Sharks suffer double setback
4 Jul 2012
Willem Alberts and Pat Lambie failed fitness tests on Wednesday afternoon and won’t play against the Bulls at Kings Park on Friday night.
While the Sharks have lost two Boks to injury, they do at least welcome back another in Frans Steyn, who will make his first appearance for the franchise since 2009.
Among the forwards, Ryan Kankowski comes in at No 8, while Steven Sykes’ injury will see Pieter-Steph du Toit make his first start in the second row having played off the bench on four previous occasions.
Sharks coach John Plumtree admitted his team were feeling the pressure going into this must-win game.
‘We had a gun to our heads then, we got onto a winning streak and then let ourselves down against the Lions,’ he said. ‘Clearly, when the gun is pointed straight between our eyes, we react better, which is a bit unfortunate. But this is a home game for us and we’re looking forward to a big crowd to help us out.
‘We have a few worries, but there is plenty of character in this group and we have to dig deep on the weekend and get on top of this Bulls team that is riding pretty high at the moment.’
Sharks – 15 Louis Ludik, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Tim Whitehead, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Keegan Daniel (c), 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1. Beast Mtawarira
Subs: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Jandre Marais, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Cobus Reinach, 21 Meyer Bosman, 22 Odwa Ndungane
25 Comments
4 Jul 2012, 17:29 pm
Blown Dragons!
4 Jul 2012, 18:48 pm
RL? you surprise me dude, you becomming quite the sharks fan of late
4 Jul 2012, 18:53 pm
Not a bad team much as i predicted earlier in the day bar one or two changes
Like Kanko starting
ahead of Deysel, i think Deysel would have been a better ball carrying option
only other change i had was on the bench which was 20 Cobus Reinach i took it Plum would go for Viloen, as he and Bosman cover 10 that if Mcleod got injured freddy could have shifted to 9
So lets see if this team can play to full potential and whip the BUlls, must say i am very nervous
4 Jul 2012, 19:59 pm
Sharks home game and clear favourites
Sharks by 10+
4 Jul 2012, 20:35 pm
Lambie is very often injured… Some players seem to get injured more than others, Albert and Deysel are also sic notes of note
4 Jul 2012, 20:38 pm
Murry wins – f#*k, I hate that d00s !!! Hope JW Tsonga cleans Murray up in the Semi
4 Jul 2012, 20:54 pm
Spanko starting might not be such a bad idea.. If he can keep it tight and run with intent then come 50/60 Deysel should make a solid impact. Spanko should be as fresh as a daisy anyway..
4 Jul 2012, 20:58 pm
That still doesn’t look like a bad team. The Sharks have some good depth.
4 Jul 2012, 21:51 pm
Will be awesome if the Bulls take this one!
5 Jul 2012, 00:21 am
Tough break however i would not rule out sharks just yet
5 Jul 2012, 07:23 am
I’m glad Steph du Toit gets a chance, interesting that Kanko starts ahead of Deysel. Frans will have to do Alberts ball carrying job.
5 Jul 2012, 07:44 am
Decent team. It will be a close one this. Glad Steph Du Toit is getting game time. He was awesome in the U/20 bok team!
If the Bulls lose this it will through the top six wide open. They need the Reds to lose to make it easier for them.
5 Jul 2012, 08:09 am
You can have great individual players but if they don’t gell as a team the results just don’t seem to come. Although good on paper can they beat a team who don’t have as great players but play well as a team. For selfish reasons I’ll be backing the White and Black dynamite…
5 Jul 2012, 08:11 am
With Alberts out I would have expected Deysel to play…
5 Jul 2012, 08:17 am
Im very happy Kanko is starting actually. He played like he had something to prove in that 20 minute cameo against the Poms.
One change I would make is having Deysel at 4 to add a bit of grunt to the depleted pack. With Bresler playing 5 and PSDT coming on as super sub.
Odwa…Oh dear. So k ak.
Where are Sithole, Mjekevu, Prinsloo etc etc.
5 Jul 2012, 08:38 am
The Bulls and Sharks are guilty of the same thing , they lost games they should have won easily. This has happened a few times the last few years.
Now iff iiuf , the Bulls won the game on Loftus against the Blues, they would have been nr1 , if Sharkies won the game against Lions, so if,
When will they learn to win the games they should , then you can afford to lose away against Strompies, Chiefs , when will they learn ????
5 Jul 2012, 09:03 am
@capebull(capebull)-16:
True, every year the Sharks through away points. Not sure about the Bulls but imo the Sharks could have a motivation or attitude problem when facing weaker teams. Don’t know who is to blame for this, maybe the Sharks should get a psychologist. But come Friday night neither team will have this problem for sure!
5 Jul 2012, 09:11 am
@RainbowBanana(RainbowBanana)-17: the sharks lost to the chiefs, hurricanes, tahs. stormers, bulls and the lions so o i don’t know which “weak teams” you suggesting they might be haveing an “attitude” towards…
5 Jul 2012, 09:25 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-18:
Sharks should never have lost to Lions and Tahs. Those are the weaker teams in that list.
Chiefs, Canes, Stormers & Bulls away are tough games.
5 Jul 2012, 09:30 am
John Sharks lost to the Chiefs in Durbs… But should not have lost that one either…
5 Jul 2012, 09:34 am
@THE MAULER(THE MAULER)-20:
Oh yes you’re right.
Close one at that.
Ha, I was actually at the game…
Horrible game actually. Chiefs were k ak, Sharks were worse.
5 Jul 2012, 09:37 am
Exactly… Sharks looked like they were hoping the game was finished…
5 Jul 2012, 09:37 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-18: That’s been the main difference with Strompies this year they won most matches, even the ones they should have lost. This is a mental thing.
5 Jul 2012, 09:45 am
@THE MAULER(THE MAULER)-20: right, they lost to the chiefs @ KP after chiefs had beaten cheetahs the previous week.
5 Jul 2012, 09:47 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-18: Losing games that they should have won considering the quality players they have. Last year the Sharks also blew it against the Lions.
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.