Sharks coach, John Plumtree, has chosen his best available side to take on the Bulls on Friday night at Loftus Versveld at 19:10 in thier opener for Super Rugby 2012.
Notable omissions, of course, from the side are the 3 high-profile injured players, Tendai (Beast) Mtawarira, Willem Alberts and Jean Deysel.
The Sharks and Springboks winger, JP Pietersen, is moved from wing to outside centre, as we have seen in the Sharks warm-up matches, where Pietersen has slotted in very well. With the unavailability of Odwa Ndungane due to injury, Louis Ludik gets a run at right wing.
The Sharks
1. Dale Chadwick
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Steven Sykes
5. Anton Bresler
6. Keegan Daniel (Captain)
7. Marcell Coetzee
8. Ryan Kankowski
9. Frederic Michalak
10. Patrick Lambie
11. Lwazi Mvovo
12. Tim Whitehead
13. JP Pietersen
14. Louis Ludik
15. Riaan Viljoen
Replacements
16. Craig Burden
17. Wiehahn Herbst
18. Ross Skeate
19. Jacques Botes
20. Charl McLeod
21. Meyer Bosman
22. Paul Jordaan
I was freegin close with my prediction of the Sharks team…
Only differences is Marcell Coetzee in place of Jacques Botes (who is on the bench anyway) AND Ludik takes the place of the injured Odwa Ndungane, otherwise Oddie would have played too.
I don’t understand why most of the media backs the Sharks to take this game… Michalak starting out of position at scrumhalf (Yeah I know he can play there, but he prefers fly-half), personally think Lambie is best suited to play fullback, Riaan Viljoen is a poor defender, The Tim Whitehead and an out of position JP Pietersen center pairing also doesn’t scare me and they can be glad Venter and Sadie haven’t played more together otherwise they would’ve been murdered. Louis Ludik out of position on the wing. The absence of the likes of Beast, and Deysel as well. If that’s the best team the Sharks can field I’m seeing a long season for them. I struggle to see the Bulls lose this one, hope I’m not wrong. We are fielding a team almost full of Springboks and the guys who aren’t like Venter, and Sadie will be Springboks.
This game isn’t cut and dried. Home ground advantage might just make the difference. I see Brad Barrit is starting for England in his preferred first centre this week….we could use him now thats for sure.
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