Speaking exclusively to Mike Greenaway of the Mercury, Sharks Director of Rugby Gary Gold has revealed a fair bit of his thinking in terms of selection for the Kings game this weekend.
Stephan Lewies is set to make his long-awaited return to the competition and will in all likelihood start in the number 5 jersey, alongside Etienne Oosthuizen. The first choice front row of Beast Mtawarira, kyle Cooper and Coenie Oosthuizen should start, with captain Marcell Coetzee joining the du Preez twins in the best available back row.
Gold also appears convinced that Garth April is the man to play flyhalf, with Cobus Reinach perhaps surprisingly earmarked as his partner. According to Greenaway, the coach may yet install the more experienced Heimar Williams at inside centre to help April further, but Andre Esterhuizen remains the front runner. The rest of the backline is likely to pick itself.
Below is Greenaway’s possible team. He doesn’t often get these things wrong.
Sharks (possible team): 15 Willie le Roux, 14 JP Pietersen 13 Paul Jordaan 12 Andre Esterhuizen 11 Lwazi Mvovo 10 Garth April 9 Cobus Reinach 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez 6 Marcell Coetzee (capt) 5 Etienne Oosthuizen 4 Stephan Lewies 3 Coenie Oosthuizen 2 Kyle Cooper 1 Tendai Mtawarira
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Not a bad team. When last did the Sharks have a backline so full of flair-players?
Hoping Lewies is not rushed back as he will mean more long term
apparently Stephan should play for about 50 minutes.
imo if this is the team, one thing is certain and that is the coaches are backing the youngsters (April,Du Preez twins) and this will install a huge amount of self-confidence in the players, going forward would mean they are more ready for “crunch” situations. The most important aspect, as Rob mentioned in a previous article/comment respect for the opposition will be vital this season, direct opponent per position as well as a team in whole. this season will introduce a fair amount of “unknown” entities from the opposition.
@robdylan (Comment 3) : fair enough i suppose – easing a player into action is always the preferred approach, especially after an injury lay off.
Lewies is a nice surprise, but the rest of it is basically what I expected.
Id really hate to jump to any conclusions about Lewies and returning…but that is a pretty strong side. Especially when thinking who can make up the bench. Sharks need a win on Saturday
@robdylan: oosthuizen at no5-lock?
I doubt if Marcell will Captain though….rumours are going around that it will go to Beast.
@robdylan: from what one can gather on ss news interactive,it sounds like thomas will be back-up to coenie for the game vs kings.seems thomas is seen as a no3 prop by gold,who has the versatility to play both sides of the scrum.
@Ice (Comment 9) : I can definitely see Beast as a captain – his composure(compared to most players) is a strong point! Just the fact that he is as committed to the Black & White makes the decision(if so) so much more welcoming!
@DuToit04 (Comment 11) : You think Marcell is not committed (for the SR season)?
I can’t say that I am ecstatic about Coenie as some on this site,he is a penalty waiting to happen,is not a great 3,and his recklessness played a huge part in Lambies injury.
I’d much prefer to see Adriaanse given extended game time,to allow him to play himself backing his 2013/14 form.
Also give April a chance ,in this easier game ,by playing him with Claasens,he will settle better,than with the erratic Reinarch.
Only big surprise is April starting.
@The hound (Comment 13) : My thinking exactly, I still commented on the Toulon game in saying, I can now again remember why I was never excited about the signing of Coenie, he basically gave away a penalty with every scrum
@Ice (Comment 12) : I think Beast is great,but he is hardly the future of the Sharks,he is in the twilight of his career.
Marcel even though he is leaving,is such a passionate and honest rugby player, his enthusiasm is infectious and we should use up every drop of it while we still have him to inspire and lead this team.
Only a fool would doubt his commitment.
@The hound (Comment 13) : Look i can agree that Coenie can be both good and bad- he is a lot more explosive with the ball than Adriaanse…but i would love to see Adriaanse get back to form. What i am confused about is how you blame Coenie for Lambie diving onto a ball and getting inured? I really thought it was a Toulon player that kicked him not Coenie?
@SheldonK (Comment 17) : Coenie dived on top of the Toulon player, who was onto of Lambie.
Coenie had a rep at the Cheetahs for recklessly injuring his own players.He is a serious loose canon on the field.
Sharks should aim to get rid of the disgusting disciplinary record we had last year.
@SheldonK (Comment 17) : Watch it again, was 100% Coenies fault for diving (more like belly flopping) directly on Lambie. I watched it over and over.
@SheldonK (Comment 17) : seems the thinking is coenie with thomas as back-up at no3
@The hound (Comment 16) : I agree totally..!
@The hound (Comment 18) : @Seth101 (Comment 19) : Ah ok, i must admit i didnt watch the replay of it that much. My take was that it was a loose ball that Lambie dived on whilst the Toulon player tried to kick it and that caused the injury. I kno that was ‘pile up’ as a result..didnt realise was Coenie specifically
@Ice (Comment 9) : @DuToit04 (Comment 11) : @The hound (Comment 16) : can’t see a reason for dropping Marcell as captain!!!!! He’s 100% committed for the season!!!!!!
@50shadesofshark (Comment 20) : Is Thomas fit yet? Thought he was still struggling?
@robdylan (Comment 3) : not a bad team!!!!!!!! Wonder how the reserves will look like?!?!?!
@SheldonK (Comment 24) : from what is written on ss ,it seems as if thomas is ready and will play no3 from the bench.
@Ice (Comment 12) : no I’m not saying that at all, i’m saying/meant to say if it is not Marcell wearing the captain arm band for whatever reason then Beast is good “next-in-line”…i fully support Marcell as a captain, he leads by example…I can’t recall a game where he actually did not play well.
@JD (Comment 23) : Yes I agree, unless it’s a personal decision?
imo marcell should be 1st-choice team captain until lambie is fit again.
@50shadesofshark (Comment 29) : Makes sense, as he is the initial vice captain….
@DuToit04 (Comment 27) : Ah okay – no sweat.
@Ice (Comment 31) : Just my two cents, but I think they would give Marcell a breather, and he would most probably just play a part of the game, if they give the captaincy band to beast, or that they want to let him loose in all of his fury, and then don’t want to restrict him with carrying the captaincy also
Kings 31-man squad: Schalk Ferreira Edgar Marutlulle Jacobie Adriaanse Steven Sykes John Charles Astle Chris Cloete Thembelani Bholi Jacques Engelbrecht Ntando Kebe Elgar Watts Malcolm Jaer Shane Gates Stefan Watermeyer Luzuko Vulindlu Jurgen Visser Sithembiso Sithole Martin Bezuidenhout Tom Botha Schalk Oelofse Cornell Hess Cyril-John Velleman Stephan Willemse, Junior Pokomela Kevin Luiters Louis Fouché Lukhanyo Am Phillipus du Plessis Siyanda Grey Jaco van Tonder Marin Ferreira Tyler Paul
Greenaway in my opinion is the SA rugbys top scribe.
Not a bad team, but I would not have started with Coenie, Reinach or April – the rest I am happy with.
Will be interesting to see who they going to slot into the reserves for certain positions.
@stevovo (Comment 35) : the good thing about them starting is that if they struggle it’s relatively easy to replace them with Adriaanse, Claasens and Joe even during the first half. If they come on as replacement it and they struggle it would not be as easy to replace them.
@Henkb (Comment 32) : Problem with having Beast as captain you know he will only be playing 50 odd minutes and then who will captain the side? Just think Marcell is the kind of person that will not let it bother him all that much.
@JD (Comment 36) : Not a bad point, however I would rather start with my strongest line up and when the game it at a point where you can possibly afford the risk of bringing on these guys, then give them a run
@stevovo (Comment 38) : that is another way of doing it. I would personally go with Claasens and April to start the game with Joe at 15, however some people might stone me for leaving Willie on the bench.
so just to add a spanner to the works, the team that trained today apparently doesn’t look like the above.
@JD (Comment 39) : I’m with you on starting with Joe, but believe Willie will bring you more value that April on the park, so hence suggesting Joe at 10.
Kings team:
15 Jurgen Visser, 14 Luzuko Vulindlu, 13 JP du Plessis, 12 Shane Gates, 11 Malcolm Jaer, 10 Elgar Watts, 9 Ntando Kebe, 8 Jacques Engelbrecht, 7 Thembelani Bholi, 6 Chris Cloete, 5 JC Astle, 4 Steven Sykes (captain), 3 Tom Botha, 2 Martin Ferreira, 1 Schalk Ferreira.
Substitutes: 16 Edgar Marutlulle, 17 Sti Sithole, 18 TBC, 19 Schalk Oelofse, 20 Cyril-John Velleman, 21 Leighton Eksteen, 22 Louis Fouche, 23 Charles Radebe
@Seth101 (Comment 42) : not a bad team!!!! Sharks better pitch if they want to win this game especially with a bonus point!!!!!!!
@robdylan (Comment 40) : geez thanx Rob!!!!!!!!
Just hope that the relieving of the captaincy from Marcel,if it is true ,doesn’t mean the reinstating of Keegan as the captain.
This would be a huge step backwards in my book.
@The hound (Comment 45) : maybe this speculation re: captaincy has to do with the fact that beast represented the sharks at the sr launch on ss.the other 5 teams were represented by their respective team captains.this does not mean beast will captain the team.
@robdylan (Comment 40) : As long as it’s not injury enforced
But for 9 this was the team that I picked…but we’ll see what happens when it is announced…
@pastorshark (Comment 48) : if you think of all their trouble it’s not a bad side and could give the Sharks a few problems.
I would be cautious and start Lewies from the bench in the last 20 minutes or so. He has been out for a helluva long time.
@coolfusion (Comment 50) : yes I’d also go with that as it’s a long season and Sharks will need him to stay fit and playing.
@JD (Comment 25) : Rob!!! Long time brother ???????? Rob any news on Morne Joubert. Was he given a bit of a pre season run? The kid has the Goods. The other ones was Playing Kirwin Bosch on 14/15 backup? Also that youngster flyhalf Tedder. Was also superb at school, is he in the mix somewhere. Others I am waiting for is the young Paarl Gim sentre(can’t remember his name now).
Regards to sharksworld! Great site always passion to the tee from the boys????????????
@JD (Comment 25) : Rob!!! Long time brother ???????? Rob any news on Morne Joubert. Was he given a bit of a pre season run? The kid has the Goods. The other ones was Playing Kirwin Bosch on 14/15 backup? Also that youngster flyhalf Tedder. Was also superb at school, is he in the mix somewhere. Others I am waiting for is the young Paarl Gim sentre(can’t remember his name now).
Regards to sharksworld! Great site always passion to the tee from the boys????????????
@BoerSeun (Comment 52) : Morne Joubert, Curwin Bosch and Tristan Tedder all playing for UKZN in Varsity Shield. They will probably play the CC qualifying a possibly get a bench run in the CC
@BoerSeun (Comment 53) : thanx. Those youngsters are performing for the UKZN Impi side that’s still unbeaten in the Varsity Shield. Don’t think they will get a run in Super rugby as Inny and April should be backup 10’s to Pat (when he’s fit) and Joe.
@BoerSeun (Comment 53) : hey meneer! Yes, as JD says, Bosch, Joubert and Tedder are all playing Varsity Chield and will move up to Currie Cup qualifiers afterwards.
Who is the centre? Wayno Visagie, by any chance? Also in the Shield squad.
@robdylan (Comment 56) : ja boet I maar answered as I was linked in the comments. Really hope the Impi beat Wits!!!!!!!!!
@JD (Comment 57) : that match has been postponed for reasons we can’t go into here
@robdylan (Comment 58) : And I’m more grateful than ever for that rule. Between the US electioneering, the proposed EU/UK split and the other stuff we won’t go into, plastered everywhere on social media, I’m just sick of all the politicking. This is my sanctuary at the moment.
What time is the team being announced Rob?
@vanmartin (Comment 59) : apologies for my contribution to that on FB
@robdylan (Comment 58) : 😯 What, so the students are restless again?
Jaaa, methinks Varsity Cup rugby will not be the same again, what with Ikeys playing in front of empty stands at home (and losing 3 in a row) and more people on the field than in the stands in Bloemfontein.
@robdylan (Comment 61) : Trust me, your views are not what I take issue with but that’s all I’ll get into on here. I really don’t want to derail any further. Just wanted to point out that I’m really grateful that I can get away from all that over here.
@robdylan (Comment 58) : @vanmartin (Comment 59) : ja let’s just leave it at it’s very sad!!!!!!!!!
@vanmartin (Comment 63) : @robdylan (Comment 61) : for me the US elections is a huge joke with Trump running!!!!!!