This is the second article in the series of Cell C Sharks Squad Contenders for Super Rugby 2015.

The Sharks have had no change in hooker personnel since the 2014 Super Rugby season, but are very adequately covered in Bismarck du Plessis and Kyle Cooper, with further backup from Monde Hadebe.

We discuss the players IN the Super Rugby Group, and not all the options beyond that.

In this Article we look at the contenders for HOOKERS in the Cell C Sharks 2015 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.

The Contenders:

Name: Bismarck du Plessis:

Position Hooker Height 1.89 Weight 114kg Date of Birth 22 May 1985 Place of Birth Bethlehem Provincial Debut 2003 for Free State Cheetahs Provincial Caps 44 Provincial Points 60 Super Rugby Debut 2005 vs Waratahs Super Rugby Caps 120 Super Rugby Points 85 Test Debut 7 July 2007 vs Wallabies (Springbok No 787) Test Caps 70 Test Points 45

A product of the famous Grey College in Bloemfontein, alongside teammates like Ruan Pienaar, Andries Strauss, Jannie du Plessis and Francois Steyn, hooker Bismarck du Plessis has risen to prominence as one of the toughest hookers in the world. A dedicated and committed player who is a sure pick at the Sharks and Springboks.

Bismarck briefly represented the Free State Cheetahs in 2003 before moving to the Sharks, where he has amassed 42 Provincial caps, 120 Super Rugby caps and 70 Springbok caps.

Bismarck du Plessis made his debut for the Sharks in Super Rugby (then the Super 12) in 2005. As he plays hooker and played in the same team as South Africa’s past captain, John Smit, for much of his career he had been a backup to Smit, however this changed when Smit moved to tighthead prop. Before Smit’s change of position, Du Plessis nonetheless played in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup whenever Smit was unavailable, and in 2007 was selected to play for South Africa in the Tri Nations Series. He made his debut for South Africa as a substitute in the same game against Australia in Sydney in which his older brother, Jannie, who was in the starting XV, also made his Springboks debut. The Du Plessis brothers became the 23rd set of brothers to earn caps for South Africa at rugby union.

Following an illness to Pierre Spies, Bismarck du Plessis was called into South Africa’s squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup and his brother Jannie was a later addition to the squad, replacing BJ Botha, who injured a knee in South Africa’s final pool match against the USA.

During the 2008 End Of Year Test series, the Springboks moved Smit to tighthead in order to accommodate both him and the younger, faster Du Plessis in the front row together. This change continued through the 2009 Super 14 season and into the Boks’ 2009 Test season.

After South Africa’s second game of the 2008 Tri Nations Series, against New Zealand, Du Plessis was cited for an eye-gouge on New Zealand’s Adam Thomson. At the subsequent disciplinary hearing, which was the first of his career, the judicial officer found that his action had been “careless”, not deliberate, and imposed a three-week suspension, a significantly lower penalty than the three-to-six months’ suspensions routinely imposed for deliberate eye-gouging.

In 2012 Du Plessis was selected for the 2011 Rugby World Cup along with his brother Jannie. He came off the bench against Wales in which South Africa won 17-16. He then won a man of the match performance in June 2012 against England which the Boks won 22-17. He also scored a try in the second test which the springboks won 36-27 thanks to a late try from right winger JP Pietersen.

Red Card Controversy – During the 4th round of the 2013 Rugby Championship at Eden Park, Auckland, referee Romain Poite yellow-carded Du Plessis for what he deemed was an illegal tackle on New Zealand fly-half, Dan Carter. He and the IRB later admitted he made an error in carding Du Plessis. Du Plessis received another yellow card in the game after “an elbow to the throat” of New Zealand flanker Liam Messam, and thus Poite issued a red card. This red card was later overturned by the IRB and struck from Du Plessis’ record.

In 2014 Bismarck du Plessis was the Sharks first choice hooker all along and coach Jake White severely overplayed Bismarck du Plessis as a result, with no consideration given to the interests of the national cause and resulting in quite a slump in form by Bismarck du Plessis as a result.

Bismarck’s workload in 2015 will have to be managed much better, with an eye on the Rugby World Cup, which takes place from mid September in 2015 in England.

Rugby Career:

• 2003: Free State Cheetahs (Vodacom Cup), South Africa (IRB FIRA-AER Under 19 World Championship), Free State (ABSA Under 20 Section A)
• 2004: Free State (ABSA Under 20 Competition Section A)
• 2005: South Africa (IRB Under 21 World Championships ), Sharks (Vodacom Super 12), Natal Wildebeest (Vodacom Cup), The Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
• 2006: The Sharks (Vodacom Super 14), Wildebeest (Vodacom Cup), The Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
• 2007: Springboks (World Cup warm-up matches), The Sharks (Vodacom Super 14), Wildebeest (Vodacom Cup), Springboks (Vodacom Tri-Nations), The Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Springboks (Vodacom Outgoing Tour), Springboks (IRB Rugby World Cup)
• 2008: The Sharks (Vodacom Super 14), Springboks (Vodacom Incoming Tour), The Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Springboks (Vodacom Tri-Nations), Springboks (Vodacom Outgoing Tour)
• 2009: The Sharks (Vodacom Super 14), Springboks (British & Irish Lions Tour), The Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Springboks (Vodacom Tri-Nations), Springboks (Vodacom Outgoing Tours)
• 2010: The Sharks (Vodacom Super 14), The Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Springboks (Outgoing Tours)
• 2011: The Sharks (Vodacom Super Rugby), The Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Springboks (Castle Tri-Nations), Springboks (IRB Rugby World Cup)
• 2012: Sharks (Vodacom Super Rugby), Springboks (Castle Incoming Tours), The Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Springboks (The Rugby Championship)
• 2013: Sharks (Vodacom Super Rugby), Springboks (Castle Lager Incoming Series), The Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Springboks (The Rugby Championship), Springboks (Castle Lager Outgoing Tour)
• 2014: Cell C Sharks (Super Rugby Friendlies), Cell C Sharks (Vodacom Super Rugby), Springboks (Castle Lager Incoming Series), Springboks (The Rugby Championship), Springboks (Castle Lager Outgoing Tour)

Name: Kyle Cooper:

Position Hooker Height 1.78 Weight 110 kg Date of Birth 10 February 1989 Place of Birth Johannesburg Provincial Debut 2010 Provincial Caps 76 Provincial Points 25 Super Rugby Debut 2012 Super Rugby Caps 30 Super Rugby Points 10 Test Debut Test Caps 0 Test Points 0

Kyle is a product from Natal and attended Glenwood High.

Kyle has now already played in 76 Provincial games for the Sharks (scored 25 points) and 30 Super Rugby games (scored 10 points).

In 2013 Kyle had a very good season and has ensured that he became a regular in the Sharks match day squad.

Due to poor, poor rotation policy by Jake White in Super Rugby in 2014, Kyle got very limited game time and one hopes he is used more effectively in 2015.

Rugby Career:

• 2002: Eastern Province (Under 13 Craven Week)
• 2005: Kwa-Zulu Natal (Under 16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week)
• 2008: Sharks (ABSA Under 19 Competition)
• 2009: Sharks (ABSA Under 21 Competition), South Africa (IRB Junior World Championships)
• 2010: Sharks XV (Vodacom Cup), Sharks Invitational XV (ABSA Currie Cup Compulsary Friendlies), Sharks (ABSA Under 21 Competition), Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
• 2011: Sharks XV (Vodacom Cup), Sharks XV (ABSA Currie Cup Compulsary Friendlies), The Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
• 2012: Sharks XV (Vodacom Cup) , Sharks (Vodacom Super Rugby), The Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
• 2013: Sharks (Vodacom Super Rugby), The Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
• 2014: Cell C Sharks (Super Rugby Friendlies), Cell C Sharks (Vodacom Super Rugby), Cell C Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)

Name: Monde Sakhile “Monde” Hadebe:

Position Hooker Height 1.77m Weight 100 kg Date of Birth 9 December 1990 Place of Birth Durban Provincial Debut 2011 Provincial Caps 44 Provincial Points 10 Super Rugby Debut Super Rugby Caps 0 Super Rugby Points 0 Test Debut Test Caps 0 Test Points 0

Monde attended Westville Boys’ High School and has grown up in the Sharks youth teams.

With depth in Super Rugby squads more and more important and rotation becoming a necessity rather than a luxury, we might see Monde get some game time in Super Rugby in 2015.

Monde will be 3rd choice after Bismarck du Plessis and Kyle Cooper.

Rugby Career:

• 2006: Natal (Under 16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week)
• 2007: KZN (Under 18 Coca-Cola Craven Week)
• 2008: Kwa-Zulu Natal (Under 18 Coca-Cola Craven Week), South Africa (Under 18 Elite Squads)
• 2009: Sharks (ABSA Under 19 Competition)
• 2010: Sharks (ABSA Under 21 Competition), South Africa (IRB Junior World Championship)
• 2011: Sharks XV (Vodacom Cup), Sharks (ABSA Under 21 Competition), The Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
• 2012: Sharks XV (Vodacom Cup), Sharks (Vodacom Super Rugby – Squad Member), The Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
• 2013: Sharks XV (Vodacom Cup), Sharks (Vodacom Super Rugby – Squad Member), The Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)
• 2014: Cell C Sharks (Vodacom Super Rugby – Squad Member), Cell C Sharks XV (Vodacom Cup), Cell C Sharks (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division)

Starters:

The Sharks are virtually assured to start with Bismarck du Plessis as their first choice hooker, with Kyle Cooper on the bench. In a rotational setup or in case of injury to Bismarck du Plessis, Kyle might even get some proper starts in Super Rugby in 2015, after former Cell C Sharks coach, Jake White, did not apply a proper rotational policy and played Bismarck du Plessis virtually into the ground.

Monde Hadebe might see a little bit of Super Rugby action in 2015.

The next Article in the range will deal with the Cell C Sharks’ locks.