Robert du Preez has named a 32 man squad for Saturday’s Super Rugby warm-up match against the Bulls in Polokwane. The coach has selected two full starting line ups and will thus change the entire team at half time.
Ruan Botha leads the first half outfit, joined by Hyron Andrews in the second row. Thomas du Toit is at tighthead, with Akker van der Merwe and Juan Schoeman completing the front row. A big back row sees Jacques Vermeulen picked at openside, with Tyler Paul at 7 and Keegan Daniel at number 8.
Young halfbacks Cam Wright and Curwin Bosch will spearhead a backline that sees Jeremy Ward and Luk Am in midfield. Sbu Nkosi and Kobus van Wyk are at wing and Lwazi Mvovo in number 15.
Franco Marais captains in the second half with Mzamo Majola and Johnny Meyer on either side. Gideon Koegelenberg joins Stephan Lewies at lock, with Philip van der Walt, Wian Vosloo and Tera Mtembu the loose forwards.
Louis Schreuder and Robert du Preez junior are the halfbacks, with Marra Louw and Tristan Blewett a young centre pairing. Courtney Winnaar is at left wing, with Makezole Mapimpi in the right. Garth April completes the line up.
Chiliboy Ralepelle and Khuta Mchunu travel as squad reserves, but of Beast Mtawarira, Dan du Preez, André Esterhuizen, Leolin Zas and Michael Claassens, there is no sign at the moment.
Sharks: 15 Lwazi Mvovo, 14 Kobus van Wyk, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Jeremy Ward, 11 Sbusiso Nkosi, 10 Curwin Bosch, 9 Cameron Wright, 8 Keegan Daniel, 7 Tyler Paul, 6 Jacques Vermeulen, 5 Ruan Botha (captain), 4 Hyron Andrews, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Juan Schoeman
15 Garth April, 14 Makezole Mapimpi, 13 Tristan Blewett, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Courtney Winnaar, 10 Robert du Preez, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Tera Mtembu, 7 Wian Vosloo, 6 Philip van der Walt, 5 Stephan Lewies, 4 Gideon Koegelenberg, 3 John-Hubert Meyer, 2 Franco Marais (captain), 1 Mzamo Majola
Reserves: Khuta Mchunu, Chiliboy Ralepelle
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Interesting…
Looking forward to seeing how they go…
Interesting line ups
Interesting lineups. Andre Esterhuizen not back yet? And no Leolin Zas? No Claasens? Also no Jean Droste?
Very good teams…wondering or concerned about Chiliboy being around how does he influence the guys around him or even more so the youngsters…hopefully he is professional enough to be over that issues.
Any indication if the game will be televised ?
For me the interesting selections are (1) Lwazi Mvovo at fullback (2) Thomas du Toit
And Lastly – who is Courtney Winnaar?
@byron (Comment 6) : Courtney Winnaar is a youngster that played u21s last year. Can pretty much operate anywhere from 10-15. Had a big afro last year.
@DuToit04 (Comment 5) : afraid I have confirmation that it won’t be
@SheldonK (Comment 3) : Andre just arrived back this weekend. I assume there will be an injury update at some stage. Looks like Boks are being rested.
@robdylan (Comment 9) : Yeh figured about the Boks, and well JL DuPreez is injured as we know, same with Coenie so just Beast and Dan DuPreez rested
The Sharks come to Limpopo and I am working on the day of the game. Good luck to them, hopefully someone on Sharksworld will be there to give updates
@DuToit04 (Comment 4) : All is well, that was confirmed as a journo taking liberties with the truth. Although its interesting how since then many people seem eager to show chilli the door, bad idea, quality depth at hooker is very useful to have.
I do understand if people are concern about squad chemistry, but no need to worry.
@robdylan (Comment 9) : That seems sensible too…and Zas?
@robdylan (Comment 8) : I thought that would be the case with the game being in Polokwane…
Nice blend of teams. Good to have a good hit-out in what will surely be 20 min chukkas.
This game doesn’t need televising.
I am interested in Lwazi at Fullback this season, gives the back three good balance.
@revolverocelot (Comment 12) : That’s good news! I have always been a fan of him and think youngsters can look up to him despite his past
What date is the bulls game? Any one know if it will be broadcast yet?
@coolfusion (Comment 17) : It’s at 6pm today and will not be broadcast.
@robdylan (Comment 18) : Yup. I was searching all the sources this morning. Sometime I wish we had localized broadcasters like the yanks do.
@coolfusion (Comment 19) : yup the yank televise everything
Lions won the fringe player game vs the Bulls 66-22
@Dunx (Comment 20) : Nah boet. We’re flying blind….
https://twitter.com/TheSharksZA
63 min: Bulls 7-19 Sharks
Schreuder off with a knee injury. Not good news
FT Bulls 14-31 Sharks
@Baylion (Comment 24) : what “is the not good” based on?
Just a tweet that he injured his knee and look to be in discomfort.
@Baylion (Comment 27) : Oh hope his ok, we need him firing, but this is rugby there will be injuries in per season
@Baylion (Comment 27) : Thanks for the updates Bay, those thinking Van Wyk ahead of Mapimpi?? stop smoking the weed, this fella cannot stop scoring 2 tries today.
Holding thumbs and praying Schreuder is going to be ok 😥
@Baylion (Comment 27) : What i would like to hear is also how the likes of Thomas went at TH
@sharks_lover (Comment 31) : I just followed the tweets but apparently the Bulls struggled in the scrums, which is nothing new.
@sharks_lover (Comment 29) : Any good wing needs to be put into space and as long as the Sharks can do that Mapimpi will score. A “Pass to Mapimpi” plan might not work though once teams cut off his space. The Reds tried that with Kuridrani and he was marked out of the game. BTW apparently van Wyk set up the one early try.
The Sharks problem last year was that they couldn’t set up tries for their strikers, not that their strikers couldn’t score tries. Van Wyk scored 7 of the Sharks 38 tries and Mvovo scored 5 (nearly 33% of the Sharks tries between the two of them), create more space for them and they’ll score more
@Baylion (Comment 32) : Exactly
@Baylion (Comment 32) : Exactly, but it I think with Robert jnr will make a big difference this year as well as Andre Esterhuizen who has been playing 10/12/13/15 in Japan under Carlos, skills will be enhanced for sure and in my view this should be the Sharks starting backline and is probably the most explosive.
15 Mvovo
14 Mapimpi
13 Am
12 Esterhuizen
11 Nkosi
10 Robert jr
09 Schreuder
Rotation is more possible with great depth at center and wings, Bosch also depending who you are playing against and of course will be working on his defense will play A big role at 10 or 15
I still am not sure how good or bad Leolin Zas is? but centers we have another 4 very good centers who can hold their own.
Scrummies i think we will be fine with the back up of Claassens and Wright.
Now in the forwards it is at TH where i am a bit worried, one more injury there and I see problems, also how is Thomas going to fair?
Lastly you spoke of new signings? maybe there is a good TH on the way?
@sharks_lover (Comment 34) : New signings? I quoted from the original article on the Sharks web site. I see that article has been edited and doesn’t have that in anymore