Category: Currie Cup

JPP has selected a strong but likely undercooked team for the clash against the Pumas. Fez Mbatha, Emile van Heerden, Manu Tshituka, Vincent Tshituka, Phepsi Buthelezi, Jaden Hendrikse, Francois Venter and Yaw Penxe will see their first game in the Currie Cup. The Pumas still have a chance to reach the semi-finals whereas the Sharks can at best end up at 6th position on the log.

Siya Masuku will bring plenty of experience to the Sharks team for the game against Boland. Jacques Marais and Mawande Mdanda will start in the front row. Paschal Ekeji and Albie Bester will start at 11 and 12. Jannes Potgieter swaps with Bathobele Hlekani and moves to the starting team.

Coach JPP made 7 changes to the team that managed to win the first half against the Griquas in Kimberley. Jean Smith comes in at flyhalf, Jaco Williams moves to wing and Hakeem Kunene is back at 15. Liam van Wyk replaces Bryce Calvert at hooker with Tino Mavesere back at open side. Coetzee Le Roux is back at lock.

JPP has picked Bathobele Hlekani (back from training with the Boks) to start against the Griquas in Kimberley. Unfortunately he will be moving to the Lions when his contract expires in December. Matt Romao (who really impressed last week) moves to the open side flank, while Deon Slabbert replaces Corne Rahl. Ceano Everson will join Vusi Moyo while we have two new wings this week – Paschal Ekeji and Christie Grobbelaar. I am really happy to see Jaco Williams retained at full back.

Gideon Koegelenberg will start with Slabbert dropping out. Matt Ramao starts at 7 with Jannes Potgieter dropping to the bench. The scrums were good last week, but the lineouts were a mess. The forwards were bullied at the breakdown and the maul. Hopefully the lineouts can at least improve this week.

Marnus Potgieter, Diego Appollis come into the midfield with Yaw Penxe on the wing. Jaco Williams moves into the fullback position (he does seem to have more BMT than Kunene – hopefully he gets a couple of games there).

Coach JPP have added the Sharks’ Junior Boks to his match day squad for the Bulls at Loftus. Additionally Tino Mavesere and Corne Rahl will add a bit more experience to the pack.

The Sharks will be up against a Bulls team with plenty of experience. The Bulls pack was dominant against WP and scored a number of maul tries. Expect more of the same this weekend.

JPP has selected a fairly inexperienced team (7 debutantes) for the first game of the Currie Cup. The official squad for the Currie Cup contains a number of the Junior Bok players that won the U20 World Cup in style but these have been given another week’s break after their heroics. Bathobele Hlekani who sparked one of the Junior Boks’ most spectacular tries has been called up to train with the Boks – so we will not see him hopefully doing the same for the Sharks soon.