Sharks psyched about Tongan terror
20 Mar 2008
Sharks captain Johann Muller believes Tongan recruit Epi Taione will be a major force in Super Rugby.
Taione arrived in Durban yesterday after finishing the season with Japanese side Sanyo Wild Knights. The 29-year-old has also played for English Premiership sides Newcastle and Sale Sharks, where he was once suspended for biting Munster loose forward Denis Leamy’s ear in the 2006 Heineken Cup – earning him an 18-week ban.
Muller’s initial impressions of Taione is, however, more timid than terror. He believes Taione will add great value to the squad, particularly since his versatility (he has played wing, centre, blindside flank and eighthman) will be an asset in the second half of the Super 14.
“I’ve had a chat to Dick (Muir – Sharks head coach) and the likelihood is that we’ll use him at 7 and 8,” Muller told keo.co.za.
Commenting on the 122kg, 1.93m man mountain Muller gushed: “He’s an absolute monster, just huge. From what I hear he’s not the slowest around, so while he’ll play predominantly in the forwards, he could be used to make an impact in the backline if we’re struggling there.”
Taione has been included in the Sharks’ touring squad but will have to oust some talented loose forwards before getting a run-on start. Keegan Daniel, Jacques Botes and Ryan Kankowski are the incumbent back row, with AJ Venter and Jean Deysel (who was omitted) in reserve.
“Competition is always healthy, and I believe it’s one of the things that have made the Sharks successful in recent years,” Muller said.
“We never see it as a bad thing to have an abundance of options in a couple of positions. Epi will have to work hard for his place, in the same way everyone else here does. But he strikes me as a guy with a great attitude and solid work ethic, so I don’t think he’ll have an issue with that.”
Taione’s first assignment could come against the Reds next weekend. Muller wouldn’t speculate on whether he’d be included in the 22 or not, but was confident that if he was he’d hit the ground running.
“He’s just come off a long season in Japan so match fitness won’t be an issue,” he said. “He’ll take a while to get used to the pace, physicality and intensity of Super Rugby, but as soon as he’s settled his class will come through.
“I expect his speed and size to be an asset under the ELVs as well. You need mobile guys, and if they’re able to make an impact at the contact points and break the line or commit a couple of defenders, that suits our preferred style of play perfectly. I think he could be that man for us.”
By Ryan Vrede
Sharks touring side
Forwards
1. Tendai Mtawarira
2. Deon Carstens
3. Brendon Botha
4. Jannie du Plessis
5. Bismarck du Plessis
6. Craig Burden
7. Skipper Badenhorst
8. Albert van den Berg
9. Johann Muller
10. Steven Sykes
11. AJ Venter
12. Keegan Daniel
13. Jacques Botes
14. Ryan Kankowski
15. Epi Taione
Backs
1. Ruan Pienaar
2. Rory Kockott
3. Frederic Michalak
4. Francois Steyn
5. Bradley Barritt
6. Waylon Murray
7. Adrian Jacobs
8. Jon-Paul Pietersen
9. Odwa Ndungane
10. Stefan Terblanche
11. Henno Mentz
32 Comments
20 Mar 2008, 10:34 am
Dragons !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
20 Mar 2008, 10:42 am
Sharks Forever!!!!!
20 Mar 2008, 10:48 am
Does a Tongan qualify as one of the requisite non-white “quotas”?
20 Mar 2008, 10:59 am
1.93 and 122kg Now where is Tacitus when you need him.
20 Mar 2008, 11:01 am
“Muller’s initial impressions of Taione is, however, more timid than terror.”
What does this mean?
20 Mar 2008, 11:06 am
5 conflicting perception if you ask me ???
20 Mar 2008, 11:10 am
In walks the village idiot TT.
20 Mar 2008, 11:25 am
Taione will have to shed some weight especially with the ELV’s already playing such a big part in player condition.Will take him a little time to catch up to the pace…Big unit though
And forget about him as a back,otherwise he wil be another Vainokolo…Big,cumbersome…INEFFECTIVE
Stop trying to recreate Jonah-there will only b one…He has genuine speed,not “faster thn ur avg loosie speed”…He was a FREAK
Taione did look impressive in the world cup tho
20 Mar 2008, 11:27 am
nice squad that. where is tacitus these days, seems to have gone awol since the bulls performances went south.
20 Mar 2008, 11:28 am
3 # No he does not but apparently all Fijians, Samoans and Tongans qualify to play for the All Blacks.
20 Mar 2008, 11:31 am
#10 .. Only those who meet theIRB rules or are NZ born. Nothing wrong with that.
20 Mar 2008, 11:34 am
Strongest squad of all SA franchises by some distance.
Stormers – see u lata
Bulls – erm, well tried
Lions – Bless the little cubs
Cheetahs – Assume the position
I see a grandslam over the SA sides coming, only the cheetahs stand in the way of a marauding Sharks unit.
20 Mar 2008, 11:36 am
So NZ will rather conveniently steal their players before they would try and develop them to become a force in world rugby?
20 Mar 2008, 11:41 am
The Sharks probably bought him before they knew Daniel was going to be so effective under the ELV’s.
20 Mar 2008, 11:56 am
9. Knersboy, Taccy`s confidence and pride has been wounded. He`ll be back, I`m sure of it especially if PdV picks a controversial team and the tri-nations goes the way of the bull`s S14. All he needs is a reason to say; I told you so.
20 Mar 2008, 12:01 pm
That squad is minus:
Kees Lensing
Andries Strauss
Nikolau Blignaut
Patrick Cilliers
Jean Deysel
Scott Mathie
Charl Mcleod
A lot of players the other franchises would out into their starting XV
Impressive…
20 Mar 2008, 12:04 pm
Robdylan – this is a family show mate. Save that language for the late night slot. Cheers
20 Mar 2008, 12:07 pm
#13 — NZ rugby has the duty of looking after NZ rugby. Just as what SA rugby has the duty of looking after SA rugby.
Not Kenya rugby. Or Mugabe rugby. Or Mozambique rugby.
20 Mar 2008, 12:14 pm
do you think Tiaoni would quallify as a player of collour ????
20 Mar 2008, 12:23 pm
#19, That’s what I asked at #3 already.
20 Mar 2008, 13:58 pm
TheMalariapillTaker, who knows. My best guess is that he is a colour.
20 Mar 2008, 14:36 pm
Sorry uncle Ryan
20 Mar 2008, 14:37 pm
can you put the comment back and just take the naughty word out? I thought is was a duzi!
20 Mar 2008, 20:43 pm
The Beast 2.0
20 Mar 2008, 20:44 pm
Epitone
20 Mar 2008, 22:38 pm
Sharks are looking dangerous on paper
21 Mar 2008, 03:46 am
Sharks are much more dangerous in the water than on paper.
21 Mar 2008, 06:58 am
TheTackler #3
Been interesting reading your mindless comments in passing, although they do tend to be vapid at times. However, you seem to carrying some hidden anger towards your old homeland – you should find someone and talk it out, get some help, its not healthy to keep it bottled up!
How about a rugby comment rather than the continuous vitriolic critic about a place you no longer live in? You seem to have a basic minimal intelligence level based on your comments posted thus far, lets see if you can expand this to the topic which is the purpose of this site?
21 Mar 2008, 08:29 am
you calling Keo stupid, thang
21 Mar 2008, 08:30 am
reveal your identity, Tackler
21 Mar 2008, 10:43 am
What? And cease to be an international man of mystery? Don’t be silly!
21 Mar 2008, 20:13 pm
I think its great to see the South African teams recruit Polynesian players in their teams I am sure more South African players will be playing in NZ teams of the future because of the many South African living in Auckland.
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