle and line movements were perfect.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 110) : Apparently according to their Elite Squad rules he is only allowed to make 10 changes to the Elite squad that was previously chosen. Not sure exactly how many make up the elite squad though. With Sam Burgess moving back to League i think he is now allowed to make 11 changes but thats it. So basically most of the Eng RWC side have to be retained.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 107) : Can see it in his facial expression 😆
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 112) : They were very disciplined and accurate. Every man knew his job and executed it.
I have very different feelings from you guys it seems, I want jerseys to move away from tradition and embrace designs with more flair, Stade Français style.
@Seth101 (Comment 116) : Compromise on flair for away jersey and traditional home one?
@robdylan (Comment 105) : Has that website of theirs ever been useful? Never have found any useful news on there that wasn’t published ages after the whole internet published it….then again, has any of the unions ever had a useful website.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 98) : I gave Plum a fair chance to prove that he’s not up to the task of getting the Sharks a SR title…..and Strools, well he shot himself in the foot before he even joined the Sharks – kamp staaldraad, same as Pdivvy will be known for his clowning around in the press, and HM will be known for his retirement village. 🙂
@SheldonK (Comment 117) : Home jerseys are what I see in person, they’re the ones I’d prefer to have flair ;-). I am very much not a traditionalist.
@Seth101 (Comment 119) : I can accept that logic. perhaps a fresh new jersey design will breathe some fresh air into the players
@SheldonK (Comment 120) : Add to that, I believe the more we can distinguish Super Rugby from Currie Cup the more we can save the CC.
The CC should highlight the traditional South African rivalries, while SR should highlight the glitz and glamour of playing clubs from around the world on an international stage.
@Seth101 (Comment 121) : Eish that poor CC really has taken a hammering. I think there shouldnt be any local derbies in Super rugby unless via the playoffs. So all SA sides play all NZ,OZ, Jpn and Arg sides. Whoever comes in to sponsor the new CC has a lot of work to revamp it
@SheldonK (Comment 122) : Agreed
Wonder if you can read anything into the fact that Kriel is front and centre in the home jersey that pic, and Whitely is in the back row in the away kit.
Hell if there was ever a guy to lead the Sharks back to their former glory its that grasshopper.
@The hound (Comment 124) : Except he doesn’t play for the Sharks…. Also baring one person it looks like they are ordered by height.
@Seth101 (Comment 125) : But imagine that combination, A mix of Whitely,Marcel and the twins,all home grown Natal boys
https://twitter.com/derekalberts1/status/671944987706269696/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
@The hound (Comment 126) : He has a lot of good mates in Durban as well but i think still harbours a bit of a grudge towards kzn rugby as he never got a look in. Kinda same as Mnisi. Perhaps only chance would be throwing a big offer his way after Rio 2016
@The hound (Comment 126) : Couldn’t care less where our players were born.
@Seth101 (Comment 129) : We can’t all be the same would be a very boring world if we were.
For myself I love homegrown players,especially guys I’ve watched since primary school.Big disappointment for me is when guys like Whitely,Adendorf and Brynand Stander never made ir through .
@Uli Boelie (Comment 127) : 😯 thats one crazy #@*& that. I see Bret Janse van Rensburg has now also resigned, for a post with Boland. That must tell it all, leaving a Super Rugby franchise for a very B divisin CC team is a sign of how bad things must be.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 131) : I saw that…and I see Stormers are also in a bit of turmoil…
http://m.news24.com/sport24/Rugby/have-stormers-players-gone-sour-on-mitchell-20151202
@pastorshark (Comment 132) : Seems like Cheeky needs you to step in and remind him that the Crusades ended a few centuries ago.
@Uli Boelie (Comment 127) : @Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 131) : Kevin Luiters (Kings scrumhalf) wrote this on Facebook (quoted on SARugby):
‘It’s amazing how people’s egos, pride and self-legacy are more accepted and spoke[n] of than the struggle of its employees and its players. Not one kind act of care has been displayed towards [those of] us that have been without [a] salary for two months,’
‘We are expected when we get paid to return happy and work our arses off to make a successful campaign. Yes, trust we will do that, but [we] remain a laughing stock of SA rugby and won’t you all love it if we were to fail, but sing our praises if we succeed. Everyone [is] forgetting the struggle we had to endure including times where we aren’t even able to feed ourselves, bath in warm water, cook a warm meal and to look after our families.’
It seems to have gone from bad to worse.
@pastorshark (Comment 132) : Oh boy. Who are the Stormers senior players? I presume Schalk is in Japan so who does that leave Etsebeth, Elstadt, de Jongh, Malherbe – guys that have been there a while but hardly seasoned seniors like Schalk. I feel sorry for whoever coaches them if these players have that much influence.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 134) : “Everyone [is] forgetting the struggle we had to endure including times where we aren’t even able to feed ourselves, bath in warm water, cook a warm meal and to look after our families.” Completely behind the players and anti Cheeky, but that seems a little extreme, no?
@Seth101 (Comment 136) : Ag you know shame its really tough for the guys that make minimum wage and have no choice but to live in shacks etc…oh wait these are professional rugby players…my bad wrong interpretation…i guess they will have to turn off the jacuzzi and use the cheaper whey protein
@SheldonK (Comment 137) : Exactly….
@FireTheLooser (Comment 71) : Well I agree with Rob here. He is on the back foot so anything he can do or say to show progress or change he should. Within reason of course. I for one would like a little more news in the cheerleader space as well. Maybe even some pictures. …
Well I agree with Rob here. He is on the back foot so anything he can do or say to show progress or change he should. Within reason of course. I for one would like a little more news in the cheerleader space as well. Maybe even some pictures. …
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 135) : Sounds eerily familiar…
Test
South African rugby players have far too much power. I can’t stand the use of the words “legend” and “senior players” but here in SA our press and public are quick to use them – do you ever hear the humble Kiwis using such ego-inflating monikers? It’s a team sport – everyone in the team is equal. Screw “senior players” and the sense of entitlement that seems to come with this label in SA. Just like Alex Ferguson was the main man – and showed their best player Beckham this with a boot to the face – South African rugby players need to be taken down a notch or two. The coach should be seen as the most important person at the union, not the “senior players”. And you know what, we may even see our teams win more.
@Gold_Must_Go (Comment 143) : You are right w about the ego’s. It landed the sharks up without a good coach.
@Gold_Must_Go (Comment 143) : the kiwi fans aren’t all that humble, they often refer to Richie Mccaw as “God” which I personally don’t think is an appropriate nickname for any human. Go onto any blog or website and there are always kiwis saying how great they are and running down everyone else. Never mind a lot of their best players weren’t even born in nz
Guys, has anyone seen the latest Sharkbite episode? At the end of the episode they said there would be more players announcements at the beginning of the new year.
@RuckingFun (Comment 145) : it was a reference to the players not fans. Their players seem the most humble bunch around. Look at their star players – do either of McCaw or Carter strike you as arrogant twats that would let monikers bestowed upon them go to their heads? Even SBW seems a decent bloke given all the attention he gets.
The point is, rugby in SA is an ego trip where we distinguish between senior and juniors (when every player in the team should be just as important) and the players seem to consider it gives them “power” and entitlement to the jersey. The All Blacks always make such a big thing about their jersey and the fact that nobody owns it. We have developed this culture where “senior” players like Jean De Villiers and Matfield expected to be picked over form.
PS If we had a captain with a record like McCaw’s (only a handful of defeats in his whole career) he could be called god or Thor for all I care. That’s the point – if you walk the talk then there is a little extra leeway. Our teams talk the talk but fail dismally against NZ and Aus and Arg and Japan.
I’m actually in NZ at the moment. Been here many times. The “kiwi way” is to be humble and not seek the limelight. They consider South Africans, and especially Afrikaner males, to be incredibly arrogant. There is a difference in approach… one contributes to a tiny little set of islands with 4 million people grossly overachieving, the other this huge country with over ten times the amount of people from underachieving. It’s hard to be critical of ourselves, I know, but travel and the world experiences will set you free. Ps it’s not just the Kiwis who think South Africans are arrogant…
http://cdn.24.co.za/files/Cms/General/d/935/203b612cbafd48ac9bec11589f12bfaf.gif
http://cdn.24.co.za/files/Cms/General/d/935/02c6b6a19f194ccd954953b5e8f8fefd.gif
The new Stormers kits, also the first and last time you’ll see PSDT in one 😀
@RuckingFun (Comment 145) : “God/?äd/
noun
1 (in Christianity and other monotheistic religions) the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being.
2 (in certain other religions) a superhuman being or spirit worshiped as having power over nature or human fortunes; a deity.
3 an adored, admired, or influential person.
4 the gallery in a theater.”
Considering definition 3, it is used the completey the correct context.
@Seth101 (Comment 149) : Is it just me or does the Stormers kit look very similar to the Saracens kit (DHL excluded of course)
@SheldonK (Comment 151) : The Stormers away kit yea. I’m not a huge fan of either, I hope the Sharks will be a little more creative then a two colour fade with horizontal stripes.
@Seth101 (Comment 152) : haha if we went with the striped looks we would look like zebras or WWE refs hahaha
@Seth101 (Comment 152) : I was under the impression that theSharks kit would have been launched last night….did I get my dates mixed up?
@FireTheLooser (Comment 154) : Today
@Seth101 (Comment 155) : thanks
I can’t wait to see our kit. I’m actually enjoying what the teams are coming out with. Something new and different.
@StevieS (Comment 157) : Judging by the new Reds kit released (also by BLK) dont expect any major pattern design changes. Same simple jersey design but just with new fabric technology.
@SheldonK (Comment 158) : http://rugbyshirts.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Reds-Rugby-Jersey-2016.jpg the aforementioned jersey.
@Seth101 (Comment 159) : http://shop.redsrugby.com.au/queensland-reds-replica-jersey-away-2016/ Away jersey.
http://shop.redsrugby.com.au/queensland-reds-replica-warm-up-tee-2016/ Warm up kit.
I like the warm up kit the most.
@Seth101 (Comment 159) : @Seth101 (Comment 160) : So yeh judging by that im expecting the usual plain black home and plain white away kit.
@FireTheLooser (Comment 154) : yes. It’s tonight.
@SheldonK (Comment 161) : wrong. Would you like another try? 🙂
@StevieS (Comment 157) : you’re going to LOVE it then
@robdylan (Comment 163) : hey now there is something im glad to be wrong about…unless its pink…please rob say its not pink 😉 haha
@robdylan (Comment 164) :Will I? 😕
I would absolutely love it if it has an actual shark on it, similar to the koala on the Reds warm up kit.
@SheldonK (Comment 165) : not pink
@Seth101 (Comment 167) : fins….
Purple polka dots would be fabulous!
@robdylan (Comment 168) : haha awesome. This feels like playing 20 questions though haha
@robdylan (Comment 169) : <3<3<3
BREAKING NEWS: Heyneke Meyer quits as Springbok coach.
@robdylan (Comment 169) : Hows that Heyneke Meyer article coming Rob? 😉
This is a good day.
@Seth101 (Comment 173) : Houwing predicted he would just this morning. Meyer really had no other choice. Toetie is our new coach.
@SheldonK (Comment 174) : gimme a chance 🙂
Toetie is far too limited in my view. The Stormers were even more one-dimensional under him than the Boks under Meyer, but there are hardly any other South African coaches putting their hands up. I’d swallow pride and appoint a foreign (read Kiwi) coach.
@Gold_Must_Go (Comment 178) : at least he won’t be bias and will give every player an opportunity. Gone are the days of Serfontein playing 13 when we have Mapoe and Juan. Pollard will for the first time have to fight for his jersey. The likes of JPP will have to ensure that they continue with their RWC form into next year’s SR campaign.
@GreatSharksays (Comment 179) : Every coach has bias so i think lets hold that thought till a team and well a coach is chosen
@Gold_Must_Go (Comment 176) : Can we have Meyer back please?
@GreatSharksays (Comment 146) : might only be the unsigned players currently part of pre-season training at the sharks ?johan deysel and rhyno smith?uanivi still needs to be confirmed.