In a competition that is seeing increasing numbers of young players making their mark, experience is becoming a rare commodity indeed, particularly for South African teams. As we look to tomorrow morning’s Super Rugby opener against the Reds in Brisbane, it’s that specific injection of experience in Super Rugby that makes the opponents significantly more dangerous in 2017 than they have been for a number of years. […]
Posts tagged with: Jean-Luc du Plessis
Experience vital for Sharks – and their opponents
23 Feb 17 17:24 by Rob Otto (robdylan) | 25 Comments
Fleck rotates team for Jaguares
24 Mar 16 13:04 by Richard Ferguson (Richard Ferguson) | 79 Comments
Stormers coach Robbie Fleck has opted to make a few changes and rest key players as his team get ready to tackle Los Jaguares in Argentina on Saturday evening. The most notable players to get a break are Schalk Burger and Pieter-Steph du Toit. […]
Bad news – and worse news
8 Mar 16 15:58 by Rob Otto (robdylan) | 16 Comments
The Stormers have confirmed some very bad news indeed, with ace young pivot Rob du Preez set to be on the sidelines for up to 12 weeks with a knee ligament strain. […]
A dearth of experience at pivot?
25 Jan 16 08:32 by Rob Otto (robdylan) | 63 Comments
If you’re looking for an early indication of how the combined South African challenge in Super Rugby 2016 is likely to pan out, cast your eye over the flyhalf stocks boasted by the various local franchises. Surprisingly, it doesn’t make for particularly good reading. […]
Junior Springboks to face Australia
10 Jun 15 09:43 by Pierre McLeod (pierre_mackie) | 15 Comments
Junior Springbok coach, Dawie Theron has made three changes to his starting lineup to face Australia in tonight’s final pool match at the World Rugby Under-20 Champioship in Calvisano, Italy. […]
Sharks XV open in style
23 Mar 15 07:00 by Maria Delport (Letgo) | 8 Comments
The Sharks XV took on the Border Bulldogs in the Vodacom Cup at Kings Park on Saturday, and with a team filled with Currie Cup and some Super Rugby experience ran in a overwhelming 53 – 0 victory, scoring 7 tries. […]
Sharks under 21s biting the bullet
15 Sep 14 12:43 by Rob Otto (robdylan) | 8 Comments
We caught up with Sharks under 21 forward coach Albert van den Berg last week, for a quick chat. […]
Return of the Dan
18 Jul 14 08:51 by Rob Otto (robdylan) | 17 Comments
Under 19 rugby clashes don’t come any tougher than a trip to Pretoria to take on the Loftus Globe Trotters, also known as the start studded Vodacom Blue Bulls under 19 team. Cell C Sharks junior coach James Fleming has kept faith in the troops that served him well during last weekend’s opening win over the Leopards for this huge challenge. […]
Swiel, Esterhuizen in under 21 action
10 Jul 14 13:17 by Rob Otto (robdylan) | 30 Comments
Sharks under 21 coach Deon Kayser has named a strong line-up to contest his side’s season opener against the Leoaprds tomorrow afternoon at Growthpoint Kings Park. […]
Botes leads Sharks XV’s Bay raid
3 Jul 14 16:52 by Rob Otto (robdylan) | 48 Comments
Sharks XV coaches Brad Macleod-Henderson and Deon Kayser have picked what in some way resembles a shadow Currie Cup XV for tomorrow evening’s friendly against the EP Kings in Port Elizabeth. Jacques Botes captains the side from the back of the scrum, a role he may well reprise come Currie Cup time. […]
Esterhuizen in Junior Bok debut
6 May 14 10:04 by Rob Otto (robdylan) | 5 Comments
It’s taken a while for Dawie Theron to get his hands on him, but the silver lining the Sharks XV’s Vodacom Cup exit is that a number of players – big centre Andre Esterhuizen foremost among them – are now free to concentrate solely on Junior Springbok commitments. […]
Sharks XV profit despite Kings slip up
28 Apr 14 10:12 by Rob Otto (robdylan) | 8 Comments
On a poor day for Sharks rugby, the Cell C Sharks XV joined their Super Rugby counterparts in losing their thus far proud unbeaten record at home on Friday. Deon Kayser’s men simply never get going in a tame 11-27 reversal to the fired-up EP Kings. […]
Hadebe takes Sharks XV reins once more
24 Apr 14 14:45 by Rob Otto (robdylan) | 30 Comments
Deon Kayser has named a strong Cell C Sharks XV to take on the EP Kings in the last regular season Vodacom Cup match, to be played at Growthpoint Kings Park tomorrow afternoon. Hooker Monde Hadebe returns to the starting lineup this week, also reclaiming the captaincy from lock Edwin Hewitt. […]
Five Sharks make Junior Bok squad
22 Apr 14 12:30 by Rob Otto (robdylan) | 3 Comments
The Huguenot connection seems to be paying rich dividends for the Cell C Sharks, with four of the five young men from that franchise named in Dawie Theron’s final 2014 Junior Springbok squad boating names beginning with “du”. […]
Sharks XV do the job once more
14 Apr 14 11:16 by Rob Otto (robdylan) | 19 Comments
Hats off to Cell C Sharks XV flyhalf Tim Swiel for keeping the scoreboard ticking over during a tough first half, while the rest of his team found his feet during a 40-3 win over the Tusker Simba XV at a sweltering City Park in Cape Town on Saturday. […]