The sharks have named their side to meet the stormers fpr Friday night’s match.
This team again is a good one yet begs for many questions to be asked, forwards to me would seem fine but again the backline leaves a lot of scary questions and could cost the Sharks dearly.
One would have hoped for the best possible lineup to be starting as the Super 14 is just around the corner, It does however seem that the heavier pack is chosen with more mobile reserves in waiting as the game could open upa loy as is probably expected.
The article below is thanks to Jan De koning of Rugby365 site
The arrival of Perpignan flyhalf Steve Meyer and the continued selection of Willem Alberts headline a much-changed Sharks team for their Super 14 pre-season tri-series encounter with the Stormers at Newlands on Friday.
Despite the formal investigation launched by the South African Rugby Union, following a complaint form the Lions, Sharks coach John Plumtree named Alberts at No.8 in his starting XV of the team to face the Stormers.
The side shows nine changes from that which was smashed (26-0) by the Western Force earlier this week – six of those changes to the pack.
But it is the arrival of Meyer, as replacement for injured Argentinean flyhalf Juan Hernandez, that will add spice to what has become one of the most anticipated local derbies.
Meyer, a 25-year-old from Durban, joined Perpignan three seasons ago, but has suffered injury and then, since recovering, has found it hard to get game time as his compatriot Gavin Hume, more usually a centre, has established himself at flyhalf.
Now, re-signed by the Sharks, he gets a shot to show that he is worth the hype that accompanied his return to Durban – when he plays off the bench at Newlands.
The changes to the starting XV will see talented youngster Patrick Lambie start at fullback in place of Stefan Terblanche, JP Pietersen on the wing for Luzuko Vulindlu and fellow Springbok Odwa Ndungane on the other wing for Lwazi Mvovo.
Alberts start at No.8 ahead of Bok loose forward Ryan Kankowski, another Lions import Gerhard Mostert at lock for Steven Sykes, veteran Johann Muller in place of Bok tourist Alistair Hargreaves in the second row, John Smit starting at tighthead and Jannie du Plessis moving across to loosehead prop, while his brother and fellow Bok Bismarck du Plessis starts at hooker ahead of Craig Burden.
Tendai Mtawarira joins the extended replacement bench.
The only players missing the game through injury are flank Jacques Botes and utility back Adi Jacobs.
Sharks coach John Plumtree said his team will look at improving in a number of areas, following their disappointing whitewash at the hands of the Force earlier this week.
“We are also looking at certain combinations,” Plumtree told rugby365.com, when asked about his goals for Friday’s outing.
“We are still in preparations mode,” he said, adding: “The Stormers will be more ready to go [for the Super 14 season].”
The Sharks: 15 Patrick Lambie, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Waylon Murray, 12 Andries Strauss, 11 Odwa Ndungane, 10 Monty Dumond, 9 Rory Kockott, 8 Willem Alberts, 7 Jean Deysel, 6 Keegan Daniel, 5 Gerhard Mostert, 4 Johann Muller, 3 John Smit (captain), 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Jannie du Plessis.
Replacements – from: Stefan Terblanche, Luzuko Vulindlu, Riaan Swanepoel, Lwazi Mvovo, Ryan Kankowski, Steven Sykes, Alistair Hargreaves, Craig Burden, Tendai Mtawarira, Charl McLeod, Steve Meyer, Patric Cilliers.
Date: Friday, January 29
Venue: Newlands, Cape Town
Kick-off: 19.00 (17.00 GMT)
Referee: Craig Joubert
Assistant referees: Joey Salmans, Matt Kemp
TMO: Shaun Veldsman
By Jan de Koning
I thought these games weren’t being televised. If not why have a TMO?
Steve Meyer did not impress me for Perpignan against Northampton 2 weeks ago.
scrumdown this game will be telivised at 19h00 with an hour before of highlights of the previous 2 games
S_F
So we get to watch a bit of decent game time at last.
Thank goodness!
With the team as chosen one must believe the sharks are in trouble
My big problem is backline and a flyhalf whom i still consider to be nothing more then a good VodaCom cup player
The only good thing is that its a warm up and counts nothing for the super 14 and plum is prolly mostly not worried about the results and the combo’s that he is eyeing
Nou hoe wys ‘n mens die highlights van die Sharks se zero punte ?
Smit at 3? One would think that Plumtree watched video’s of the Boks EOYT with Smit at 3 and Smit at 2.
6: The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history. – Friedrich Hegel
people are reading to much into warm up games
i can tell you smitty has been doing a lot of pre season time at hooker
me thinks some surprises are in waiting
this will be super 14 sharks team
15 stefan
14 mvovo/odwa
13 adi
12 swannie
11 jpp
10 ruan
09 cockott
08 ryan
07 alberts
06 deysel
05 muller/mostert
04 sykes
03 jannie
02 smitty
01 beast
16 bissy
17 cilliers/carstens
18 hargreaves
19 botes
20 daniel
21 lambie
22 ludick
23 murray/mcleod
8 – Hope it goes better than it did on Tuesday night. Still not too worried what the result will be these warm up games are for testing out combinations, getting match ready. BUT hope we don’t end the game with a big fat O again. That is just not on really, hope we learned a bit from the Force game.
8 – Sharky, think you right mate, think Smit will play at hooker at some stage. Maybe at the moment keeping Bissie happy??? I think with having Bismarck and Smit playing hooker we will be able to alternate there and keep them fresh.
yup and hiyas puma bro
i feel rotation will be the order of the day
what i dont like about it is continuity
11 – Shark, you right there.
I would have started Smit at Hooker for this game, see how it goes with Bissie coming on later.
11 – Sharky, What is Steve Meyer like at FH? I hardly remember him and have not seen him play while overseas.
Think Ruan will play FH once he is over that injury, just a feeling.
big strong running flyhalf , not the fastest nor the slowest
good hands
not great kicker
9 – Sharky, only saw your post 9 now. I start with Mvovo instead of Odwa this year. Also Mostert instead of Muller.
That looks like good side.
14 – Sharky, good to hear, something like Butchie? Although Butch could kick.
Sharky, If that is our loosies think they going to be great. I know Deysel is not a out and out fetcher but he does do a lot of fetching at 7. So have no problem him playing at 6. Botes then on the bench. Two very strong ball carriers too with Deysel and Alberts.
What is the situation with Alberts and Ludik? Have you heard anything yet? Think Sharks should just pay Lions the money and get it over with. Let the players now just concentrate on rugby and not all this nonsense.
puma maybe his kicking has gotten better , remember have not seen him for a few years now
17- agreed , and not sure mate lets wait and see,
118 – Hope he is similar to Butchie, we always played well with a tough strong FH. Butchie, Lem. So let us hope mate.
Yip, hope it gets settled quick with Alberts and Ludik.
Just reading some of the tributes to Ruben Kruger on keo. Jeez it is a sad day to lose one of our rugby legends.
This is the first time i am not looking forward to a Sharks game, but its like a accident, you cant look away. 😥
Snoek if you read this, go to m.opera.com/next and download the new opera mine 5 beta 2 onto your phone. It is fantastic and fast and you can have 3 tags or windows open at the same time.
I did it yesterday and still learning the new way of navigateing it.
You still wont be able to read the comments here thou.
21 – Treehugs, Don’t take it too serious. Only a warm up game. We learn from games like that and also it will get us ready for the real thing, the Chiefs who we play first up at the Tank.
Hey folks—-I think it is superBuls birthday tomorrow!!! Heheheheheheh 😆
You will have to do it all over again!!
So why are South African blogs so quiet on a Thursday?
Are you all saving yourselves for tomorrow?
Thanks to all who had my birthday wrong, it is tomorrow. But Thanks so far , what is a day between friends.
Interesting Gavin Hume is flyhalf at Perpignan now….used to be at school in Riviersonderend and he played in the Boland in his very young days….Malmesbury rugby club I think. A very fine centre.
His brother Garth played for Wimbledon at one stage, but I think he is back on the farm now.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUPERBUL
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