Sharks call on warhorse
22 Apr 2008
Dick Muir has sent an SOS to veteran lock Johan Ackermann after a tour-ending injury to Steven Sykes.
Sykes damaged ankle ligaments in their defeat to the Brumbies on Saturday and is likely to play no further role in the Sharks’ campaign.
Muir’s call to Ackermann will see the 37-year-old make his second comeback after retirement. Muir convinced him to help the Sharks out for the first three rounds of the tournament, after which Ackermann moved to Cape Town to take up the position of marketing manager for petroleum company Kepu.
The big second rower has been playing club rugby for Hamiltons, which Muir said was beneficial. The Mercury’s Mike Greenaway reports that Muir said Ackermann would not be considered for selection for this weekend’s clash with the Waratahs in Sydney but would definitely play against the Crusaders in Christchurch next week.
The Sharks’ coaching staff will decide between Albert van den Berg or AJ Venter at lock. Meanwhile, flank Keegan Daniel sat out of Tuesday’s training session after a lower back injury which sustained in the early rounds of the the tournament played up again. Jean Deysel will replace him should he fail to recover in time.
Brad Barritt looks unlikely to shake off a shoulder injury, which will see Frans Steyn play at inside centre – the fourth position he’s played since the start of the tournament.
49 Comments
22 Apr 2008, 15:22 pm
Dragons
22 Apr 2008, 15:25 pm
And yet another reason for Frans to lack any consistency in his game!
Shame man the poor fellow is not sure where he is half the time, inside, outside, flyhalf, fullback, outside, inside… I’m even getting tired out!
Ackerman you old biscuit!
22 Apr 2008, 15:28 pm
Go Ackers!
22 Apr 2008, 15:31 pm
this is the issue with the sharks all season the positional swopping this will cost them at the end muirs only flaw as a coach as far as I can see
22 Apr 2008, 15:31 pm
AG no man! Give Hargreaves a chance now! As much as I like Ackers its time to give the youngsters a go!
22 Apr 2008, 15:33 pm
Damn good point, Hargreaves should get a call up.
Only issue is Muir obviously needs some experience fast…
22 Apr 2008, 15:38 pm
Ah for goodness sake let the old man be. Lets use this as an opportunity to expose the likes of Alistair Hargreaves and gain some valuable S14 experience.
****’s selection decisions are becoming more & more questionable as the tournament unfolds.
To be frank – if **** is going to continue with this sort of chopping & changing then I’m not sure he is the best bet as Springbok backs coach.
22 Apr 2008, 15:38 pm
#5 THE MAULER: I agree!
Imagine our Islander didn’t have his brain ****? **** would have had options, now he has to play AJ and Muller at lock! Our back row depth also looks fragile?
22 Apr 2008, 15:39 pm
WHY??? why is AJ there, why is Albert there? what about alistair hargreaves, wat van nikolai blignaut? Sykes het net 3 S14 wedstryde gespeel, so die twee hierbo kan ook inval. ackers gaan in elk geval nie teen die waratahs speel nie. ja experience, experience, experience. maar met aj op slot, albert op die bank en jean deysel in AJ se plek op die bank is dit nie nodig vir ackers nie. En dan gaan frans steyn ontplof op binne senter saterdag. watch!!
22 Apr 2008, 15:42 pm
#6 eight ball: I concur – Its one thing the Ausies do well is blood their young bucks – we must invest in the younger guys – but at this crucial point in the competition would you take the chance…personally I thik Ackers is beyond it….!
22 Apr 2008, 15:44 pm
#10
look what the waratahs did with Rob Horne at outside centre. He is 19 yrs old and received man of the match against the force. Sykes het ook net 3 wedstryde S14 gespeel en hy is in die begin span terwyl manne soos AJ en Albert moer baie meer expewrience het in elk geval en hulle hou die planke warm
22 Apr 2008, 15:46 pm
Who will serve as loose-forward reserve on the bench against the Waratahs then?
Will Daniel be fit enough to sit on the bench? Or will Ackers be included in the match 22?
22 Apr 2008, 15:47 pm
Oh ye of little faith! What Muir needs right now is more experience not to blood more youngsters in Super 14! We saw what the lack of experience did to us last Saturday!!! And against the Saders its most definitely what we need! Especially to beef up the Pack! I think Frans will come through! He is improving with every game! cut the Laaitie some slack! I criticised the Poms last year for being like a pendulum between crucifying Wilko and then hailing him as hero and then baying for his blood again, jeepes you guys are exactly the same!
22 Apr 2008, 15:48 pm
#4 MR Lam: Howdy MR Lam how you doing?
I don’t agree with you, i think ****’s shuffling of players will help him into the S14 as more players get injured, this is the point i tried to make about diversity a few months ago! Diversity is a strength not a weakness in business or sport!
22 Apr 2008, 15:51 pm
I agree that we need to play our young players.
However do not believe that the Aussies play youngsters because they are smarter than us at recognising talent.
No, it is because they have no players in rugby union.
Given the small pool of players that they have to chose from, it is unbelievable that they do as well as they do in the S14, and have won the world cup.
22 Apr 2008, 15:51 pm
I am a great fan of Ackers, but it is time to get the younsters in the game.
Maybe if they were not competing for a semifinal spot they would have, but since they are in the running they surely are hoping that the experience will get them there.
On the other hand you need to get younger guys in these situations to learn them about bmt. Choices, choices…..
22 Apr 2008, 15:51 pm
14
I am good how are you
I don’t agree no one is really settled between 9, 10 , 13, 15
important positions need consistency sharks will go down by 8 against the waratahs, although I hope not but don’t see it otherwise
22 Apr 2008, 15:54 pm
GirlShark………..If u are good enough, you are old enough. point. why do the ausies and the blacks bleed young players into the S14 and still contest. (Sorry take the “blacks” out and replace it with “kiwi’s”)
22 Apr 2008, 16:05 pm
I love that Ackers is back!!
Bleed young players on tour against the waratahs? Dumb idea. First caps should happen in your own country at least, possibly your own home ground.
Wys die jong manne jy het dit nog oupa!
22 Apr 2008, 16:06 pm
#17 MR Lam: I’m great thanks, sorry i just went for a quick smoke outside the office.
Ja maybe i hope not, we lost some momentum against the Brumbies! I hope the guys are motivated, we need a good away win to keep on track before the Crusaders game. I also think our game against the Chiefs is going to be tough even at home.
Correct me if i’m wrong you support Stormers? They had a great game on Sat!!!
22 Apr 2008, 16:09 pm
Prawnkop, its good when you are bleeding in youngsters among the experience and older guys! The Sharks on the whole are a bunch of youngsters, yes they have played two seasons already, but age and maturity wise they are young and loose their cool quickly as was evidenced on Saturday! They need a couple of older experienced players to assist them in keeping their cool in trying situations! My opinions in any case! The Kiwis and especially the Ozzies have no other alternative. If this had happened at the start of S14 then yes bring in the younger ones but don’t blood him against a team like the Saders!
22 Apr 2008, 16:15 pm
Ha ha, old Ackers. Isn’t there a 17 year old Aussie player (in the Reds, I think)? Imagine Ackers playing against a kid 20 years younger than him.
22 Apr 2008, 16:18 pm
katman…that 7 yr old kid plays for the force
22 Apr 2008, 16:19 pm
#18 prawnkop: The Sharks also do, remember last year – lots of new blood in the team!
You ahve to balance out the team! i agree with Girl Shark, but we do have some great young talent! I think club rugby is strong in KZN and the Academy also helps but lets realise our away leg although not being too bad, has been taxing in the players and experience is definitely required especially for the next 2 games!
22 Apr 2008, 16:20 pm
This is again showing how South African Franchises work in silos. Would swopping/loan Kees Lensing – Sharks for Francois van der Merwe – Stormers be a stupid idea?
22 Apr 2008, 16:22 pm
Excuse my typo’s!
22 Apr 2008, 16:24 pm
This is a page of opinioons and a lot of different opinions there are indeed. I just think that they can leave ackers alone and in any case hargreaves will only be as a back up, he will not have to play. u have aj, albert, jean deysel. Ciou. cu guys
22 Apr 2008, 16:25 pm
#25 RugbyStudent: Interesting point can players be moved in mid season? I know in football you have transfer windows and loaning agreemnts with players, not sure how it works in rugby?
22 Apr 2008, 16:28 pm
Sharks are very thin at lock by the looks of it. They should give this Hargreaves character some experience a.s.a.p. By all accounts he`s the real deal, and besides there are other young locks like Fondse and Wilhelm Steenkamp who are doing well in their first Super rugby season.
22 Apr 2008, 16:31 pm
On the one hand it is sad that **** is not prepared to allow an old warhorse such as Ackers some piece and quiet in Cape Town.(although playing for Hamiltons against Scotsekloof/Walmer is hardly an ideal way to spend a peaceful weekend afternoon!)
Then again, looking at the way the Shark-youngsters handled them against the Brumbies the moment the going got a bit tough, I guess **** had no choice.
*25 RS… It sounds like a good idea although I do not know if it is allowable to swap players who are already selected for particular squads?
22 Apr 2008, 16:35 pm
Sondebok,
It might be possible that Matfield is heading/will be heading, for the Sharks?
22 Apr 2008, 16:36 pm
# 20
yep stormers had a good one, sharks don’t really give me the warm fuzzy feeling but here’s hoping they pull it off
22 Apr 2008, 16:38 pm
Yeah, its a shame that the structures aren’t more flexible. If the two franchises can come to an agreement, say Kees Lensing will be on loan for 5 games and Stormers will cover the cost. Same as say Francois van der Merwe and the Sharks will cover the costs. The player gets gametime and match fees and the franchise’s headaches at prop and lock is sorted. It is so frustrating to see this baby-boomer old voortrekker thinking of my players are my players…bla bla..
22 Apr 2008, 16:48 pm
Mr Lam #32,
Yeh, I’m in the same boat. Keep hearing about ‘When the Sharks click’ but little sign of that yet. Maybe in the last 6 games? One can only hope.
Something not right somewhere.
22 Apr 2008, 17:02 pm
Old warhorse ? more like flogging a dead horse….
22 Apr 2008, 17:04 pm
If Akkers is good enough for the Hammies first team, he should be good enough for the Sharks…. Only kidding guys and GirlShark… Don’t hit on me.
22 Apr 2008, 17:07 pm
We are battling at lock this year. As you get older fitness takes longer to regain. Playing club rugby Ackerman has probably gone off the boil. We’ll see
22 Apr 2008, 17:09 pm
#37 4man:
Dude, playing for Hammies is more than just club rugby….
This is serious stuff..
22 Apr 2008, 17:17 pm
#38 gretep:
22 Apr 2008, 17:43 pm
Sharks call on whorehouse.
22 Apr 2008, 17:51 pm
tight head – the ozzies are 2 times world champs and 1 runner up, probably still the best RWC team overrall with the Boks second.
22 Apr 2008, 17:52 pm
tight head – meant to day the ozzies are 2 times world champs and 1 runner up, probably still the best RWC NATION overrall with the Boks second.
22 Apr 2008, 18:20 pm
leeanthonyw – The boks won 50 % of the WC they played in and reached the semi’s and quaters the other 2 times. Also they have a 100% success record in the finals , statistically I reckon they are the RWC nation overall , buuuuuuuuut , truthfully it means very little cos for the last 2 decades the ABS dominated World rugby. May that change….
22 Apr 2008, 20:01 pm
Ok lets look at the facts here. He’s 37 and he’s retired. How useful do you think he will be with the new ELV’s? Maybe he’ll last 10 mins? or maybe 12?
23 Apr 2008, 02:28 am
age discrimination..you guys are blinded by the reality that Ackers being there and done that
give the youngsters a chance? ..FFS, this S14 is a fcking U21 competition.
Get real!!
23 Apr 2008, 06:11 am
Get Lofty Nel to play.
23 Apr 2008, 07:35 am
Yetirat, Ackers played in the beginning of this comp, and knows the ELVs well, actually he seemed to be coping a lot better than some of the youngsters in those three games he played. He even outjogged JP!
23 Apr 2008, 08:52 am
Yes girlshark , experience counts at this point of the tournament – they need players who have been to hell and got the tshirt !
23 Apr 2008, 09:29 am
Thanx Stew, it would be crazy to try and blood youngsters against a team like the Crusaders! Unfair to the youngster, the Team and the supporters! I believe you blood the player in the smaller games like perhaps against the LIons.
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