Apart from the newly injured, coach JPP has kept most of the players that featured against the Ospreys. Makazole Mapimpi comes in for the injured Ethan Hooker. Andre shifts to 13 and Siya Masuku will play 12 next to Jean Smith. Siya Kolisi will play off the bench.
BTW the URC rejected JPP’s request to investigate the foul play that left Ethan Hooker out for at least 2 months. Seems SA players are not deserving of protection against thuggery.
(more…)JPP has selected an 18 year old to start at fullback against the Ospreys in Wales. Hopefully Zekhethelo Siyaya will have as good a debut as Luan Giliomee had. The coach is using Ox Nche and Vincent Koch as a mini bomb squad for later in the game. Jean Smith will get another chance next to Jaden Hendrikse.
(more…)JPP has kept to team that started against Munster except for Ethan Hooker coming back into the team, and Bradley Davids replacing the injured Grant Williams. Jaden Hendrikse has been bracketed with Ross Braude on the bench.
(more…)Coach JPP has selected 19 year old Blitzbok Luan Giliomee at fullback against Munster. He has kept big guns Ox Nche and Vincent Koch on the bench. Grant Williams will partner Jordan Hendrikse with Ethan Hooker next to Andre Esterhuizen in the midfield. Overall it is a pretty decent team – can they gel on attack and defense?
(more…)Mapimpi is back to face the Bulls with Jaco Williams (no Aphelele Fassi) at 15. Jurenzo Julius (no Ethan Hooker) is partnering Andre Esterhuizen in a new centre combination.
Ox Nche and Vincent Koch will add some needed scrum power for the Sharks but Bongi Mbonambi is also still missing. Tino Mavesere, Vincent Tshituka and Phepsi Buthelezi forms a decent loose trio.
(more…)The Sharks will take on the Lions at Ellis Park without a number of Bok players (e.g. Ox, Bongi, Siya, Grant, Andre, Ethan) due to rest protocols. Edwill van der Merwe and Aphelele Fassi will start with Vincent Koch on the bench. Thomas Dyer will get his second start for the Sharks at the back of the scrum. Interestingly Jurenzo Julius has been selected at inside centre and Francois Venter at outside.
(more…)The Sharks have now implemented the coaching changes that was hinted at:
Firstly JPP has now been appointed as the permanent head coach of the Sharks team. Scott Mathie will join as the new attack coach next season and as far as I can tell Warren Whitely, Philip Lemmer and Joey Mongale will retain their assistant positions.
Neil Powell will no longer look over the coach’s shoulder but will become the new Head of Junior Rugby.
(more…)JPP has been able to select close to his strongest squad for the rematch against the Stormers at Kings Park. Fez Mbatha is back playing between Ox Nche and Hanro Jacobs. Jason Jenkins moves to the bench with Corne Rahl starting. Phepsi starts in the number 8 jersey along Vincent Tshituka and Siya Kolisi. Grant Williams and Jaden Hendrikse swap jerseys this week with Edwill van der Merwe making his return to the team.
(more…)JPP has selected some of his best players on the bench (e.g. Ox, Vincent Tshituka, Grant Williams, Siya Kolisi). Phepsi has been selected at 6 whereas IMO he is our best 8. Jaco Williams gets another opportunity at 11 with Yaw Penxe / PK Sobahle bracketed for the other wing.
(more…)Coach JPP has selected a team with some of his first choice players (Ox, Bongi, Jenkins, Fassi, Jordan, etc) while resting big guns like Siya Kolisi, Vincent Tshituka, Grant Williams, Andre Esterhuizen, Ethan Hooker and Edwill van der Merwe.
The selections do make sense as the Sharks have little chance of qualifying for the round of 16 in the Champions Cup. They are still very likely to qualify for the Challenge Cup round of 16 by virtue of finishing 5th in their pool (unless Clermont can score 4 tries, keep the Sharks to fewer than 4 and beat the Sharks by more than 22 points). Clermont will very likely send a development team in any case and rest their key players for the Top 14.
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