Captain Keegan returns
14 Mar 2013
Keegan Daniel is back to lead the Sharks against the Brumbies.
Daniel is one of three changes to the starting line-up that overcame the Kings in Port Elizabeth last weekend. With Jean Deysel’s injury, Daniel’s return couldn’t have been better timed.
The other changes are in the backline where Charl McLeod starts ahead of Cobus Reinach while Odwa Ndungane is selected ahead of Lwazi Mvovo. These changes might be seen as rotation, but personally I think John Plumtree wants the most experienced side on the park against a tough Brumbies team.
The tinkering in the backline indicates a greater focus on the Brumbies’ kicking game, with Odwa Ndungane notoriously better than Mvovo under the high ball, and with his stints at fullback, will be a second for Louis Ludik. McLeod’s inclusion over Reinach could be purely on form after the youngster battled against the Kings, being substituted for the last quarter of the match, where McLeod showed some good form.
The bench sees the two dropped backline players take their spots, while Jacques Botes’ cracked wrist must not be too serious as he takes his place as backup.
Sharks: 15 Louis Ludik, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Francois Steyn, 11 Odwa Ndungane 10 Patrick Lambie, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Keegan Daniel (captain), 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Anton Bresler, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Craig Burden, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.Substitutes: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Wiehahn Herbst, 18 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 19 Jacques Botes, 20 Cobus Reinach, 21 Meyer Bosman, 22 Lwazi Mvovo.
By Richard Ferguson
236 Comments
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14 Mar 2013, 10:43 am
Captain Keegan returns http://t.co/k8xeF77zs4 via @sharethis Three changes for Sharks ahead of Brumbies clash
14 Mar 2013, 11:02 am
Now what happens when Alberts comes back?
As much as I like Marcell Coetzee he’s not effective enough as a ball carrier for me, although I’d start him ahead of Daniels.
6) Coetzee
7) Alberts
8) Kankow
Pow pow!
14 Mar 2013, 11:12 am
@Bagel-2:
When you do that, who do you make captain?
Thing is, the Sharks have this depth at loose forward, but it is always tested, because Deysel and Alberts will at all times have some sort of niggle that will keep them from playing a full 80 minutes.
With all fit and well, I would start with Daniel and Alberts and bring Coetzee on later, as you say, he has not been as effective this year as a ball carrier. That said, Alberts hasn’t been effective for a season now?
14 Mar 2013, 11:16 am
The best Sharks loose trio over the last few seasons was:
Daniel c
Alberts
Kanko
I think that’ll be the trio going forward with Coetzee rotating with Alberts as soon as he is fit.
14 Mar 2013, 11:19 am
Uh oh…..
This is going to get messy.
I better put my raincoat on.
14 Mar 2013, 11:20 am
The Christian Cullen of loosies returns!
14 Mar 2013, 11:21 am
@Richard Ferguson-3: Rather the other way around…
Start with Coetzee and then bring on Alberts… Counter intuitive in terms of starting the whippet first, followed by the Mastiff…
But as Alberts showed when playing under Dippy Div, with one game particularly in mind – Wales vs Boks at Millenium Stadium, Alberts is an impact match winner…
Start with Coetzee to do the mountain of work… Lay siege to the opposition fort as such… and then bring on the Alberts bunker buster to lay waste…
If Kanko, Coetzee and Daniel play anywhere near as well as they did for the last 5 games last year then like last year Alberts might have to fit in at lock even…
14 Mar 2013, 11:23 am
Once all the loosies are fit, I would be inclined to have a 5 / 2 split amongst the forwards, start with Keegan, Alberts and Kanko. Bring on Coetzee for Keegan and Deysel for Alberts.
That way the bashers split the load and you can slowly phase in another captain in case something happens to Keegan.
14 Mar 2013, 11:24 am
If Keegan fully fit then the starting loose trio is without doubt
Daniel
Coetzee
Kanko
Alberts either on in last 30 to finish the on field stalemate argument or explode what resistance might be remaining… or on from the start at No 4 lock…
Big options.
14 Mar 2013, 11:26 am
@Heavens Game-7:
Do you then drop Bresler or van der Merwe?
I don’t agree with making place for a player in another position. Alberts as a lock is just not as effective.
Coetzee does the donkey work, but with Kankowski tightening up his game as he has, it does allow you to leave Coetzee off to run at the opposition later in the match. On the point of Coetzee, someone needs to teach this kid to pass a ball once a match!
Your point regarding Alberts off the bench is valid, and I do agree with you. Giving him 20 minutes a match will almost certainly extend his career..
14 Mar 2013, 11:29 am
Hi Rich
“With Jean Deysel’s injury, Daniel’s return could have been better timed.”
this is from the first para and needs correction bud as i am sure you meant “couldn’t”?
apologies for being pedantic.
14 Mar 2013, 11:32 am
Botes’ wrist surely can’t be cracked ! No ways he’ll be able to play like that. Did they in fact have X-rays taken ?
14 Mar 2013, 11:33 am
@The Rangerman-11:
Apologies
14 Mar 2013, 11:34 am
@Richard Ferguson-13: no worries just helping out a fellow sharkie.
14 Mar 2013, 11:35 am
@CharlesM-12:
It was a suspected cracked wrist with scans to reveal the full extent.
Seems scans came through that is wasn’t as serious:
“Jacques Botes was initially diagnosed with a cracked wrist, but on later examination we discovered that he has had it for a long time, that it was a previous injury, it just shows that the older you get, the tougher you get,” said Sharks coach John Plumtree after Wednesday’s training. “It’s not a new injury but he’s alright and that’s good news for the team.”
14 Mar 2013, 11:36 am
the web is an extraordinary tool.
a change to the database once published is immediately available to all as rich has just shown.
thats why all software will one day be web based, sooner than most realise.
even microsoft have gone that route with their online store and the phasing out of cd-rom or dvd drives in laptops, google docs etc etc.
it just makes so much sense. my clients dig it too
14 Mar 2013, 11:37 am
@Richard Ferguson-15: so the yster has been playing with a cracked wrist for ages?
whattaman!
14 Mar 2013, 11:39 am
@The Rangerman-17:
Just goes to show, the oke is a legend.
All the talk above about loosies, and we never include him in anything, yet he keeps playing..
14 Mar 2013, 11:41 am
@Richard Ferguson-10: Not effective you say?
It seems you forget how non-effective the Daniel, Coetzee, Kanko combo with Alberts at lock truly was last year…
Granted, lock was slightly problematic and Alberts did a great fill in job… But at 4 he is a decent option, especially at scrum time…
If Alberts at 4 he would replace Bresler…
I dont buy the bring Coetzee on as impact in 2nd half (Heyneke) nonsense and I am glad Plum doesn’t either… Because of his workrate, Coetzee is more effective from the start… The energizer bunny wears down the other team… This will not be the same when bringing him on in the 2nd half…
Alberts however is a machine when coming on as a momentum shifter all on his own… He gets worn down if he starts, and the opposition watch him closely…
Daniel is more “switchable” with Kanko rather than Coetzee, who I believe is almost becoming the bedrock of the Sharks game…
A more viable loosie option if Alberts starts is, Coetzee Alberts and Daniel at 8… With Kanko replacing Alberts in the last 20 and Daniel moving to the side…
This was quite successful last year too.
14 Mar 2013, 11:41 am
@Richard Ferguson-18: ja he was unfortunate to play in the time of schalk and juan but like wayne fyvie, he is one of the rocks around which the sharks have been built.
and having him for all the cc duty when the boks were away was a real luxury.
14 Mar 2013, 11:42 am
@Heavens Game-19: how non-effective should be how effective…
14 Mar 2013, 11:44 am
@Heavens Game-19: i like your reasoning regarding marcels ability to wear down the opposition because the lad has more energy than a staffie on speed (no animals were harmed in the crafting of this analogy).
14 Mar 2013, 11:45 am
@Heavens Game-19:
I would rather bring Alberts on as impact player, as you say, than to play him at lock, where he is keeping a talented bloke like Bresler out of the team.
We can go on for hours about the loose trio, fact is, they are never all fit.. So we will have to do with what is available.
14 Mar 2013, 11:45 am
@Richard Ferguson-15: Thanks Richard – it just seems that nowadays coaches sometimes speak too soon about damage to whatever body part and I think how is it possible that the guy can be back so soon ?
When Etzebeth was injured, AC said 6 to 8 weeks out. Now it seems that 10 weeks will be a conservative estimate……and let’s not even begin to discuss Schalk Burger !
14 Mar 2013, 11:50 am
@CharlesM-24:
I would rather blame the media than the coaches, to be honest.
Plumtree made it clear that it is a suspected cracked wrist and that he could miss the game, but that scans were going to reveal all the next day. We all jumped to conclusions and ruled him out of the match, and that comes down to the reporting.
Coaches should really try and refrain from giving a set return date, or period of non-availability, because we read that the player will return to the match after four weeks out, while that is only the date that he returns to training, where the fitness needs to be tested and recurring problems can be found.
It is a tricky to balance it though, because you don’t want to give the opposition too much information either.
14 Mar 2013, 11:50 am
The Brumbie centers can do a lot worse than look at JdJ plonking The Cullen of Loosies on his over-rated arse
14 Mar 2013, 11:52 am
reinach p i s s ed me off last weekend something chronic.
poor decision making, stupid kicking away of possession and one particularly idiotic refusal to clear a ruck when clearly it was on left with overlap and all but he waited and waited and if i recall thats what left mvovo with the man on man when he was held up?
the lad has promise so i dont want to be too harsh but ffs he must wake up and realise that lambie is the general and he is the ruck clearer ffs.
14 Mar 2013, 11:54 am
@The Rangerman-27:
Agree completely!
The week I do an article praising him he plays like that and makes me look like a tool!
Hopefully Charl will help him grow into the role, and he doesn’t do the three step pass that frustrates us all!
14 Mar 2013, 11:54 am
@mikeybrass-26: well teams playing the stormers could have a look at how JPP made jdj and jdv look like overrated geriatrics as he breezed past them at newlands in the semi last year.
whoop, gangnam style
14 Mar 2013, 11:57 am
Toomus and Lealifano are decent types…….Frans Steyn will try and bully the Brumbie 12 , he is twice his size….
Mogg a dangerous bliksem.
But Sharks at the tank are a tough ask…..and I have a feeling Lambie is due a big 1 …..
14 Mar 2013, 12:00 pm
@The Rangerman-29:
ranger, you are quicker on the draw than the “ruiter in swart” today 
14 Mar 2013, 12:03 pm
toomua
14 Mar 2013, 12:04 pm
@Richard Ferguson-28: ja he is young still but that performance vs the kings was diabolical and reminded me of his shocker in the cc final last year.
i hope he isnt a player with no bmt because its possible the kings crowd got to him?
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-31: hehe, as mikey soek dan sal hy kry.
14 Mar 2013, 12:06 pm
@The Rangerman-33:
14 Mar 2013, 12:09 pm
@The Rangerman-29: JPP… Legend… Sharks knife through Stormers butter at Newlands…
Schweet as.
14 Mar 2013, 12:11 pm
Sharks Bukkake Thread!
14 Mar 2013, 12:12 pm
@Heavens Game-35: ja JPP is probably my favourite player and i have said this for years.
he is a game changer even though he plays on the wing.
14 Mar 2013, 12:13 pm
@WP-Forever-36: sies man!
14 Mar 2013, 12:13 pm
@mikeybrass-26: Am sure Lambie will find it easier – if it could be any easier – to put George Smith on his arsewhole, than he found putting the Incredible Schalk on his dutpipe after a brisk little handoff on his way to scoring under the poles once…
The look on Schalks eyes was memorable to this day… Fear!
BOOM!
14 Mar 2013, 12:14 pm
@The Rangerman-37: Best backline player in SA for years…
Other than Frans Steyn of course….
14 Mar 2013, 12:16 pm
@WP-Forever-36:
Tsk tsk
Don’t be nasty
Let them enjoy this momentous occasion.
The Sharks are standing on the threshold of greatness.
If the Bulls lose they might top the conference of the SA teams after week 5.
O happy day for so many
Please, let us not spoil that.
Sharks for conference leaders!!
14 Mar 2013, 12:16 pm
@Richard Ferguson-28: I wont say any “I told you so” about Reinach and McLeod either…
Promise…
14 Mar 2013, 12:18 pm
Captain Keegan returns http://t.co/1EwBbwCoWW via @sharethis
14 Mar 2013, 12:19 pm
@Heavens Game-42:
I appreciate it! lol
14 Mar 2013, 12:19 pm
@nortierd-41: It will be a first since 2007 I reckon… And we all know what should have happened in 2007… Notwithstanding the rather “freakish” results for the Bulls to even get to the KP final and then jonja the farken Cup that was rightfully the Sharks in the first place…
14 Mar 2013, 12:22 pm
heres a nice little photo for mikey:
http://you.co.za/hot-curried-lambie/
and another set, images 4 and 7 are quite nice though image 6 is also interesting.
http://www.sport24.co.za/Multimedia/Photos-Of-The-Month/October-2010-20120425
14 Mar 2013, 12:23 pm
@grant10-30: “Frans Steyn will try”…?
You mean “will”… Simple as that.
Fransie owes the Sharks a biggie… Lambie too.
I reckon its one week to early for the “click”… But I shityounot you will see signs this weekend…
And McLeod, Daniel will be key.
14 Mar 2013, 12:24 pm
@Richard Ferguson-28: lol
” The week I do an article praising him he
plays like that and makes me look like a
”
reinach for Boks kwaaaaaaaaas
14 Mar 2013, 12:24 pm
@Heavens Game-40: haha, nama will be here in a few moments.
14 Mar 2013, 12:28 pm
@Heavens Game-44
Lol
I remember my daughter doing a happy dance when the Sharks were leading and I told her to stop with the victory jig until the final whistle.
Still can’t believe you guys lost that one
I was gutted.
You have no idea how many weeks I had to endure blue milk tart and boerewors and bread.
Pretoria is another planet when they win, and if you are a foreigner from Cape Town like me, you must suck it up and take it on the chin
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