As a follow-up to our story yesterday, the Sharks have now confirmed that Joe Pietersen will depart to play in Japan on conclusion of Super Rugby 2016.
According to Gary Gold, “Joe has enjoyed a successful career and is keen to experience the rugby culture in Japan, and therefore he has asked to be released for the Currie Cup campaign, to pursue this new opportunity.
“Discussions are currently underway regarding his possible return to the Cell C Sharks in 2017.”
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Pieterson really has been a club hopper of late. Suppose its expected towards the end of your career.
Just thinking of the Sharks options are 10 and 15 going forward minus Pieterson:
10: Lambie, April, Radebe, Tedder
15: LeRoux, April, Bosch, Joubert
Mvovo and Ndungane can cover 15 if required
@SheldonK (Comment 1) : imo odwa can add a lot of value playing no15.
@SheldonK (Comment 1) : Odwa, the ultimate professional, he will always give his best and never let you down.
@50shadesofshark (Comment 2) : @Bump (Comment 3) : He can and will, but realistically can he keep playing beyond next year at the most?
@Bump (Comment 3) : have always liked the idea of odwa playing no15 ever since he did so in ’07 cc game vs wp.had another really good game at no15 vs bulls at loftus too.just cant remember exact year and competition.
Resorting to Ndungane at 15 in the Currie Cup this year will be a failure. I’m pretty sure he will not be around come Super Rugby 2017, so what exactly is the point? The Sharks are far too progressive and forward thinking for that, surely….
@Character_Schmarachter (Comment 7) : odwa is 33 this year.same age stefan terblanche was when he returned to the sharks to play no15.
Ohh dear. I see Toetie Coetzee is aiming to bring in his Stomers pals as assistants for the Bok job.
Stormers rugby here we come. Don’t worry about the tries.
Fleck will surely have to resign as Stormers head coach. He cannot perform both roles at the same time.
What happened to the “Coetzee will be fine as long as we appoint top international assistants under him” line?
Little wonder I get far more excited by the Sharks than I do the Boks.
@50shadesofshark (Comment 7) : mate, Ndungane is 35….
Let’s not settle for mediocre, ok?
@Character_Schmarachter (Comment 10) : yes,you are right.my apologies,odwa is indeed 35 this year.so to re-phrase: odwa is the same age stefan was when the sharks won the cc in 2010 😀
@Character_Schmarachter (Comment 8) : I haven’t seen that yet. I think if he does that then many of his harshest critics will be Province people.
@Character_Schmarachter (Comment 6) : I have a strong feeling that he could be used there…especially if its a young backline. Im not sure of his contract details but i think we could def see Odwa in Super rugby 2017. Id love to see a good youngster given a shot, but if they are paying Odwa good money they need to use him or can his contract.
@Character_Schmarachter (Comment 8) : I saw that article. I see they have pushed back naming the coach till next week as well. As much as i also promoted the need for good quality assistant coaches i think we can all agree that particular ship has sailed due to the goings on at SARU.
Isn’t this only for CC? Let the guys go make money man as long as they are back beginning Feb for SR.
This article is dated 2015/06/01: http://m.sport24.co.za/sport24/Rugby/Super15/Pietersen-heading-back-to-his-roots-20150601 says joe pietersen signed a 2-and-a-half year contract with the sharks -till the end of 2017.
Does rhyno smith’s leopards contract expire at the end of this season?
@GreatSharksays (Comment 15) : with joe pietersen’s ability to play 10/15 and experience,he should be signed.
Permanently? Or is he back for SR next year?
Seems like a return to the sharks is being negotiated.from what i found online,it says a 2-and-a-half-year contract was signed running from the start of 2015 cc to end of 20017 cc season.
New Zealanders are also not that excited by the Crusaders win over the up-to-then unbeaten and best SA side.
Stuff’s weekly ‘Power Ranking’ isn’t getting too carried away, placing them at 5th. Behind the Highlanders and Chiefs.
They drop the Sharks from 8th to 13th, and have this to say:
13. Sharks
Previously unbeaten, the Sharks couldn’t hold on to beat the Crusaders in Durban. No 8 Kieran Read’s late try killed the Sharks, who, let’s face it, are a determined bunch when it comes to defending but don’t offer a great deal else. Both tries to Lwazi Mvovo came from turnovers; one was an intercept and the other was off a fumble. The Crusaders, who won 19-14, could have been beaten if the Sharks had showed some creativity. But the New Zealanders could have also won by 30 points if they had converted all their territory and possession into points.
That’s the difference. Even had the Sharks held on to win, what many call “stealing a win”, everybody would have accepted it to be a somewhat lucky result against the run of play. Our press would have heaped praise on the ‘unbeaten’ Sharks, and sung from the rooftops about them. I mean come on, the Stormers were gritty but largely poor against the Jaguars and our Cape based press our saying their pack now has “greatness” about them…
Perhaps because we underachieve and – whether we like it or not – are the poor cousins in SANZAAR when it comes to results, we’re quick to hope and talk up our chances when the NZders just seem to work hard and do the talking on the field.
Oh in case you were wondering, this is the Crusaders verdict:
Last week Power Rankings listed the Crusaders seventh after their convincing 57-24 win over the Kings in Christchurch. Now we have promoted them two places following a scrappy 19-14 victory over the Sharks in Durban. Surely something is wrong. Has some cheeky rascal slipped an LSD tab into our porridge bowls? No. We agree the Crusaders, given the way they dominated possession and territory, should have won in a more convincing fashion – and could have lost if the Sharks hadn’t given away a silly penalty in the final moments at King’s Park. Seventeen turnovers and the sight of Richie Mo’unga missing four of his five shots at goal didn’t help the Crusaders who continually went wide and mounted phases in an attempt to break the Sharks open. It was predictable and too easy for the Sharks to single out ball runners and blow them over. Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder is promising to change the game plan before the next match against the Lions in Jo’burg. That is going to be a tough one.
@Character_Schmarachter (Comment 20) : Would be interesting to know if that same press praised the Chiefs for their win over the Jaguares the previous week?
That is rather condedscending,is it not?eapecially considering the indiscretions the saders were allowed to get away with at the breakdown and scrums.no mention either of saders ill-discipline in striking a player in the face?missed penalties is mentioned but not how many of those were legitimate .the call for scrum penalty that led to their first try was the wrong one.
all of a sudden were sort on FB’s
my view willie, mvovo and pietersen can player there but their all not available for most if now all of the cc
I guess odwa could work, with sithole and mjekevu on either side
I’d like to see wandile mjekevu get more game time at outside centre and wing in SR this year, I know everyones upset with him cause he had a subpar CC but he looked really good in per season, like a young JPP, big tall strong and not slow in the least
we cant play the same team all season long
can we get jaco van tonder back for the currie cup ?
@SheldonK (Comment 1) : I’m sure he’ll be back for SR2017. It will be interesting to see what we do in the Currie Cup…flyhalf is well cover, fullback not so much…
@Character_Schmarachter (Comment 6) : I tend to your line of thinking…
@Character_Schmarachter (Comment 8) : 😯
@SheldonK (Comment 13) : Frustrating…
@50shadesofshark (Comment 16) : I still say he is a guy to look at…
@pastorshark (Comment 27) : Welcome to SA 😉
@pastorshark (Comment 27) : @SheldonK (Comment 29) : especially if SARU is involved!!!
Bye bye Joe,Sharks now need to back the youngsters as do the NZ teams,Joe was badly exposed against the Crusaders for what he is so no loss