Sharks mix it up
9 Feb 2012
The Sharks have gone with a blend of youth and experience for their warm-up match against Boland in Durban on Friday.
Pat Lambie starts at flyhalf, where he is expected to play for the majority of the Super Rugby season. He is partnered by Frenchman Frederic Michalak at scrumhalf.
In the forwards, young Dale Chadwick starts at loosehead in Beast Mtawarira’s absence, while Pieter-Steph du Toit, elevated from the Sharks’ junior ranks, slots into a back row of Keegan Daniel and the promising Marcell Coetzee at No 8.
Tim Whitehead, recruited from the Stormers late last year, pairs up with JP Pietersen in midfield. The Sharks have also named an extended bench in the hope of giving game time to most of their squad.
Sharks - 15. Riaan Viljoen, 14. Odwa Ndungane, 13. JP Pietersen, 12. Tim Whitehead, 11. Lwazi Mvovo, 10. Patrick Lambie, 9. Frederic Michalak, 8. Marcell Coetzee, 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6. Keegan Daniel (c), 5. Anton Bresler, 4. Steven Sykes, 3. Wiehahn Herbst, 2. Bismarck du Plessis, 1. Dale Chadwick.
Subs: 16. Craig Burden, 17. Julian Redelinghuys, 18. Ross Skeate, 19. Jandre Marais, 20. Jacques Botes, 21. Ryan Kankowski, 22. Lubabalo Mtembu, 23. Charl McLeod, 24. Sbura Sithole, 25. Meyer Bosman, 26. Marius Joubert, 27. Paul Jordaan, 28. Louis Ludik
53 Comments
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9 Feb 2012, 09:52 am
Pieter-Steph du Toit their ideal 5-lock in the next year or so? How’s he at the line-outs?
Bismarck du Plessis + Pieter-Steph du Toit + Willem Alberts + Marcell Coetzee… all the SA sides seem to be building really well.
9 Feb 2012, 10:06 am
Pissant reckons that 12 is Whitehead’s best position……let’s hope he has a blinder!
9 Feb 2012, 10:09 am
JP and Habana fighting for the vacant Bok 13 position… Interesting
9 Feb 2012, 10:11 am
@FawltyRich-3:
-_- Hardly.
9 Feb 2012, 10:17 am
So that’s 28.
Add:
Mtawarira
Cooper
Jannie Dup
Hargreaves
Alberts
Deysel
Kleinhans
Reinach
Hoffman
Prinsloo
And there you go – some decent depth and good blend of experience and youth.
Need more cover at flyhalf though.
Anyone know anything about this Zelinger youngster who played 10 the other day?
And what about Mtembu – any good?
9 Feb 2012, 10:21 am
@puff-5:
White backed Zeilinga as a future Bok a few years ago.
9 Feb 2012, 10:21 am
@puff-5:
I have starting to think Hargreaves might not even make the 28 man squad. He’s been mediocre at best and there is some exciting young lock at the Sharks. Hoffman and Beast are out for a couple of months so the Sharks depth will be tested. Pity van Staden lef, I really rated him.
Zeilinger apparently had a good game at the trials and can play 9 and 10.
9 Feb 2012, 10:22 am
Kanko looking like he’s falling behind at this early stage of the competition. The kid’s gonna need to pull up his socks before he finds himself in the Wilderbeest team.
9 Feb 2012, 10:23 am
@hendrikp-6:
Really? Interesting.
9 Feb 2012, 10:31 am
@puff-9:
http://ultimateschoolsrugby.co.uk/news/rising-star/fred-zeilinga-south-africa-rising-star
9 Feb 2012, 10:38 am
Wow thanks for the 1 second article
9 Feb 2012, 10:40 am
@hendrikp-10:
Shot. Good stuff!
9 Feb 2012, 10:44 am
@puff-12:
Also, he spent the entire CC season on the U21 bench coming on as a ‘supersub’. Not a bad thing, read on…
He still qualified to play U19 rugby… but him, Paul Jordaan, Pieter Steph du Toit & Siseko Jafta were fast tracked into the U21′s for whatever reason.
9 Feb 2012, 11:28 am
@hendrikp-13:
Jordaan was very impressive for u21′s in midfield.Has searing pace.
Siseko Jafta is an animal. Better than Marcel Coetzee IMO,who isnt too shabby a player himself.
@puff-5:
Zeilinga is an ex Glenwood and Natal schools 10. decent player,good versatility and boot.But dont know him being a Bok prospect as of yet..Gona have to sit in queue for a while as Goosen,Jantjes,Lambie are all around his age group and young Tony Jantjes is rising at the Bulls.
Lubabalo “Terror” Mthembu is a very good prospect,ball playing 8 a prototype link player.Good size at 1.90m 107kgs and has outstanding speed.played SA 7′s as a 20 yr old a yr ago.
9 Feb 2012, 11:32 am
Some great youngsters coming through… Can’t wait to see them in action!!
9 Feb 2012, 11:32 am
@mshiniwami-14:
Jordaan hardly played in the midfield if I remember correctly? Spent the majority of the time at 10.
As for Safta being better then Coetzee… he’s gonna have to blow us all away for that to be true.
9 Feb 2012, 11:34 am
@mshiniwami-14:
Thanks, Mshini
Losing Beast is a significant blow, but I think the Sharks are quietly getting on with things.
So much hype around some of the other players at other franchises.
Yest Sharks have some very real talent who somehow at the moment seem to be flying under the radar – Sithole, for example.
I reckon, given half the chance, the guy is going to be a revelation.
9 Feb 2012, 11:41 am
The Sharks have a great squad, possibly the best in SA across the board.
Their challenge now is to figure out the right combos to play.
I like the look of this backline though.
9 Feb 2012, 11:46 am
@hendrikp-16:
Looking forward to seeing Jafta playing for SA U20 though.
When Botes retires, there could be a spot for him. Jean Deysel isn’t all he’s made out to be, so he’s got a genuine opportunity to push for a spot with the seniors.
9 Feb 2012, 11:50 am
@stormersboy-18:
They’ll be undone by having very bad players in key positions.
Grant10 is quick to hammer the Stormers for not having a so-called “fetcher”, yet Keegan Daniel does no more work on the ground then Schalk does.
They’ve got an average to poor second row… need to find some stability there.
McLeod had a terrible 2011. Can’t pick his moments well enough, tbh I don’t rate the guy at all.
Mvovo isn’t all he’s cracked up to be IMO. Good ball runner yes, but rugby is more then that. He costs the side too much, and for what? A couple more tries a season. They need a genuine class winger opposite JP.
And they have BIG midfield problems.
9 Feb 2012, 11:58 am
The Sharks have a strong team this year with good depth.
9 Feb 2012, 12:01 pm
@hendrikp-20: I dare you to name a better wing in SA than Mvovo
9 Feb 2012, 12:01 pm
@hendrikp-20: Thing is, if they pick a good combo this could actually be a great team.
15 Viljoen
14 JPP
13 Whitehead
12 Bosman
11 Mvovo
10 Lambikins
9 Fred
8 Alberts
7 Deysel
6 keegan (Botes)
5 hrgreaves
4Sykes
3 jannie
2 Bismark
1 Cooper
bench
Burden
Skeate
Botes/Keegan
McLoed
Ludick
Players to be still accomodated:
Kanko
i think this will be a good side, beat most at the tank and many away.
9 Feb 2012, 12:08 pm
I think the midfield is being sorted and I hear that bosman has improved so let’s hope!! The youngsters at Lock should push for starts ahead of hargreaves and skeate! Rest of the team looks good… But so do a lot of SA teams…
9 Feb 2012, 12:13 pm
@The Bok Identity-22:
Bryan Habana, Gio Aplon, JP Pietersen, to name a few…
If it were Springbok selection I’d be looking at a few centres who were better then him also… maybe Sadie on the wing, if he weren’t the starting centre.
Mvovo hasn’t got the skill set. Got dropped by the Sharks towards the end of the CC last year, and Ndungane will probably hold him out again.
9 Feb 2012, 12:18 pm
@hendrikp-20:
Sharks have Bismark and Deysel who both play well to the ball.
It is one of Deysel’s big strengths, but I do agree that he is largely one-dimensional and he needs to refine his game (and stay injury-free).
9 Feb 2012, 12:21 pm
@puff-26:
Deysel had one turnover while playing for the Boks, and now people think he ‘plays towards the ball’. It’s a myth
9 Feb 2012, 12:35 pm
@hendrikp-25:
Me and you will argue on Mvovo the whole day.
He is the best ball carrying wing in the country, easily the most powerful in contact than the rest of the pansies on the wing who get knocked over at will. His try vs England on debut Twickenham was a beauty vs the highly rated Chris Ashton. He does need more work on his allround play but he is genuine quality-linebreaking is something SA rugby has NEVER had from their wingers…
Now they have a genuine threat in Mvovo. He would be in my Bok squad anyday.Outside JP Pieterson & Aplon the rest of wing berth are up for grabs.Mvovo is in that group(better than Basson etc). A fully fit Mapoe with gametime could be something special we shall see.I think Sadie should STAY at 13-options in midfield are thin-after De Jongh.Fourie in japan must stay there we need to develop some depth
Cant stand the wingers like Basson/Benjamin/vd Heever. Linebreaking is pathetic in this country.Mvovo is a genuine linebreaking threat
9 Feb 2012, 12:37 pm
@mshiniwami-28: mVOVO IS THE REAL DEAL , HIS WORKRATE IS HIS WEAKNESS , he needs to get more involved , but class no doubt
9 Feb 2012, 12:40 pm
@hendrikp-25: All Mvovo lacks is a passing,offload and kicking game.He’s got the pace, the power and the great running lines.
Habana is rubbish dude, can’t buy a try to save his life.
9 Feb 2012, 12:43 pm
@hendrikp-20:
Sharks midfield is STILL average.. Jordaan & Mjekevu must come into reckoning at some point during superrugby campaign.
Sykes returning is good,with Hargreaves/Deysel/Skeate covering lock that’s decent cover. Look at Stormers at lock? Only bekker is world class-Elstadt very good season last yr outside them its all mish-mash-Steenkamp,Lobberts,Etsebeth. Even Saders outside Whitelock its Romano,Ross Kennedy(from Kings) and George Whitelock covering.
9 Feb 2012, 12:47 pm
@The Bok Identity-30:
Yawn. Habs is class. Can’t buy a try to save his life? He’s the top Springbok try-scorer of all time. Can’t blame him for playing in a system that hardly gives him any ball to work with.
His entire career he’s pretty much had to pull tries out of his behind, and now that he’s not, he’s getting slaughtered. Still scored 4 tries in SR 2011, which was on par with the majority of Super Rugby wingers. Those 4 tries were all him as well… none of this “pass me the ball, I dot it down”.
You’ll miss him when he’s gone.
9 Feb 2012, 13:21 pm
Why is Lambie allowing himself to be chosen at 10 instead of 15? At 10 he ranks 3rd if not lower in SA – and his opposition (Goosen and Jantjies) will grow stronger when they’ve got a season of Super (however many – I’ve lost count) but at 15 he’s No 1.
9 Feb 2012, 13:27 pm
@grunk-33:
Because that’s what he gets paid to do.
And because he isn’t concerned about where he plays, unlike Frans & Ruan who threw hissy-fits.
And because the Sharks signed Riaan Viljoen, who is probably the best attacking fullback in SA, or very close to it.
9 Feb 2012, 13:34 pm
@grunk-33: interesting argument.
9 Feb 2012, 13:35 pm
@hendrikp-34: How can you blame Frans & Ruan , it was mis management by ***** Muir end of story … Lesser players would have dissapeared for all time – specialisation is the key and to play in these gifted players out of position does not develop a youthful player. Expect more from you HP
9 Feb 2012, 13:37 pm
@mshiniwami-28:
mvovo reminds me a lot of 80s wp wing kobus burger… same strong running style and knocking ‘em over in the tackle is they don’t execute properly… still young but deserves the shot…
he should definitely be in the bok squad IMO…
9 Feb 2012, 13:40 pm
@stew-36:
I wasn’t blaming them… merely pointing out that Lambie has clearly said he doesn’t mind playing either 10 or 15, and really, the positions are not that much different.
If anything, I think Lambie will benefit from the extra pressure & tactical experience he’ll get from playing 10 at SR level.
Absolutely no reason why he can’t still be considered as a fullback… Heyneke is clever enough to not look past him.
9 Feb 2012, 13:41 pm
@stormersboy-23: As in Kyle Cooper the hooker?
9 Feb 2012, 13:42 pm
@hendrikp-38:
Outside of first phase they aren’t that much different. Many teams already drop their flyhalves back to field kicks when in opposition territory.
It’s not like he’s a winger who’s suddenly being asked to play scrumhalf.
9 Feb 2012, 13:44 pm
@grunk-33:
he’s made the correct call IMO… i admire the guy for taking it on…
i believe guys should pick their ‘best’ position and slug it out with the others and prove who is or is not the best… demonstrate some self belief… an due prepared to fight for your goals… not try and take the easy road to the bok squad…
and it just takes an injury or dip in form for things to change rapidly…
and of course… “he ranks 3rd if not lower” is not an official position… just your opinion… and i bet lambie differs with you…
i think he has a far wiser and more mature head on his shoulders than the others… and wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the bok 10…
9 Feb 2012, 13:51 pm
@ufo-41: I agree. Lambie has BMT and is a cool customer who makes smart decisions and is technically strong. I expect to see him at 10 for the boks too.
9 Feb 2012, 13:56 pm
Why is it ok for the Bulls to play Francois Hougaard on the wing?
But as soon as Lambie is played in a different position, there is an uproar?
Especially seeing as Lambie is the younger player, I don’t see the problem.
9 Feb 2012, 13:58 pm
@hendrikp-43:
Why does it say “Your comment is awaiting moderation.”
Come on Keo, just a few months ago you told me anything goes.
9 Feb 2012, 14:00 pm
@stormer in a teacup-42:
Won’t happen.
One of the very first criteria for a Springbok flyhalf… goalkicking average above 80% and be able to boot the ball VERY far.
That is not Lambie.
9 Feb 2012, 14:37 pm
@stormer in a teacup-42:
absolutely…
and lambie has proved himself on the biggest stage of all – the world cup… as well as numerous bok appearances…
the other two are talented no doubt… but still have lots to prove IMO anyway…
9 Feb 2012, 14:40 pm
you gotta be kidding roy…!!
my comment awaiting moderation…?
for saying lambie has proved himself the others not…?
sheesh…
9 Feb 2012, 14:50 pm
thanks roy…
9 Feb 2012, 14:52 pm
@hendrikp-44:
obviously a glitch…
i phoned and roy has sorted it…
9 Feb 2012, 15:36 pm
@ufo-41: Well said! I agree
@hendrikp-45: I disagree, having Frans Steyn who can nail those long kicks, do we need our 10 to be a 60m+ goal kicker ?No. I think you have your mind set on Johan Goosen (from what I have read).Typical South African reasoning. I personally think your flyhalves most important quality should be temperament; he should make the right choices always. Anyway having watched him in his u21 days he was an extremely accurate goal kicker, being with the Boks during the world cup (not as 1st or even 2nd choice place kicker ) may have impacted his form and technique to some extent, which by the sounds of things (sharks trial matches) he has been working on.
Lambie has my vote for Bok 10, Taute 15, neither being finished articles but rather incredible prospects that with exposure to test match rugby will become world beaters.
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