Winger Sibusiso Sithole, who enjoyed limited opportunities on tour with the Sharks Super Rugby side, at last gets a decent run this weekend, albeit in the colours of the Sharks XV. Coach Michael Horak has picked a strong side for his team’s Currie Cup qualifier match against Western Province at Kings Park on Satruday, with Sithole joining another young, powerful winger in Sibusiso Nkosi in the back three.
Khaya Majola again leads the side from open side flank, with unrelated namesake Mzamo at loosehead prop. Hooker Stephan Coetzee, in his first start, will know these opponents well, having played for WP at junior level. Ruan Kramer completes the front row, while an experienced lock pairing of Dave McDuling and Tjiuee Uanivi is retained from the last hit-out. Also unchanged is the loose trio, with Johan du Toit and Retief Marais playing alongside captain Majola.
Also retained are halfbacks Tristan Tedder and Dylan Marcus. Tedder did well in his first start a fortnight ago and will look to cement his place in the side in the injury-enforced absence of Inny Radebe. Marius Louw starts at inside centre (with Heimar Williams playing off the bench), while Legend Marwana and Alrin Eksteen complete the line up.
A few new faces come onto the bench this week; Hanco Vetner is back in Sharks country after a spell in Potch and will provide coer for Marcus, while Ayron Schramm returns form injury to ear a first selection of the season. Also in the mix is former SA Schools centre Sandile Kubeka.
Sharks XV
15. Alrin Eksteen, 14. Sibusiso Nkosi, 13. Nkululeko Marwana, 12. Marius Louw , 11. S’bura Sithole, 10. Tristan Tedder, 9. Dylan Marcus, 8. Retief Marais, 7. Johan du Toit, 6. Khaya Majola (Captain), 5. Tijiuee Uanivi, 4. David McDuling, 3. Ruan Kramer, 2. Stephan Coetzee, 1. Mzamo Majola
Replacements: 16. Kerron van Vuuren, 17. Juan Schoeman, 18. Wian Vosloo, 19. Ayron Schramm, 20. Hanco Venter, 21. Sandile Kubeka, 22. Heimar Williams
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Pretty decent team but they are up against a good WP side…Sharks XV havnt been playing well so this could be a struggle for them. Interesting things to note in this side are that Sithole is on the wing (which is clearly where the Sharks only see him), Alrin Eksteen has been a regular in the Sharks lower sides for ages but has never had a half look in yet, Where is Curwin Bosch? and Morne Joubert? and Wandile Mjekevu? Also it seems the Sharks are using this comp to pretty much play their youngsters where as other super rugby franchises alternate between playing their super rugby squad members in these games together with their youngsters. And lastly Williams and Kubeka could be quite the centre combo off the bench- think one of them is covering flyhalf too.
@SheldonK (Comment 1) : This game is televised – so we can all have a look and see what Sithole can do
@SheldonK (Comment 1) : Where is Tera?
After coming close to Springbok selection 2 years ago, S’bura must wondering what he did to see his stock fall so much. I can understand that Mvovo and Pietersen are the incumbents on the wings, but to always play behind Odwa??, eish I dunno.
@Vonno13 (Comment 3) : Yes him too, although i have a feeling he may not be as match fit as they make out. Giant Mtyanda could also do with game time here if he is allowed to play? Kyle Cooper as well.
@SheldonK (Comment 5) : I heard Giant is not allowed to play, as he will be playing for the Pumas later on.
@Vonno13 (Comment 6) : I had a feeling that was the case. Interesting that i see Renaldo Bothma is playing for the Bulls CC side this weekend. Now he was just signed as a super rugby player for the sharks and then got signed for the Bulls…i assume because he is playing that he is signed outright by the Bulls and not the dual contract like he had with the Sharks/Pumas
@The Great Couch Shark (Comment 4) : possible that the Bok management had a look at S’bura, gave him some things to work on and then didn’t feel enough progress was being made?
There’s a very one-sided picture being put forward here of a player that’s continually hard done by, but I dunno, sometimes the guys who are working hardest on their own game and their own skills are the guys getting picked?
@SheldonK (Comment 7) : yeah, I guess the Bulls went in and gave him a long-term deal and managed to negotiate an outright release form the Pumas. There’s no way Renaldo was going to extend there anyway. Guess a long-term deal in Durban wasn’t on the table.
@robdylan (Comment 8) : We cant read that much into Bok camp calls ups as yes Sithole was called up but so was Boela Abrahams of the Griffons and well yeh. We also have to bear in mind that the guy that called him up has been heavily criticised for his lack of knowledge. So just some perspective…
@robdylan (Comment 9) : Indeed, must be the case. I just wonder if he has a Japanese clause in his Bulls contract too?
This doesn’t make sense at all, he should be getting game time at SR level, period. We are just wasting a good player. Are there fitness issues the coaches know about and we don’t? I hope they keep him informed about their plan with him.
Rob, for some reason I’m being denied access to post comments on my Chrome browser. Landing on a page that asks to prove I’m not a robot, problem is it’s not loading the captcha. Using the old IE now 😯
@Quintin (Comment 13) : your IP is now in the good cache, so try again from Chrome?
@robdylan (Comment 8) :
Agree with the gist, but this is the same guy who won the attitude award without much in the way of game time. Doesn’t make for a coherent narrative.
@Big Fish (Comment 15) : having a fantastic attitude at training is not the same thing as developing your own skills over time.
Just trying to think of a side made up of the guys not playing in either side on Saturday:
Props: Schoeman,Engelbrecht,Oosthuizen
Hookers: Cooper
Locks: Mtyanda,DeBruyn
Loose Forwards: Mtembu, Kleinhans,Elliott
Scrumhalves: ??
Flyhalves: Bosch
Centres: Mjekevu
Wings: ??
Fullbacks: Joubert
@Quintin (Comment 13) : hahaha I know all about that
just log out and log in again. After that you will be able to comment or do whatever you want
@robdylan (Comment 16) :
So you believe that the coaches would hand out an award of that nature sans any tangible improvement in the player? 🙄
@Big Fish (Comment 19) : I think you can definitely get an award for best attitude at training independent of skills development, yes.
@robdylan (Comment 20) : lets see how he goes in less pressure. handling and use of space will be watched closely
@robdylan (Comment 20) :
That would be silly, but maybe you are right and they just wanted to keep his spirits up.
@Kabouter (Comment 21) : That is assuming he actually gets the ball…
I see the Money Man has bet against the Sharks, now I actually feel hopeful!
@Vonno13 (Comment 2) : I would also like to know where this game will be televised and when.
@coolfusion (Comment 25) : Supersport 1 at 19.30pm on Sat
@Vonno13 (Comment 26) : Thanks
@robdylan (Comment 16) : So he’s still dropping passes? (remember that being an issue that plagued him in the Plum era)