The 5th and Article in the set discussing the Sharks Super Rugby players for 2012.

In this Article we look at the contenders for SCRUMHALVES in the Sharks 2012 Super Rugby group, and what their worth will be in Super Rugby terms.

The Contenders:

Name: Charl McLeod

Date of Birth: 05/08/1983
Place of Birth: Johannesburg
Position: Scrumhalf
Height: 1.80 m
Weight: 88 kg
High School: Wonderboom High School
Club: Bluff Superspar Harlequins

Charl attended Wonderboom High School in Pretoria.

He was recruited to the Sharks from one of the smaller SA Rugby Unions and made his Provincial debut for the Sharks against the Boland Kavaliers in 2008.

He made his Super Rugby debut in 2009 against the Brumbies.

He made his Test debut for the Springboks on 30 July 2011 against the All Blacks in Wellington… the only Test he’s played in.

McLeod missed the final four matches of last year’s Currie Cup tournament after sustaining the freakiest of injuries, a cracked hip. He has been in The Shark system long enough now with 60 caps to be an established member of the squad who is able to bring rapid service and an educated boot to the team’s endeavours.

Name: Conrad Hoffmann

Date of Birth: 09/11/1987
Place of Birth: Worcester
Position: Scrumhalf
Height: 1.81m
Weight: 86kg
High School: Paarl Boys High
Club: Fidelity Security Jaguars

Conrad made his rise through the age group levels at Western Province and represented South Africa Under 19 in 2006.

He made his Provincial debut for Western Province in 2007 against the Border Bulldogs.

He made his Super Rugby debut for the Stormers in 2008 against the Western Force.

Established himself as one of the top scrumhalves in the Currie Cup last year, enjoying extended game time following the injury to Charl McLeod, this coming off Hoffmann’s return from long term injury himself and he will look to build his reputation after playing in 21 matches for The Sharks over the course of the 2011 rugby season.

Name: Frederic Michalak

Date of Birth: 16/06/1982
Place of Birth: Toulouse (France)
Position: Flyhalf/Scrumhalf
Height: 1.82 m
Weight: 85 kg
High School: Joliman
Club: Fidelity Security Jaguars

Freddy was born in Toulouse, Haute-Garonne and is a French rugby player, who currently plays in South Africa for the Sharks in Super Rugby and the Natal Sharks in the Currie Cup. His early career was spent playing for his hometown team, Toulouse, in the Top 14 and in the Heineken Cup. He moved to South Africa to play for the Sharks in the Super 14 after the 2007 Rugby World Cup, but after just one year with the Natal Sharks he moved back to Toulouse. He has also played over 50 tests for France to date. He originally played scrum half but has played mainly at flyhalf. He has appeared in advertisements for companies such as Nike and Levis.

Michalak made his debut for Toulouse in 1998. He was a member of the team that won the French championship in 2001 and the Heineken Cup in 2003 and 2005. Michalak made his first appearance for France against South Africa on 10 November 2001 and became a regular on the French side. He was selected as a member of the squad for the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia and the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France. Michalak was also a part of the Six Nations French Grand Slam winners in 2004 and the champions of 2006.

Michalak signed with the Sharks for the Super 14 in 2008. The team, who had previously signed former French internationals Thierry Lacroix and Olivier Roumat, saw him as a key player in the Currie Cup campaign of the Natal Sharks, the provincial side that operates the Super Rugby side. Michalak made his Super 14 debut against the Stormersbut featured in only nine games before being sidelined by injury and shortly thereafter ending his spell with the Sharks. He played in the 2008 Currie Cup final, helping the Natal Sharks to win and becoming the third Frenchmen, after Olivier Roumat and Thierry Lacroix to win a Currie Cup medal. Michalak re-signed with his former club Toulouse for the start of the 2008-09 season.

Michalak’s second spell with Toulouse was frustrated by injurywith two serious injuries that limited his appearances for his club.

On 31 May 2011 it was announced that Michalak had signed a one-year contract with the Sharks, effective immediately – which meant that Michalak would not play in Toulouse’s Top 14 final on 4 June 2011.The Sharks’ need to fill vacancies left by injuries to several of their scrumhalves is widely considered a key short-term motive for the signing for the 2012 season, he is also seen as an extra option at flyhalf, a position where they had issues in 2011.

He contributed 192 points in the 2011 Currie Cup, finishing as the tournament’s top-scorer and will look to add his brand of mercurial magic to the Sharks backline in 2012.

Name: Cobus Reinach

Date of Birth: 07/02/1990
Place of Birth: Bloemfontein
Position: Scrumhalf
Height: 1.75 m
Weight: 83 kg
High School: Grey College Bloem
Club: Acer Durban Collegians

A speedy scrumhalf with an eye for the gap and the ability to break the line and either score, or set up scoring opportunities. Added to his blistering pace is a good appreciation of the tactical aspects of his position including good ball distribution.

Starters:

One of Charl McLeod or Frederic Michalak will start and I somehow think that it will be Charl McLeod, so that Frederic Michalak could cover on the bench both as scrumhalf and flyhalf. With a long season ahead, we should see Conrad Hoffmann play a role as well.

This was the FIFTH article in the range dealing with the Sharks, the FLYHALVES will be up next.