DURING last year’s Currie Cup, Sharks veteran Stefan Terblanche took over the leadership reins from the injured Johann Muller and led a largely new-look team to 12 wins out of 12 as captain and a top-of-the-table finish in the pool stages.

Compliments to the Daily News for the article.

 STEFAN TERBLANCHE Yesterday, John Plumtree confirmed that Terblanche – who turned 35 last Friday – will once again skipper the team this season, and certainly, coach and captain will have their work cut out for them during the early rounds of this year’s competition.
The Sharks kick off their campaign this Saturday against the gallant Griquas in Kimberley before facing the defending champs, the Blue Bulls, at the Absa Stadium, while in week four they face last year’s runners-up, the Cheetahs, in Bloemfontein.

 This season, Plumtree will be assisted by the coaching team of Grant Bashford, Hugh Reece-Edwards and Ryan Strudwick, while Terblanche can also turn to the support of a strong group of leaders such as Jacques Botes, Keegan Daniel and Alistair Hargreaves.

 With Pat Lambie likely to retain the No 15 jersey, Terblanche may well be employed primarily at centre this season, but wherever he plays he’ll be hoping for a repeat of last season’s round-robin success, when he said the youngsters’ enthusiasm made his position as captain infinitely easier.

 Plumtree said he had no doubt that Terblanche was the right man for the job. “We were obviously really happy with his performance last year. The players really enjoyed playing under him. It’s also a good opportunity for the other leaders in the team to step up and contribute as well.

” Super 14 captain John Smit is away with the Springboks, while 2008 Currie Cup-winning captain Muller has joined Ulster, and the affable but less vocal Terblanche adopts a different type of leadership role, but one that Plumtree said the players responded well to. “Stef is a bit quieter than John and Johann but the players really enjoy him as captain and he has their utmost respect as a leader.

 It’s also a great opportunity for Stef and we believe he’ll do a great job,” he said. With 72 Currie Cup caps and more than 100 Super Rugby appearances for the Sharks to his name, Terblanche is certainly well equipped to lead the coastal franchise to what they hope will be a second Currie Cup title in three years.

 Meanwhile, new second row signing Ross Skeate took part in his first Sharks training session yesterday after linking up with the squad from France on a two-year contract. Mercifully, Plumtree said fellow locks Alistair Hargreaves and Steven Sykes had overcome their injury niggles and should be available for this weekend’s clash.

 Stalwarts such as JP Pietersen, Adi Jacobs, Bismarck du Plessis, Jean Deysel, Lionel Mapoe, Andre Pretorius and Willem Alberts are only expected to return to the squad at varying stages over the next five weeks. However, Plumtree said they hoped winger Odwa Ndungane would come through a fitness test this week to be able to face Griquas.

 Saturday’s match in Kimberley kicks off at 3pm, and the Sharks team for the clash is expected to be named on Thursday.