JP at 13 for Jozi clash
31 May 2012
JP Pietersen has been moved to outside centre for the Sharks’ match against the Lions in Johannesburg.
With Paul Jordaan called up to the SA U20 squad, coach John Plumtree has decided to move Pietersen into the midfield and bring wing Odwa Ndungane into the starting side. Other than that, Plumtree has opted to keep Pat Lambie at fullback and Freddie Michalak at flyhalf.
There are no changes to the starting pack although another Baby Boks call-up has resulted in a change on the bench. Jandre Marais comes into the match 22 to replace Pieter-Steph du Toit.
Sharks – 15 Pat Lambie, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Freddie Michalak, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Keegan Daniel (c), 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Jandre Marais, 19 Ryan Kankowski, 20 Jacques Botes, 21 Marius Joubert, 22 Louis Ludik.

31 Comments
31 May 2012, 13:22 pm
Not happy about losing Paul Jordaan.
31 May 2012, 13:23 pm
Oh for the love of God, I see that Marius Jobert is on the bench.
31 May 2012, 13:25 pm
It’s only the Lions,could it be that Plum has underestimated them?
31 May 2012, 13:26 pm
Plumtree missed a trick once again…seems hell bent on keeping Marius Joubert & Ludik in the loop.Time to phase out Odwa as well.
Wandile Mjekevu should have been started at 14 with Sithole in for Joubert
31 May 2012, 13:26 pm
@Superbru(Superbru)-3:
What do you mean? There is only one enforced change from last week!
The Sharks won’t make that mistake again.
31 May 2012, 13:27 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-4:
I agree. He could have had either Sithole or Mjekevu in at 22 rather.
31 May 2012, 13:28 pm
@pokkel(pokkel)-6:
I meant 21.
31 May 2012, 13:31 pm
Marius Joubert
Louis Ludik
Odwa Ndungane
Jacques Botes
Its time they go now….Great servants in Odwa & Botes. But likes of Mjekevu,Sithole,Gouws,Mthembu,Stander etc are ready to be blooded into top level
31 May 2012, 13:32 pm
@pokkel(pokkel)-6:
Both.
Odwa can be on bench covering 15/11
Mjekevu starts on wing but he is also cover for 13-his natural positiion
31 May 2012, 13:56 pm
When did Mjekevu move to Sharks? I’s actually good news – I thought he was lost to SA. Played well in one season for Lions.
31 May 2012, 14:02 pm
@CenturionShark (aka LondonShark)(londonshark)-1: Whats wrong with Paul Jordaan?
31 May 2012, 14:02 pm
Fk if I see Odwa being reeled in by a prop again at Ellis Park, Im going to have a hernia.
Marius Farking Joubert?
Jeez Plum you’d better have MJ and Odwa’s zimmer frames ready for after the game.
So many youngsters to choose from and this is what we have…Mshini you’re right, Plum has missed a trick here.
31 May 2012, 14:05 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-8:
Ludik had a brilliant game the other day at 15. He does all the basics a 15 should do perfectly. imo. Agree with Botes and Joubert…
31 May 2012, 14:08 pm
@Jeez(Jeez)-11:
He’s was called up to the baby Boks sam as Kitchoff.
31 May 2012, 14:10 pm
@Jeez(Jeez)-11: Playing for the Baby Boks.
31 May 2012, 14:12 pm
@CenturionShark (aka LondonShark)(londonshark)-2: Plumtree is ‘managing’ his players.
31 May 2012, 14:18 pm
Yep, get rid of Ludik. Poach yet another inform player pushing for a Bok spot from a smaller union and then discard because you managed him poorly over the last few years.
Thne everyone wonders why the sides like the Cheetahs and Lions cant settle. Alberts has gone backwards at the Sharks, Earle has changed unions again.
Bosman, bok and crucial player to Cheetahs at the time. Take him, bench him, sit a while later with 5 centres as he gradually becomes a weaker player due to lack of gametime
You make me sick.
31 May 2012, 14:21 pm
@TooMuchRugby(TooMuchRugby)-10:
Moved just before start of Superrugby. Was playing well for Sharks XV in Vodacom Cup.Still only 20
@Jeez(Jeez)-13:
Ludik is just average. He does do basics well and thats IT. Viljoen on form is better than him.Lambie also better than him and also does basics well. Ludik has reached his ceiling while excitting youngsters are coming through like Gouws at 15.Ludik also a bit injury prone-he is a good pro no doubt but Sharks have to blood their youngsters at some point.I kno Ludik isnt old neither.
31 May 2012, 14:24 pm
@John Galt(John Galt)-12: He can learn a thing or two from Alister on bringing through young players.
31 May 2012, 14:25 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-18: Its sometimes vital to have such players in your team.
31 May 2012, 14:35 pm
@Kiefpant(Kiefpant)-17:
Hahaha what bs
Alberts became world class at the Sharks,he lost close to 10kgs when he got to Sharks as his conditioning was kak. He also became a Bok regular at Sharks.He has been injured of late which is why play has taken a knock BUT now is returning back to form and is likely to be Bok starting 7 for England series.Gone backward pfffffftttt
Deysel was not even offered a contract when he left Lions,went to Sharks on trial.Rest is history-became a Bok.Has also had hs injury issues.But his career blossomed after leaving Lions.
Bosman was replaced by Andries Strauss at Cheetahs after developing into a top class player at Sharks.He is now their vice captain and also became a Bok at the Sharks.Was a straight swap with Andries basically.Hes been inconsistent at Sharks since he arrived.
I suppose your sick about Cheetahs as well regarding Sias Eberson leaving as he is now behind Goosen & Riaan Smit? Or I maybe Lions as well as they were unable to give Charl McCleod gametime and he came to Sharks and ALSO became a Bok here now meanwhile Lions cant find themselves a decent 9??
This the professional age,deal with it
31 May 2012, 14:55 pm
@Jeez(Jeez)-11:
He’s been called up for the u20 WC.
31 May 2012, 16:40 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-4:
Mshini
I find it interesting that Mjekevu made the Lions SR team in 2010 but in 2012 the best he does is vodacom cup.Wasnt even offered a contract by the Lions,who instead opted 4 Hollenbach,Van Rensburg,Des Fountain,Killian.
Players of colour just dont get enough opportunities at a higher level because of the old excuse of him not being ready.
Take Kolisi 4 instance,who has been the form loosie 4 superrugby this season.All of the Sharks loosies who have lost form®ained it and who have been injured where chosen above him.Experience was used as excuse,but Stander&Coetzee I guess is ready.White players are always born ready in this country.
Sad but true…
31 May 2012, 16:44 pm
@jakesfourie(jakesfourie)-23:
Exactly.Well put
31 May 2012, 19:53 pm
@jakesfourie(jakesfourie)-23: Kinda true. There will always be that bias whether intentional or not in selection. Kolisi has been so good this season I doubt Burger would have had the same impact.
31 May 2012, 21:50 pm
@ 23 24 and 25
Prove to me the prejudice against Siya.
Of the newby loosies this year Coetzee has been the best. Stander vs Kholisi is a tough one as Kholisi is a defensive monster but CJ is arguable a more rounded player atm, and was RSA junior captain.
A bigger mystery is why mjekevu was dropped by the lions.
31 May 2012, 22:29 pm
@jakesfourie(jakesfourie)-23: Tell me why Mjekevu didn’t get a crack for the Sharks SR team? The fact that Plum choose slow mo MJ (Bok jersey waiting according to a Keo tweet) ahead of Mjekevu kinda says a lot. I like Mjekevu but his defense is shocking, if he can improve that aspect of his game then I’m sure he will crack the nod. 2 kiwi coaches not picking him for their SR teams, maybe they know something some of these “experts” on here don’t.
1 Jun 2012, 05:47 am
If the Sharks cannot put 50 – 60 point past the Lousy Lions then they are not worthy play-off contenders. We smashed the Force and there’s no excuse for smashing a team that the Force outclassed. 5 points and a 30 – 40 points difference and no less should be accepted. Anything less would be failure.
1 Jun 2012, 08:55 am
@Sasori(Sasori)-26:
More rounded in terms of what?
What Ive seen of Siya he is as good as any with ball in hand.CJ is seen with more ball in hand cause of the way the Bulls play vs the way the Stormers play.
The junior captain comment is not worth it cause Gerrit jan Van velze was SA u/20 captain&we all know he is ****.
If 2 players r deemed 2 b on equal footing the white player always gets the benefit of the doubt Im afraid.
@Tuna(Tuna)-27:
Tuna If u geniunly believe Des Fountain,Van Rensburg,Killian,Hollenbach,Joubert is better than Mjekevu then I dont know
But agree defence is something Mjekevu can work on,but lots of players have areas they can improve on.It just appears that players of colour’s weaknessess are highlighted 2 keep them out out of sides rather than helping them iron out those weaknessess.
1 Jun 2012, 09:12 am
I hope Steyn is reading, he’s gonna be shoved around that backline like a prostitute with an abusive pimp!
1 Jun 2012, 09:14 am
Just 2 add on 2 my earlier comments
4 me transformation is about identifying talented players of colour,giving players of colour an opportunity at a higher level and giving them the tools 2 get there (if they r not ready yet).
Think of Siya or Caleb Oosthuizen as examples.Siya is deemed 2 not b ready yet 4 Heyneke’s blue boks.Instead of just dismissing the player why not tell him exactly what he needs 2 do 2 b ready 4 bok rugby.With his consistent performances since this year he has proven that he does belong at SR level.Now he needs 2 b prepared 4 the next level.To many players of colour perform well at the level they r at but never get an opportunity 2 progress 2 the next level cause the coaches feel they r not ready.But then the coaches dont provide them with the tools 2 get ready.The player spends seasons on the bench or at lower levels like the vodacom cup&eventually he looses his contract and disappears of the scene.All because a coach felt he is not ready yet but did not provide him with the necessary tools 2 get ready.
Caleb Oosthuizen is a talented youngster who also showed that he is not out of place in SR.The Lions (or Saru) should b getting him specialist coaching 2 get him ready 2 make the bok side in a season or 2.BUt I bet u he will b playing vodacom cup 4 the next 2 seasons or if he is lucky he will play of the bench in some SR games.After the 2 seasons the coaches will say he has not progressed from vodacom rugby in 2 seasons so they wont offer him another contract.Another talented player of colour disappears of the scene that could have made it 2 the top had he been givin the tools 2 succeed.
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.