Ruan Botha will lead the Sharks against the Pumas at Kings Park this weekend..
Rob du Preez is clearly taking no chances, after circumstances forced the Sharks to go in against the Cheetahs properly understrength in round 1, A number of Super Rugby players come in this week, along with Botha who returns from suspension; in fact, Ross Geldenhuys is one of only three survivors from last week’s starting team and the only one to start wearing the same jersey number.
Thomas du Toit and Chiliboy Ralepelle take over from Mzamo Majola and Kerron van Vuuren respectively in the front row. Hyron Andrews moves from 5 to 4 (a strange move) replacing Wian Vosloo, with Botha starting in 5. Keegan Daniel loses the captaincy, but remains in the team, moving from number 8 to open side, while the du PReez twins complete the loose trio.
Michael Claasens and Curwin Bosch are the halfbacks, with many here sure to welcome the selection of Lukhanyo Am at inside centre. Jeremy Ward starts at 13, with Kobus van Wyk, Sbu Nkosi and Garth April the back three. That means the entire backline from last week drops out completely, with Cam Wright and Inny Radebe the only survivors, with bench roles this week.
Du Preez has picked five forwards on the bench; Juan Schoeman, Franco Marais and Tera Mtembu come down from the Super Rugby squad while Jacques Vermeulen and Tyler Paul both impressed last week.
Sharks: 15 Garth April, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Jeremy Ward, 12 Lukhanyo Am, 11 Sbu Nkosi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Michael Claassens, 8 Dan du Preez, 7 Jean-Luc du Preez, 6 Keegan Daniel, 5 Ruan Botha (capt), 4 Hyron Andrews, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Thomas du Toit.
Subs: 16 Franco Marais, 17 Juan Schoeman, 18 Tyler Paul, 19 Tera Mtembu, 20 Jacques Vermeulen, 21 Cameron Wright, 22 Inny Radebe
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Any idea why Keegan isn’t captain? Is Ruan a long-term captaincy option?
Loosies look good with Keegan there. Back line looking good.
@ChrisS (Comment 1) : Suspect this is a negotiated settlement.
@robdylan (Comment 3) : You mean to keep Ruan here instead of him going to Japan?
@SeanJeff (Comment 2) : Very good backline but I would have preferred Sbura at 13 instead of Ward.
Where is Dan is he injured again, looked like it when he left the field on Saturday .Hope he hasn’t ripped his groin again.
@The hound (Comment 5) : he’s starting at 8
@ChrisS (Comment 4) : yes, that’s what I mean.
if Ruan wants to stay and be a leader in Durbs, I say bring it on
@robdylan (Comment 8) : Agreed. It’s not as if the we’re blessed with an abundance of captaincy candidates either. There’s Keegan, who’s surely nearing the end of his career, Tera, who’s been as injury-prone as Pat Lambie, and then possibly (and probably my first choice) Franco Marais
I didn’t think Ben was terrible last week. I thought he at least deserved a spot on the bench.
Ben10 is better than April.
Don’t really see the point of Claasens starting or even be in the squad. When will Schreuder be available to play for us?
Pretty quick backline if they can catch the ball. Forwards will be tested by a well drilled and beefy Pumas pack
Wasn’t that Ross a penalty machine in last weeks game 🙄 Glad our weak link 10 is not starting again, team looks good
Not a bad Puma side! Bholi and Cloete will be contesting rucks all match! Lambert Groenewald is a big boy too, so the du Preez twins will have an even match in him. Packs look fairly evely matchef, and the Pumas have a well drilledbackline. Skorbunski, a very underrated centre. Home ground should edge it to the Sharks, aserll as theinflux of S 18 players, but I wont see a Puma win as an upset.
wow I guess we did have a big pool of players to choose from but surprises aplenty this week.
happy with April at fullback, his had a roller coaster time at the Sharks and his form late in sr was inconsistent, not sure why he couldnt get much distance on his penalty kicks against the Lions in durban, might have been a lack of confidence should have been someone with a left boot kicking on that side like andre or mvovo, lets see how he goes on saturday. I see the game kicks off in prime time.
Happy with the SR wings playing.
Ward at 13 and Am at 12, both good players, likely to swap around through out the game, intriguing.
Classens ahead of cam ? strange, likely cam on for max impact, and LS left out so that he can train some more with the squad I suspect. we do have many many scrummies even with ungerer and CR gone.
Glad to see keegs back. Ruan as cap is interesting. Hyron starting at 4 also interesting. Ginger rested I suspect. depth for days at loosie.
ross keeps going at 3 only senior option we have, chilli starts at 2 thus the two junior hookers that played last week fall out completely.
tank at 3 but can cover 1 if needed.
bench:
frank the tank as reserve hooker, what a luxury that is.
Schoeman gets rewarded for a solid showing in sr at 3, with a spot on the bench. you gotta feel for mzamo majola though.
Tyler Pual covers lock, im good with that.
vermualan and tera to make a impact at loose forward. happy with that also.
only two backline players like back in the day. with wright and inny. glad to see inny back.
with 12 fixtures instead of 8 like last year, I think we can actually top the log and win the cc this year in the knock out stages IMHO. cant wait to watch them live at newlands in a few weeks.
@SheldonK (Comment 13) : The Pumas backline are no slouches either! Isbell is pretty quick around the park, and Jerome Pretorius, nirmally at wing is playing 13.
Going to be quite a tussle!
@KingCheetah (Comment 17) : Very true, but i dont think the Sharks backline is quicker. And probably is the quickest backline chosen all year. The forwards contest will be huge and play a big role in this game. Sharks are desperate for a win so lets hope we see some passion and motivation from them
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: PUMAS COACH BRENT JANSE VAN RENSBURG HAS BEEN FORCED INTO SEVERAL CHANGES, AS HIS TEAM LOOKS TO BUILD ON LAST WEEK’S SUCCESSFUL START TO THE CURRIE CUP SEASON.
The most significant selection is the inclusion of Munster-bound South African A flank Chris Cloete – who will start on the bench, after returning to Nelspruit from Super Rugby duty with the Southern Kings.
Cloete will head north to his new employers, Munster, after the completion of the Currie Cup season.
Another Kings star who arrived back in Nelspruit is Thembelani Bholi, who will start in the No.6 jersey.
However, the Pumas have lost the services of Ryan Nell, Francois Kleinhans and Nardus van der Walt through injury.
The Currie Cup season got off to a great start for the Pumas last week, when they beat the Golden Lions in Nelspruit.
However, this week’s trip to Durban to take on a star-studded Sharks team present a far more formidable challenge.
“Fortunately, rugby is a full squad effort, so we are looking forward to giving other players who are hungry for game time an opportunity to show what they can do,” said Janse van Rensburg, who added that he was impressed by the performance from his side during the 43-36 win against the Golden Lions.
Pumas: 15 Gerrit Smith, 14 Ruwellyn Isbell, 13 Jerome Pretorius, 12 Hennie Skorbinski (captain), 11 Jean-Paul Lewis, 10 Justin van Staden, 9 Stefan Ungerer, 8 Carel Greeff, 7 Lambert Groenewald, 6 Thembelani Bholi, 5 Hugo Kloppers, 4 Jeremy Jordaan, 3 Pieter Scholtz, 2 Marko Janse Van Rensburg, 1 Kwezi Mona.
Replacements: 16 Frank Herne, 17 De-Jay Terblanche, 18 Jannie Stander, 19 Chris Cloete, 20 Reynier van Rooyen, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Devon Williams.
CC squad, http://sharksrugby.co.za/cell-c-sharks-currie-cup-squad-announced/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook
@revolverocelot (Comment 16) : Ginger is not in the CC squad, he is off to Japan.
@Dancing Bear (Comment 21) : oh ok, with the depth we have that works out, give some others a chance ahead of SR 2018
SR next year should be interesting, I wonder how it will be structured
Off topic has anyone been following Paul jordaan overseas? Haven’t got a lot if search results. Wonder how he’s doing?
Michael Claassens? 😯
Good CC side though…
@revolverocelot (Comment 22) : According to certain rumours, the Sharks may decide to go north and skip SR. I don’t have much faith in those rumours though.
@Dancing Bear (Comment 26) : Rumours also are that the Lions volunteered to go North if the Aussies cannot decide on a team to cut. But apparently nothing more will happen until 2020
Off topic:
SA Schools squad to play England, Wales and France in August:
Forwards (18):
Adrian Alberts (lock), Western Province/Paarl Boys High
Morne Brandon (hooker), Golden Lions/Monument
Phendulani Buthelezi (No 8), Sharks/Durban High School
Jordan Clarke (prop), Sharks/Glenwood
Vian Fourie (flanker), Western Province/Paarl Boys High
Keagan Glade (prop), Golden Lions/KES*
Travis Gordon (No 8), Golden Lions/KES
Ruhann Greyling (hooker), Free State/Grey College
Celimpilo Gumede (lock), Sharks/Durban High School
Joachim Martins (flanker), Western Province/Paarl Gymnasium
Nkosikhona Masuku (prop), Golden Lions/Parktown Boys High
Fezokuhle Mbatha (hooker), Sharks/Maritzburg College
Banele Mthenjane (prop), Pumas/Nelspruit
Asenathi Ntlabakanye (prop), Golden Lions/St Stithians
Dylan Richardson (flanker), Sharks/Kearsney*
Mark Snyman (flanker), Golden Lions/Helpmekaar*
Juan van der Mescht (lock), Sharks/Glenwood*
Christen van Niekerk (lock), Golden Lions/Monument
Backs (10):
Diego Appollis (utility back), Blue Bulls/Garsfontein
Hillegard Du Plessis (winger), Western Province/Paarl Gymnasium
Jaden Hendrikse (scrumhalf), Sharks/Glenwood
Yanga Hlalu (centre/winger), Golden Lions/KES
Qamani Kota (winger), Griffons/Welkom Gimnasium
Conan Le Fleur (winger), Sharks/Glenwood
Bonianga Mpeku (fullback), Golden Lions/KES
Sanele Nohamba (scrumhalf), Sharks/Durban High School*
Rikus Pretorius (centre), Free State/Grey College*
Christopher Schreuder (flyhalf), Free State/Grey College
SA Schools management team:
Head Coach – Lance Sendin
Assistant Coach – Roean Bezuidenhout
Team Manager – Ofentse Moeng
Conditioning Coach – Andre Smith
Team Doctor – Dr Gerhard Coetzer
Physiotherapist – Kim Naidoo
Lions (9), Sharks (9), WP (4), Cheetahs (3), Bulls (1), Griffons (1), Pumas (1)
@Baylion (Comment 28) : @coolfusion (Comment 23) : Yep his on social media, seems to be enjoying his time in france, starting regularly, high on the log, winning most weeks with a attaching approach
@Baylion (Comment 28) : good young players lots of sharks. thanks for the info
“The Cell C Sharks are currently in the process of finalising some exciting new signings, which will be announced shortly.”
this was at the end of the cc squad announcement article, what could it mean ? insight Rob ?
@Baylion (Comment 27) : Can you imagine the news story if that were true and the Lions manage to win SR championship as well as league this year. Imagine this headline in the London papers. Reigning Southern Hemisphere Champs Elect to go North!!! 😯 🙁
@Baylion (Comment 28) : Rather disappointing to see so few Cheetah schools players selected given their performance at Craven Week. Totally smashed the Lions, who could only manage a draw, yet got to play in the final. Typical schools politics at play. A sharks vs. Cheetahs final would gave been great. Didnt watch many matches, so it’s an assumptiin ob my part!
I actually hope something does come of the move to the north. Given enough momentum it could open the door to more prestigious competitions. We always say there is no incentive for NH, well here is is one, money. SA is by far the largest rugby watching population in the whole SH. In numbers and percentage. Look it up you will be shocked at the stats. Broadcasting right and advertising not to mention some merchandising. I’d say there is a pretty good incentive.
@KingCheetah (Comment 33) : Didn’t play the Lions.
@KingCheetah (Comment 33) : Have the Cheetahs been able to retain most of those Craven Week players or are most off to greener pastures?
@Baylion (Comment 35) : Think he meant WP
@KingCheetah (Comment 33) : Cheetahs didnt play the Lions, smashed WP on the last day though. But I understand your surprise at just 3 selections – spare a though for WP too who have 4 boys in the team but as a region dominate SA schools rugby. Bulls only have 1 and they will be upset with that but they were crap at Craven Week so cant complain.
@SheldonK (Comment 36) : I can’t answer that in all honesty. I know Rikus , the star center has been signed by WP I also heard most of the craven Week players are linked to the Academy at the Cheetahs
@KingCheetah (Comment 39) : I saw Rikus playing a game at Glenwood in u16 i think- saw the quality then.
@revolverocelot (Comment 31) : I’m keen to hear the answer to this one as well.