It’s a big weekend for the Meyer family, with older brother John-Hubert making his first Currie Cup start of the season for the Sharks against the Cheetahs and younger brother Michael asked to captain the Sharks under 21 side against Eastern Province.
The younger Meyer is no stranger to leadership, having captained the under 19 side two years ago. He starts in the number 6 jersey, with Bandisa Ndlovu (boasting one senior cap and one Currie Cup try) on the other side of the scrum. Paul Anthony has picked big Kwanda Dimaza, a former SA Schools Academy rep, at number 8. Rikus Zwart (lock) and Khutha Mchunu (prop) provide some continuity from the SuperSport Challenge team in the tight five, with Jordan Els, Franco Botha and Ryan Carlson completing the pack.
Impressive Rovers scrumhalf Grant Williams starts ahead of Junior Springbok Faf de Villiers, with another capped Currie Cup player in Courney Winnaar at flyhalf. Ilunga Mukendi at wing and Tristan Blewett at outside centre were part of the wider Super Rugby squad, with fullback Morne Joubert also on the fringes. Wayno Visagie (12) and SA Sevens Academy player Mfundo Ndlovu (14) are the other two backs. Along with Bandisa, it’s the Sharks who will lay claim to the title of “Mighty Elephants” in this game.
The match takes place at Despatch Rugby Club, kicking off at 3pm on Saturday.
Sharks u21: 15 Morne Joubert, 14 Mfundo Ndlovu, 13 Tristan Blewett, 12 Wayno Visagie, 11 Ilunga Mukendi, 10 Courtney Winnaar, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Kwanda Dimaza, 7 Bandisa Ndlvou, 6 Michael Meyer (capt), 5 Ryan Carlson, 4 Rikus Zwart, 3 Khutha Mchunu, 2 Franco Botha, 1 Jordan Els
Subs: 16 Ntuthuko Mthembu, 17 Ngoni Chidoma, 18 Andrew Evans, 19 William Squires, 20 Neil Otto, 21 Faf de Villiers, 22 Taigh Schoor
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Good luck lads!!!
I dont really know most of this match 22 thus feels like a fresh start, some promising players. I was unaware that Bandisa Ndlvou was u21 he looks like he may be a player for the future. I would have replaced odwa with either ilunga or joubert in the senior team though.
@revolverocelot (Comment 2) : here’s something to think about – regarding why Odwa is still so important.
Odwa has more Sharks CC caps on his own than every other backline player in the squad put together.
@robdylan (Comment 3) : No argument the man has superior experience. Unfortunately we can’t transplant all that into sithole ‘ s body.
All the best, men! Have a good one…
Guess this won’t be televised?
@robdylan (Comment 3) : Thats a fair point, However if you look at the out come of that selection it reflects a imbalance of physical ability and experience. too much on the experience side. Having seen odwa in person last year and this year I will say that he looks way better physical shape that most people I know, but on a rugby field its not translating into effectiveness.
Morne Joubert! Great to see this lad in the system! Know others union is looking at him…hope we have a plan for this man….????
@revolverocelot (Comment 7) : are you sure? There’s this perception that Odwa just screws up all the time and lets the team down, but I must be honest I’m not really seeing any real evidence of that.
@robdylan (Comment 9) : Look I buy what you are saying and have been a huge fan for a long time, but there comes time when a backline player must call it quits.Every argument you make for the continued Sharks use of Odwa can be made for the continued Bok use of Habbanna,and please that saga cannot come to an end quick enough for me.
@The hound (Comment 10) : it’s all about balance, though. IF we had 3-4 other guys knocking around in the backline with 50-70 caps each and a couple of Currie Cup winner’s medals, I’d say by all means, chuck Odwa. Reality is that we don’t have another back anywhere in the squad with even 20 Currie Cup caps for the Sharks (Ok, Mike earns his 20th today but he’s not even starting)….
@robdylan (Comment 9) : Its not thats his screwing up all the time, just that at key moments we exploited on defense or we cant exercute on attack cause of his lack of acceleration and top speed. we probibly should have growned a young gun to take over sooner, but thats easier said than done.
@revolverocelot (Comment 12) : well, if only we hadn’t wasted quite so much time trying to get S’bura to work….
Going to the game today, feel very cheated that the last three thrillers against top opposition were all away from home and we get to see the Cheetahs B Team. as our first game in 4 weeks
Really had shitty home game 2017,The management need together their act together next year or they will sell less season tickets than the pathetic sales this year.
Real case of fucking up a good thing, Sharks seem to suck the hind tit at every level.
EP u19 14 – 24 Sharks u19
EP U21 7 – 54 Sharks U21
@Baylion (Comment 15) : Dont those results just portray the true picture of EP rugby…competitive at school and u19 and then it all comes apart quickly after that…
@Baylion (Comment 15) : Thanks for the update.
@SheldonK (Comment 16) : But wasnt it last year (or the year before) that they won the u/19 premier division – those guys should now be with the under 21s or have they all been bought up by the big boys.
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 18) yeh was 2yrs ago i think, all been shipped out i think
@SheldonK (Comment 19) : Pity. Do you know if Kempson is still involve dwith coaching / the academy?
@Baylion (Comment 15) : thanks great result for the Sharks youngsters!!!
@Salmonoid the Subtle (Comment 20) : Last i heard that got dissolved due to financing issues. Kempson is very pro anything from Eastern Cape though
@SheldonK (Comment 22) : Thats a bummer, he was very involved with that winning u19 team.