Springbok utility back Patrick Lambie’s unavailability for Currie Cup duty this week has left Sharks coach John Plumtree a frustrated man.
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Lambie was not among the players released by the Springboks for domestic action this weekend, despite playing just 14 minutes in the past six weeks.
His last full match was in the Super Rugby final on August 4 followed by nine and five minutes in the Rugby Championship against Australia and New Zealand respectively.
“I think Pat Lambie is pretty desperate for some game time,” Plumtree said.
“I think there might be one or two others like him as well. So it is a little bit frustrating but those are their (Springbok management) decisions.”
The Durban team face the Lions in a top-of-the-table clash in Johannesburg on Saturday.
The Sharks have been boosted by the return of winger Lwazi Mvovo and hooker Craig Burden, who were both training on the Kings Park outfields on Tuesday.
“They always add value and Craig Burden and Lwazi are two great players,” Plumtree said.
“So it just gives us that little bit of extra depth.”
The Sharks have a woeful recent record in Johannesburg, having not beaten the Gauteng team on their home turf in their last three visits.
They were twice ousted on the Highveld last year, including being trumped in the Currie Cup final, while they also lost in 2010.
“We know how tough the Lions are going to be,” Plumtree said.
“We haven’t won up there for a long time now and they’ve found some really nice form.
“So we’re going to have to be at our best and certainly a lot better than the last few times we visited their home ground. It’s a really big game for us.”
Plumtree felt the key to upsetting the Lions was to negate the effect of Elton Jantjies, the stand-out flyhalf in the competition to date.
“Elton’s got a great skill set,” he said.
“He’s a player that can play deep, he can play flat, he’s kicking game is very accurate, he’s goal-kicking is accurate.
“The Lions always play better when he’s playing very well, so he’s someone we’ll have to make sure doesn’t have a big game against us,” Plumtree said.
“There have also been reports in recent weeks linking the young No.10 with a move to the Sharks next season.”
Plumtree confirmed that talks were ongoing with the Lions, but stopped short of naming Jantjies as one of their targets.
“We have been talking to certain players from the Lions, but I’m not prepared to talk about who they are,” he said.
There are no fresh injury concerns for the Sharks, and they have instead been boosted by the return of Steven Sykes.
I swear I just heard Puma curse…. hehehe!
This is surely a sign that HM will start with Lambchops against the Aussies.
I don’t understand why Mvovo is anywhere near the Bok squad. He is VC level and nothing more.
3 @ Loosehead:
Thats been a bit harsh on the man Loosehead, he may not have played too well in the tests but if he is only VC level then why has he performed so well at SR level. I note there are a few folk around saying he can’t defend but I remember him defending very well at Murrayfield two years ago, in one instance in my opinion saving a sure try with a strong tackle, I hadn’t seen much of him before then so was keen to see how he got on that in that game and from where I was sitting saw him do lots of good work on defence especially in the second half with my seat looking into the Boks 22, in fact I thought he was one of the better Boks in that defeat.
4 @ JanMurrayBok:
He is fast, nothing else. Handling skills of a cart horse.
Mvovo is one of the top 6 or 7 wings in SA, but hardly the best. After Brian, Hougaard, Aplon, JPP, Andries Bekker, Brok Harris (who can also play 10), Basson, Rhule, and a couple of others Id pick him.
6 @ BobbejanklimdiebergStormersboySpringbokJan: That the one.
WP vs Griekwas Teams:
Western Province:
15 Joe Pietersen, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 JP du Plessis, 12 Marcel Brache, 11 Gio Aplon, 10 Demetri Catrakilis, 9 Louis Schreuder, 8 Jebb Sinclair, 7 Don Armand, 6 Deon Fourie (captain), 5 De Kock Steenkamp, 4 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Scarra Ntubeni, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Substitutes: 16 Deon Carstens, 17 Brok Harris, 18 Helmut Lehmann, 19 JJ Gagiano, 20 Nic Groom, 21 Gary van Aswegen
22 Damian de Allende
Griquas:
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Jannie Boshoff, 13 Jean Stemmet, 12 Walter Venter, 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Francois Brummer, 9 Marnus Hugo, 8 Leon Karemaker, 7 Wesley Wilkins, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Martin Muller, 4 Ligtoring Landman, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes (captain), 1 Steph Roberts
Substitutes: 16 Matthew Dobson, 17 Ivann Espag, 18 Edwin Hewitt, 19 Justin Downey, 20 Jacques Coetzee, 21 Marnitz Boshoff, 22 Luzuko Vulindlu
Blue Bulls:
15 Jürgen Visser, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 JJ Engelbrecht, 12 Francois Venter, 11 Sampie Mastriet, 10 Louis Fouchè, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Arno Botha, 7 Jacques Potgieter, 6 Dewald Potgieter (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Willie Wepener, 1 Mornè Mellett
Substitutes: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Frik Kirsten, 18 Cornell Hess, 19 CJ Stander, 20 Ruan Snyman, 21 Lionel Cronjè, 22 Ulrich Beyers
VRYSTAAAAAT
15 Daniller Hennie
14 Scheepers Nico
13 Rhule Raymond
12 Ebersohn Robert ( c )
11 Benjamin Rayno
10 De Bruyn Tewis
9 Pretorius Sarel
8 Van der Walt Philip
7 Labuschagne Pieter
6 Brussow Heinrich
5 Van der Westhuizen Izak ( vc )
4 Uys Francois
3 Geldenhuys Ross
2 Liebenberg Hercu
1 Van der Merwe Marcel
Replacements
16 Le Roux AJ
17 Oosthuizen Coenie
18 Wegner Carl
19 Scholtz Hendro
20 Ebersohn Sias
21 Snyman Philip
22 Strauss Andries
Change of topic. Wikus van Heerden is officially retiring. Going to miss the old warhorse showing the young guns the way.
The Sharks
15. Louis Ludik, 14. Odwa Ndungane, 13. Tim Whitehead, 12. Meyer Bosman, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Riaan Viljoen, 9. Cobus Reinach, 8. Keegan Daniel (Capt), 7. Jean Deysel , 6. Jacques Botes, 5. Anton Bresler, 4. Steven Sykes, 3. Wiehahn Herbst, 2. Craig Burden, 1. Dale Chadwick
Replacements
16 Monde Hadebe, 17 Julian Redelinghuys, 18 Jandre Marais, 19 Brynard Stander, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Paul Jordaan, 22 Sibusiso Sithole
Really wish we had Lambie for this game. A real pity.
I would have started Jordaan at 13 Tim at 12 and play Bosman at flyhalf. Think that would have been a better starting XV. Have Viljoen come off the bench.
Going to be a very tough game this. Lions are playing very well.
Good to see Burden and Mvovo back in the team. Though Burden has had no game time either for 4 weeks.
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