Fresh start for Shimmie
1 Jun 2006
Springbok hooker Hanyani Shimange hopes to kick-start his international career against the World XV on Saturday.
Shimmie has won just eight Test caps over the last two years and is yet to start a match. Finally, after 25 Tests in John Smit’s shadow, the Western Province hooker will wear a green and gold No 2 jersey – even if it’s not for an official Test.
“I see this as a fresh start,” said Shimange on Boots & All. “This is what I have been training for. I’m not worried about my lack of game time [over the past two seasons] – if I worry about that it will have a detrimental effect on my game.”
Shimange forms part of a new-look Bok front row that includes Deon Carstens at loosehead and Eddie Andrews at tighthead.
“I played with Deon for the SA U23 side,” said Shimmie. “He played at tighthead and I played loosehead, so we know each other quite well.”
Carstens said he was looking forward to his first match for the Springboks since the nightmare tour of 2002 that included record defeats to France, Scotland and England.
“I’m enjoying it at loosehead,” he said. “It’s a different kind of game. You can play around a bit more, while at tighthead you really have to do the hard work. Not that I’m lazy, of course!”

30 Comments
1 Jun 2006, 21:06 pm
Shimmie needs to make an impact now!
Not one of my favourite players, he’s pretty invisible.
1 Jun 2006, 21:06 pm
hmmm … a dragon with splinters in it’s bum
1 Jun 2006, 21:26 pm
Shimmie is a clown – where is Brits???????????
1 Jun 2006, 21:26 pm
sarky, most people are when on the bench 24/7
1 Jun 2006, 22:57 pm
Tony, he’s a so so player. Would stuggle to make a provincial team on merit. Nothing to do with his colour, he’s just not talented enough, the boy.
2 Jun 2006, 04:50 am
This is Jlo’s last chance in my books…make the most of it and prove us doubters wrong!
If not and a ‘representative’ hooker is needed, it’s time to bring in Ralepele!
2 Jun 2006, 05:28 am
Quota ****. I hope he gets splinters in his *** and can’t play. If he does, I hope the Bok scrum gets smashed (which I suspect it will having Steady Eddie, Splinters Shimange and Deon in there).
2 Jun 2006, 05:46 am
Is he a converted loosie? Maybe he should try that again.
2 Jun 2006, 07:23 am
Shimmie’s about to double his career game time !!!
The only player I know with more springbok caps than actual game time.
2 Jun 2006, 07:34 am
Shimmie .. do yourself a favour and go to a province where you will get game time .. we’ll take you at the Lions / Cats .. I have fading memories of you playing well at the Free State and hope you can get there again.
2 Jun 2006, 07:34 am
Interesting point gavin..Keo, maybe we should compile a list of the most overated players in the current crop..my top 3:
1:shimmie
2:gaffie
3:danie rossouw
2 Jun 2006, 07:55 am
hmmm… overated players, how about:
Andre Snyman – but nobody other than JW rates him do they? do they?
2 Jun 2006, 08:28 am
at this stage i rate snyman higher than any other sa back together with ruan and fourie…
2 Jun 2006, 09:03 am
hahaha .. dare I say it .. naaaa, let sleeping dogs lye ..
2 Jun 2006, 10:14 am
It’s a pity that everyone that has a go at Shimmie have never really seen him play and yet have these opinions. SA U19 and his early days at Free State he impressed everyone. Gets stuck behind that SA captain and now one and all are saying that he can’t play the game. Pretty stupid
2 Jun 2006, 10:47 am
As long as JW sticks with Barney, Shimange will never get game time, they might as well not even pick a reserve hooker, rather pick somebody that can play hooker/prop or hooker/flank. JW likes versatile players.
2 Jun 2006, 11:10 am
Paws…we’ve got enough passengers in the squad already…don’t need another one!
2 Jun 2006, 11:11 am
Barney lol
2 Jun 2006, 11:23 am
Hi walter .. agreed, but we don’t have a proper hooker .. and if shimmie can regain the form he had for the cheetas before he left for the bench at wp, I won’t mind having him at the Lions .. but to play, not warm the bench.
Personally I would love SB to come back.
2 Jun 2006, 11:25 am
Walter .. how do you think our Lions are going to shape up in the cc this year?
2 Jun 2006, 11:27 am
hahahaha .. Barney … hahaha .. very apt … I also like Homer …
2 Jun 2006, 12:08 pm
Paws, we should end in the top four, some of our boks actually strengthens the team when they are with the boks and not with us..LOL!
2 Jun 2006, 12:12 pm
As long as you keep Jorrie awya from the field you guys should not do to bad.
2 Jun 2006, 12:16 pm
Shimmie is a lard-arse. I would love to see his conditioning stats.
Overrated, not Bok quality.
2 Jun 2006, 12:17 pm
Jorrie doesn’t seem to be part of the group of 28 players that Eloff will pick the CC side from…but it can change..
I still think Jorrie isn’t bad at fullback
2 Jun 2006, 12:59 pm
Sage you idiot. His conditioning stats are apparently pretty good. Just because he is big doesn’t mean that he is a ‘lard-arse’. Strong is what he is.
17 Nov 2006, 14:36 pm
just trying things
17 Nov 2006, 14:36 pm
**b>cause it’ll be rad
17 Nov 2006, 14:37 pm
17 Nov 2006, 14:37 pm
(:))
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