Boks boost Sharks
21 Jun 2006
Four recently discarded Springbok players will add considerably to the Sharks attempts to get off to a winning start in the Absa Currie Cup this weekend.
The players – lock Johann Muller, No 8 AJ Venter, scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar and flyhalf Butch James – were all part of Jake White’s Bok camp and beyond, but have been released back to their provinces to get more game time.
It is a move Sharks coach Dick Muir has welcomed, while Muller is keen to pull the black and white jersey on again. “I’m looking forward to the game and I’ll be taking some of what I learned with the Boks into the match,” Muller told keo.co.za.
“Winning our home games is of vital importance and getting off to a winning start will be a huge boost. But at the moment we are just concentrating on one game at a time.”
The match at the Absa stadium, kicks-off at 7.10pm on Friday and a home win is essential if the Sharks are to challenge for their first title in a decade.
“We had a good run at home in the Super 14 so hopefully we can take that into the Currie Cup. We need to be dangerous at home if we hope to do well overall,” added Muller, who just two weeks ago made his Bok debut on the same ground.
Muir has included two players in his starting line-up who will be making their Sharks debuts – fullback Carl Bezuidenhout and loosehead prop Kees Lensing, with two more, JC Strauss and Ryan Kankowski on the bench.
James has recovered from injury again and will play in the pivotal No 10 jersey alongside exciting scrumhalf Pienaar. With captain Venter at No 8 it is a powerful axis in a crucial area. James needs nine more points to reach 350 Currie Cup points.
Sharks team v Lions:
15. Carl Bezuidenhout, 14. Odwa Ndungane, 13. Grant Rees, 12. Andries Strauss, 11. Adrian Jacobs, 10. Butch James, 9. Ruan Pienaar; 8. AJ Venter (captain), 7. Jacques Botes, 6. Warren Britz, 5. Johann Muller, 4. Steven Sykes, 3. Danie Saayman, 2. Bismarck du Plessis, 1. Kees Lensing.
Replacements: 16. Jody Jenneker, 17. JC Strauss, 18. Solly Tyibilika, 19. Ryan Kankowski, 20. Scott Mathie, 21. Gcobani Bobo, 22. Brett Hennessey.
By Andrew Hollely
16 Comments
21 Jun 2006, 11:34 am
Really good looking side, lot of depth at the moment. ****’s picked ANOTHER 20 year old at fullback, he’s had good success with identifying youngsters so far, hopefully he’s unearthed another
21 Jun 2006, 11:44 am
As a Lions supporter I must admit this is a good looking team.
21 Jun 2006, 11:45 am
That is a strong, strong team. And when the u/21s get back, ouch!!
21 Jun 2006, 11:45 am
Lions in deep trouble again with a more mediocre looking squad than most of their rivals. Certainly, the pack are not upt to snuff!
Looks like a Shark feast on Friday or what?
21 Jun 2006, 11:46 am
Tyibilika on the bench – surprise surprise.
21 Jun 2006, 11:48 am
I am very excited about what’s going on in the shark camp. Lots of development of young players. What I also like is that the Sharks don’t have a quota problem or have to force quotas into the team. They have many black and coloured players that are exceptional (Waylon, JP, Odwa, even Solly, Adi and Bobo can do the job…)
21 Jun 2006, 11:50 am
Ja, a lot of quality youngsters coming through. Full marks to **** for his talent spotting…
21 Jun 2006, 11:56 am
Keen to see how Butch goes. The boks need a dominating No 10.
21 Jun 2006, 11:58 am
Agreed, haven’t had a flyhalf able to dominate a test for a long time now. Really think Butch would’ve been that player if not for injuries. Not sure he ever will be now….
21 Jun 2006, 12:00 pm
Hopefully he can assert himself over the next couple of games and who knows, maybe he’ll play by trinations time.
21 Jun 2006, 12:05 pm
I just hope that the Sharks can live up to this huge expectation because it seem severy time we hype them they fail to deliver and every time we write them off as wooden spooners they completley shock us by playing out of their boots.
SHARKS TO FINISH BOTTOM IN THE CC!!!!!!
21 Jun 2006, 12:05 pm
Well hopefully, altho I’d like to see him have a full season with the sharks first…..maybe end of year tour.
21 Jun 2006, 12:21 pm
he he zim; your shark maaitjies are going to bight you now; wait 4 it;
p.s I agree with you
21 Jun 2006, 12:34 pm
I cant see the Lions having a chance against the Sharks. My prediction, Sarks by 20.
21 Jun 2006, 12:35 pm
The cup is coming home…
21 Jun 2006, 13:48 pm
Well Nemo’s finest, you are going to need a lot more than 4 players back when you play the Bulls.
4 tries in 28 minutes.
I wonder who will get the first yellow: Butch or AJ. That is if Butch completes the game without injury.
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