Michalak hints at Sharks exit
1 Nov 2011
Sharks flyhalf Frederic Michalak has revealed that he wants to resurrect his Test career with a return to France.
According to French daily newspaper L’Equipe, the 29-year-old wants to move back to his homeland to compete for a place in the French national squad. With new France coach Philippe Saint-Andre succeeding Marc Lievremont, there is an opportunity for Michalak to add to his 54 Test caps. He last played for France during the 2010 Six Nations.
‘I know they [the Sharks] would like to extend my contract but I want to come back to Europe next summer because I want to play with Les Bleus again and that is easier when you play in Europe,’ said Michalak.
Michalak joined the Sharks from Toulouse during the latter stages of Super Rugby rugby. He played through the entire Currie Cup campaign and finished as the tournaments’ top scorer with 192 points.
Meanwhile, centre Stefan Terblanche has signed a short-term deal with Ulster after a 12-year association with the Sharks. It will be the 36-year-old’s second European spell as he spent a four-year stint at Welsh club Ospreys from 2003-2007. The Sharks have added to their midfield depth with the signing of WP centre Tim Whitehead.
17 Comments
1 Nov 2011, 12:31 pm
Not altogether unhappy with this.
I for one really want Lambie to get stuck into that 10 jersey.
It will have an impact on the Sharks depth next year but with Viljoen coming in and able to play 10, I think we’ll be ok in this posi.
Centres? Different story.
1 Nov 2011, 13:04 pm
Tim Whitehead signs from province to sharks….
15 Joe Pietersen
14 Tim Whitehead
13 Johaan Sadie
12 Paul Bosch
11 Dylan Des Fountain
10 Lionel Cronje
9 Conrad Hoffman
8 Robbie Diack
7 Francois Louw
6 Pieter Mybrugh
5 Francois Van Der Merwe
4 Justin Melck
3 Brian Mujati
2 Schalk Brits
1 JD Moller
Joe Van Niekerk
CJ Van Der Linde
Gcobani Bobo
Sireli Nquelevuki
Bolla Conradie
Neil De Kock
All these players still play rugby and have left the union… peter grant also plays in japan half the year and so does jaque fourie… this is getting ridiculous
So many young stormers players have left… what is going on…
Who have we signed in? Van den heever, liebenberg came back and JDV came back from stints abroad
1 Nov 2011, 13:14 pm
Well you know what they say, better to have a froggie than a JLP.
1 Nov 2011, 13:50 pm
Former Springbok Stefan Terblanche has left the Sharks and signed a short-term deal with Irish club Ulster, the Durban franchise has confirmed.
The 36-year-old was in the final year of his contract at Kings Park, with his departure ending a near 12-year association with the union, dating back to 1999 when he made his debut.
“Stefan has left us and signed a three-month contract with Ulster,” Sharks commercial manager Rudolf Straeuli said on Tuesday.
Terblanche, who became the first player from the union to turn out in 100 Currie Cup matches earlier this season, played his last game for the team in the final of the competition at the weekend.
The defending champions went down 42-16 to the Lions in Johannesburg.
Terblanche was captain of the team when they won the Currie Cup last season.
The veteran back had a previous spell in the United Kingdom when he played for Welsh outfit Ospreys between 2003 and 2007.
Meanwhile, the Sharks also confirmed the signing of young centre Tim Whitehead from Western Province.
The Sharks said the 23-year-old, who made his breakthrough with the Stormers in the 2010 Super Rugby season, had signed a two-year deal in a move to Durban.
1 Nov 2011, 13:54 pm
@Rhys7(Rhys7)-2: WP is the only union capable of doing this and still being competitive. I wonder if these players could of been the difference between champions and finalists/semi-finalists.
There is still time for us to sign players. I hope they open the checkbook soon.
1 Nov 2011, 14:02 pm
@Rhys7(Rhys7)-2: Who did JD Moller sign with?
Who do we need?
An experienced, grizzled Prop.
A quality fetcher.
Young up and coming Fullback.
1 Nov 2011, 14:03 pm
perhaps he may have been the difference between france being a world cup winning team rather than runners up…but we’ll never know…
1 Nov 2011, 14:37 pm
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-4: Finally Stefan is gone. How bloody long has it taken for him to go. Finally now we can start plugging the gaps in the midfield. I’m not convinced by Plum as a coach. He is one-dimensional and has no grasp of tactics.
1 Nov 2011, 14:45 pm
Good to see the Sharks addressing their weaknesses by recruiting Whithead, thanks to Terblanche for a his man years of serivce to the team but it’s good to see that he has bowed our gracefully, even though many would believe it’s a little too late.
1 Nov 2011, 15:29 pm
@Samba Bok(JayDaFiveOh)-8: Yes, Oom Stef monopolised that Sharks backline. Time for some young talent injection in that Sharks midfield.
1 Nov 2011, 17:36 pm
Good now Lambie can play 10 and push for the Bok 10 position with Elton, Goosen, Sias and the other lot ( I say the other lot because I think they have more talent than the others ).
I don’t think Lambie should play 15 for the Boks, we need a 15 specialist like Jaco Taute to start playing 15 so these stop gap position garbage should stop.
Lambie should tell Plum he wants to play 10 or 15 but he should decide on a position and focus on that otherwise he won’t be Bok for long with all the other young talent coming through that are specialists in their positions.
1 Nov 2011, 21:41 pm
I can’t see Saint-Andre picking Freddie for France.
2 Nov 2011, 08:05 am
@JA-JA(JA-JA)-11:
yeah… spot on…
was never a big fan of bringing FM to the sharks in the first place… slap in the face to lambie and jaque-louis potgieter who they had just signed…
let’s hope plumtree actually uses lambie at 10 and gives him the chance to establish himself as a 10 and compete for the bok flyhalf spot
2 Nov 2011, 09:47 am
Now Lambie can take up his rightful place at 10
Michalak is a decent player but at 29/30 he isnt the future for Sharks.Lambie is 21 and should stick to 10.At fullback he doesnt add an attacking dimension as his speed is questionable.He will suit Sharks at 10 as he plays right on gainline,has great hands,good pass,great decision maker,good boot,good defender as well.
Sharks are very short on quality at 9/12/13/15.
Whitehead is decent but not nearly enough.Paul Jordaan has to play Superrugby next year.Would rather have Jordaan/Whitehead midfield than Bosman/Joubert or Joubert/Jacobs etc
2 Nov 2011, 10:16 am
What has happened to Charl McCleod and Louis Ludik ? Injured or bought by some other team ??
2 Nov 2011, 10:23 am
@Tiptackle(Tiptackle)-15:
They are injured….But they are average players anyway…ceiling is Currie Cup…workmanlike at Superrugby but even with them Sharks backline is mediocre
2 Nov 2011, 10:31 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-14:
Remember that Riaan Viljoen will be with the Sharks from next year. I rate him as one of best FB’s in SA.
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