Chadwick may fill front-row void
30 Jan 2012
Dale Chadwick is likely to step in for the injured Beast Mtawarira as the Sharks’ starting loosehead prop.
Mtawarira broke his ankle last Friday and will be out of action for the next three months. This presents a problem for the Sharks who have not only lost John Smit to Saracens, a player they believed could play all three front-row positions, but Eugene van Staden as well. Van Staden is currently playing his rugby for Biarritz in France which means that outside of Mtawarira, the Sharks lack an experienced No 1.
Coach John Plumtree will now hope that the young Chadwick brings his Currie Cup form through to the Super Rugby competition. If Chadwick fails to fill the gap, Plumtree may be forced to experiment with one of his tightheads (Jannie du Plessis or Wiehan Herbst) or even the versatile hooker Kyle Cooper at loosehead.
The Sharks will play their first Super Rugby warm-up game against Boland in Durban this Friday. Their second and final pre-season game will be played against the Kings.
26 Comments
30 Jan 2012, 10:01 am
What are the odds of on the varkies pulling out their credit card to look for a prop replacement. I say pretty good – who is this Chadwick guppy, no name brand player.
30 Jan 2012, 10:14 am
He would have to learn very quickly. He has potential to be a great loosehead prop.
30 Jan 2012, 10:15 am
@RL-1:
They won’t. They’ll back Chadwick who played well for them during the Currie Cup.
Besides, if that doesn’t work out they’ve got plenty of good young props.
Wiehahn Herbst could come into the front-row.
Schonert played SA U20 last year… unlikely though.
They’ve got two props in the current U20 team, both likely to start if Kitshoff doesn’t go – otherwise one on the bench. Nicolaas van Dyk & Allan Dell.
And I’m sure they rate Julian Redelinghuys high enough to give him a go if they need to.
30 Jan 2012, 10:31 am
chadwick???
in the frontrow?
sounds like a Poof.
would be better off playing in the cape.
30 Jan 2012, 10:37 am
@hendrikp-3: hehehe well done straueli
letting van staden go was a masterstroke.
you think the Sharks can convince cj cd linde to join them?
30 Jan 2012, 10:42 am
Chadwick is a Craven week player, SA Schools & SA U 19. Homegrown Durban talent (WBHS I think) and had a very impressive currie cup.
I think he could develop into a good loose head in the OS mould. Similarly built like Carl Hayman, pretty tall and gets around the park well.
30 Jan 2012, 11:05 am
@Transformation-5: CJ is a contracted Lion – Buys is a free agent if they are looking for a fatty.
30 Jan 2012, 11:27 am
Dale hasn’t seem to have grown much since his Westville days… I’ve always thought he’s too small for the traditional sized RSA and Kiwi loose-head… and Super 15 is not the place to be dropping other youngsters into the front-row…
Cheque-book coming out soon methinks… poaching Heinke VD Merwe from Leister perhaps… this is where Smit’s departure is going to hurt…
30 Jan 2012, 11:53 am
@Transformation-5:
For once this wasnt down to Straulies incredibly poor personnel management.
v Staden apparently was asking too much cash. I hear he was asking the Sharks to match his Euro salary in SA Rands. Fking ridiculous if this is the case and the Sharks are better off without that sort in the squad.
Cant confirm that fact but I do know he was wanting too much moolah.
30 Jan 2012, 12:02 pm
Cant wait to play the Sharks this year with a young loosehead …… Franks is going to give him a warm welcome to S15
30 Jan 2012, 12:03 pm
@John Galt-9:
They’ve made that mistake before when Kees Lensing became the highest paid forward in RSA only to turn out to be a dud…
30 Jan 2012, 12:03 pm
As for Chadwick.
Still very young and looks a tad light for a S15 prop at this stage.
But you never know, he may have put on some pies in the off season and working more closely with Mark Steele from now until the season opener will definitly be to his benefit.
Looking forward to the trial match this weekend. 4 chukkas of 20 minutes each to test all combinations. Very interesting indeed.
30 Jan 2012, 12:05 pm
@stew-10:
Sharks dont play the Crusaders during the regular season.
They might face each other in the semis etc by which time Beast will be back.
30 Jan 2012, 12:08 pm
@John Galt-13: damn !
30 Jan 2012, 12:09 pm
@bryce_in_oz-11: What happened to Kees Lensing he was amazing at the Bulls ?
30 Jan 2012, 12:29 pm
Isn’t Eugene Van Staden still in Durbs? If so, I don’t see much wrong with a combination of Van Staden and Du Plessis x 2
30 Jan 2012, 12:30 pm
@John Galt-12: what is that saying, again?
“weights don’t push back”
now even brock harris will fancy himself now agains the guppys.
30 Jan 2012, 12:32 pm
Beast Chadwick?
nope, no ring about that at all.
30 Jan 2012, 12:33 pm
@sonofgun-16: “Van Staden is currently playing his rugby for Biarritz in France”
30 Jan 2012, 12:36 pm
@Transformation-17:
Nought. Chadwick is a Loosehead Prop, not a flyhalf.
They dont even play in the same position.
30 Jan 2012, 15:36 pm
I hope this laaitie plays Beast out of his position. Beast has lost his oomph. He has zero aggression. He’s like a fluffy cuddly toy these days.
I bet a few mangy Leeus will be looking towards Durban to get themselves off the Titanic at Ellis Park.
31 Jan 2012, 07:06 am
Always funny to see people making completely uninformed comments. Dale Chadwick is a supremely talented scrummager and a good ball carrier.
If they choose to bring Kyle Cooper in, then you have another Bismark/Burden like player. Fast, strong, ball carrier, poacher…
31 Jan 2012, 07:46 am
@King Shark-22: I think the major concern is being the corner of the scrum , playing a relatively youngster is risky ….. It is what every experienced tighthead smiles about , and he will be targeted , and especially with two light weight scrumaggers behind him could be see the Sharks pack screaming backwards.
31 Jan 2012, 12:29 pm
@RL-1: Well, if the Lions cant pay salaries I am sure a few players will be available, and open to a ‘guppies’ contract.
31 Jan 2012, 12:36 pm
@King Shark-22: I was thinking the same thing. I wish I could find the video of Chadwick hunched over at a ruck near the try line, lifting 3 Griquas players and pushing all 3 of them, and their buddies behind them 2 meters backwards to score a try.
Chadwick is a big name for the future – so most of these comments are dumb.
31 Jan 2012, 12:39 pm
@Great White Sharks gonna get ya-21: Of course, and wouldn’t you ? If you worked for ‘Frikkies computer shop’ and heard that there was a chance you may at some stage be asked to work without compensation, and then one day Microsoft comes along and offers you a management position – what would you do ?
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