Sharks power up
24 Oct 2012
Willem Alberts, Beast Mtawarira and Craig Burden have been promoted to the Sharks’ starting line-up for the Currie Cup final against WP this Saturday.
Springbok duo Alberts and Mtawarira made their first domestic appearances of the season off the bench in the 20-3 semi-final victory over the Blue Bulls last weekend, while hooker Burden has been utilised as reserve over the last fortnight.
The Sharks hinted earlier in the week that dominance up front will be key in gaining ascendancy during the title-decider. The promotion of both these players adds muscle and power to their pack. Jean Deysel and Kyle Cooper drop to the bench as a result, while Dale Chadwick falls out of the match-day squad.
Good news for the men from Durban is that tighthead prop Jannie du Plessis has recovered from his head knock that he suffered last weekend and retains the No 3 jersey. The 29-year-old will be crucial in the front row battle.
Head coach John Plumtree has overlooked the opportunity to push Baby Bok and Sharks U21 utility forward Pieter-Steph du Toit into the senior team.
The Sharks have struggled in the lineouts in recent weeks, especially against the Bulls, and Plumtree saw Du Toit as a solution to this issue. However, he’s decided to start Steven Sykes and Anton Bresler in the second row, while Jandre Marais will provide lock cover.
Skipper Keegan Daniel said the forwards have trained hard on their set-piece execution during the week.
‘I think we scrummed really well against the Bulls last weekend,’ said Daniel. ‘The lineouts were a concern. It was a combination of poor throwing and calling the wrong options.
‘We need to be better this weekend as WP have been impressive at the lineouts. They’ll probably target us there. They have a strong rolling maul, but we have our plans to defend it.’
The Sharks backline remains unchanged.
Fullback Louis Ludik, who’s been in impressive form during the tournament, expects Province to deliver a strong kicking game.
‘They have some good tactical kickers in their team,’ Ludik also told this site. ‘We need to be good in the air and can’t afford many mistakes. We’ll be prepared, especially against a guy like [WP flyhalf] Demetri Catrakilis.’
Sharks – 15 Louis Ludik, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Tim Whitehead, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Keegan Daniel (c), 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Jandre Marais, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Charl McLeod, 21 Meyer Bosman, 22 Odwa Ndungane.
By Gareth Duncan, in Durban
31 Comments
24 Oct 2012, 22:00 pm
PROViNCE DragonS upset of the century
24 Oct 2012, 22:05 pm
If only this was a Super Rugby Final definate upset
24 Oct 2012, 22:13 pm
Solid Haai squad!
Upset of the century vs Drubbing of the century!
24 Oct 2012, 22:14 pm
Who is Kyle Hooper?
24 Oct 2012, 22:19 pm
No surprises, but Faak mee.. wud send a shiver down the spine of many a top Super Rugby team.
24 Oct 2012, 22:31 pm
What a team!
Be very, very afraid WP.
24 Oct 2012, 22:37 pm
GO SHARKS!!! DIE HAAI VIL JY NAAI!!
24 Oct 2012, 22:46 pm
@4 Skunk,
Kyle Cooper had a solid game last week thought he did very well.
Date of Birth: 10/02/1989
Place of Birth: Johannesburg
Position: Hooker
Height: 1.78 m
Weight: 106 kg
High School: Glenwood Boys High
SchoolClub: Jonsson College Rovers
Kyle Cooper is another locally-schooled young player who has come through the age-group ranks in the province, having shone for The Sharks Under 19s and Under 21s before earning a few starts in the 2011 Currie Cup campaign. A tough, nuggety front rower with plenty of power, possessing aggression and acceleration, he was also recognised when he earned a Super Rugby cap for The Sharks off the bench this year.
24 Oct 2012, 22:47 pm
Aah i get ja Keolings making hash of player names again
24 Oct 2012, 23:12 pm
On form and calibre the players involved:
15 Louis Ludik / Gio Aplon: WP
14 JP Pietersen / Gerrhard Van Den Heever: Sharks
13 Paul Jordaan / Juan De Jongh: WP
12 Tim Whitehead / Damien De Allende: Sharks
11 Lwazi Mvovo / Bryan Habana: WP
10 Pat Lambie / Demetri Catrakilis: Sharks
9 Cobus Reinach / Nic Groom: Evens
8 Keegan Daniel / Duane Vermeuelen: WP
7 Willem Alberts / Don Armand: Sharks
6 Marcell Coetzee / Deon Fourie : Sharks
5 Anton Bresler / De Kock Steenkamp: Sharks
4 Steven Sykes / Eben Etzebeth: WP
3 Jannie Du Plessis / Francois Malherbe: Sharks (just)
2 Craig Burden / Scarra Ntubeni: Sharks (just)
1 Tendai Mtawarira / Steven Kitshoff: Sharks
16 Kyle Cooper / Deon Carstens: Different positions but think Cooper will be better in the loose whilst Carstens will be huge in the scrum and tight work for: WP
17 Wiehan Herbst / Brok Harris: WP
18 Jandre Marais / Willhelm Van Der Sluys: Evens
19 Jean Deysel / Jebb Sinclair : Sharks
20 Charl Mcloed / Louis Schroeder: WP
21 Meyer Bosman / Marcel Brache: Sharks
22 Odwa Ndungane / Joe Pietersen: WP
Either thin the Sharks will win by 12+ or WP will win by 8
As a WP fan I must believe that they can win it and finally have a Currie Cup but good luck to both teams and hopefully it will be as good as the 2010 final!
24 Oct 2012, 23:15 pm
15 Louis Ludik / Gio Aplon: Sharks
14 JP Pietersen / Gerrhard Van Den Heever: Sharks
13 Paul Jordaan / Juan De Jongh: Sharks
12 Tim Whitehead / Damien De Allende: Sharks
11 Lwazi Mvovo / Bryan Habana: Sharks
10 Pat Lambie / Demetri Catrakilis: Sharks
9 Cobus Reinach / Nic Groom: Sharks
8 Keegan Daniel / Duane Vermeuelen: Sharks
7 Willem Alberts / Don Armand: Sharks
6 Marcell Coetzee / Deon Fourie : Sharks
5 Anton Bresler / De Kock Steenkamp: Sharks
4 Steven Sykes / Eben Etzebeth: WP
3 Jannie Du Plessis / Francois Malherbe: Sharks
2 Craig Burden / Scarra Ntubeni: Sharks
1 Tendai Mtawarira / Steven Kitshoff: Sharks
24 Oct 2012, 23:27 pm
Lmao @luiperd, my sentiments exactly, except habana – mvovo may be evens stevens
24 Oct 2012, 23:31 pm
so according to these boffins WP don’t stand a chance in hell.. ain’t it going to be a beautiful little embarrassment when they going to get done at home carrying all the expectations on their overrated heads as the best team on the block and get done by a bunch of nobodies at home.. super duper reality realization time.. sweet as a lemon tree.
24 Oct 2012, 23:39 pm
OR…
Just another expected result in finals rugby for WP.
24 Oct 2012, 23:45 pm
keep on expecting.. its far nicer place to be where the expectations are low.. I far prefer that place of honor than that highfalutin snob nosed predetermined over inflated smug expectation of audacity. Any day of any week.
24 Oct 2012, 23:51 pm
@assagai-13: Listen here Assagai I understand your frustration at some supporters on here but you are going to find them everywhere in life. I also enjoy seeing the opinions of others on this site which is why I read it and contribute my own. I do realise that the Sharks supporters think they will smash WP on Saturday but thats their opinions and if they dont then they will eat humble pie.
However as a WP fan the one thing that annoys me is over confident WP fans who post about how great the team is and that there is no other. This website is here for a debate or chat about anything involving rugby and people can get a little carried away and begin to get personal but they need to realise that other people have different opinions. You only have to look at @Luiperd’s post to realise that these people are there to speak glory on their team. I wanted to reply to him but I decided that it was best to be silent in his moment of madness. Both teams have great calibre players e.g. Sharks have Beast, Lambie, Pietersen, Alberts etc.. but Stormers also have Habana, De Jongh, Etzebeth, Aplon etc.. and both sets of supporters would love it if they could have some of the other teams players. This is the quality of rugby in South Africa and people will always have strong opinions (which is mostly on the opposition to who their team is playing) however I personally like it when WP are written off or underdogs because the expectation is now off of their shoulders and when you view it as WP having nothing to lose then it suddenly becomes very interesting in terms of personal battles on the field and the whole event. It also acts as a last shot to stake a claim for the EOYT which is why the Currie Cup play-offs often posses some of the best rugby the world has produced. I am not fully excited for Saturdays game and would love a WP win and finally some silverware and it will be interesting to see if they can do it away at Kings Park against a very classy Sharks outfit. Good luck to both teams and supporters may the best on the day be the winners.
24 Oct 2012, 23:52 pm
Guns
I know who Kyle Cooper is. That was a jab at the typo.
24 Oct 2012, 23:57 pm
@Rhys7
After your heartfelt post I went away and did a bit of soul searching.
I came to this conclusion.
15 Louis Ludik / Gio Aplon: Sharks
14 JP Pietersen / Gerrhard Van Den Heever: Sharks
13 Paul Jordaan / Juan De Jongh: Sharks
12 Tim Whitehead / Damien De Allende: Sharks
11 Lwazi Mvovo / Bryan Habana: Sharks
10 Pat Lambie / Demetri Catrakilis: Sharks
9 Cobus Reinach / Nic Groom: Sharks
8 Keegan Daniel / Duane Vermeuelen: Sharks
7 Willem Alberts / Don Armand: Sharks
6 Marcell Coetzee / Deon Fourie : Sharks
5 Anton Bresler / De Kock Steenkamp: Sharks
4 Steven Sykes / Eben Etzebeth: Sharks
3 Jannie Du Plessis / Francois Malherbe: Sharks
2 Craig Burden / Scarra Ntubeni: Sharks
1 Tendai Mtawarira / Steven Kitshoff: Sharks
25 Oct 2012, 00:04 am
@Liewe Luiperd-18:
Thats your opinion.
Just gives off the impression that you are a boring type of guy who must live a pretty dull life if at 12.03am you are still looking at other comments and thinking to yourself about what you can reply to that to piss the other person off
Im sure you felt better for that didn’t you
25 Oct 2012, 00:09 am
@Rhys7-19: I work the night shift.
The Sharks have smashed WP stukkend this season in both Super rugby and CC and we all fully expect the natural order to continue this Saturday.
How’s them apples?
25 Oct 2012, 00:09 am
lmao @luiperd,
@assagai technically u dont have a low expectation, u actually have a very high expectation ..
…of losing
25 Oct 2012, 02:00 am
i would go with jandre marais for sykes and Deysel for Alberts
odwa for mvovo.
25 Oct 2012, 04:31 am
Now add Bizzie and Frans Steyn to that team…
25 Oct 2012, 04:35 am
@trupisero-23:
Jy alweer in jou bed gepis, why up so early?
25 Oct 2012, 07:26 am
This is a great Sharks team, a team that I honestly believe will give the Springboks of 2012 a beating. There seems to be a great vibe in the squad and a healthy competition for places.
When it comes to expansive rugby, this team has got it waxed, they have proven over the last month that they can play in the wet as well, their defense against the Bulls at times where as good as what I have seen from the Stormers during the S15. Lambie has a big point to prove, and Reinach, although a rookie, is playing the best scrumhalf game in SA at the moment. No matter what type of game you play, your 9 and 10 is where the game is lost and won. WP cannot match this.
There is no winner before the final whistle, but it will take nothing short of miracle for WP to lift the cup come Saturday.
25 Oct 2012, 07:51 am
As a Sharks supporter all this pre-match triumphalism makes me very nervous! They have blown it many a time before. Just hope for dry weather and a great game.
25 Oct 2012, 08:15 am
Strong backline!
WP need to target the forwards. Especially the lineout if they hope to have any chance in this game.
Dont let that backline get any good, quality ball.
25 Oct 2012, 08:16 am
@trupisero-23: Do you think Marcell Coetzee will start next year?
25 Oct 2012, 08:31 am
Some good news for Wp fans….heard that D Fourie is staying put at wp.
25 Oct 2012, 08:50 am
sharks too strong. they pretty much got their full S15 team playing. WP’s time will come, but not with who they have available this year.
i got a multi bet on sharks and cantabs to win.
25 Oct 2012, 14:15 pm
Sharks team:
A Bok front row.
A Bok back row.
A Bok back three.
A Bok FH.
4 more Boks on the bench.
10 run on Boks with another 4 on the bench.
WP team:
Three 20 year old kids in the front row.
One Bok, a converted hooker and a youngster in the back row.
A very good back three.
A young inexperienced FH with an even more inexperienced SH partner.
An unimpressive bench.
5 run on Boks
Surely the Sharks must win…but they won’t.
WP by 10.
GO WEEPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.