JPP has selected the strongest available team for the game in Cape Town. The Stormers have also selected all their available Boks including Wilco Louw. The scrum battle between Ox and Louw will be worth the ticket price on its own. The Sharks Boks will have the slight advantage that they already have played one game for their URC team.
(more…)JPP has selected his Boks for the game against Leinster. Thomas du Toit starts at loosehead with Ox Nche on the bench. Andre Esterhuizen captains the team from 12 with Edwill on the wing. Eben Etzebeth and Ethan Hooker features on the bench.
Loading with returning Boks has not always worked for the Sharks. The Boks have just been through a challenging series up there with Lions and World Cup levels plus actually traveling around the globe. I am not sure how much these guys will still have in the tank.
(more…)Nick Hatton will captain the Sharks for the URC opening game against the Ospreys. New signings Darrien Landsberg and Suleiman Hartzenberg feature in the starting lineup with Ivan van Zyl on the bench. Vusi Moyo will run the show from 10 with Jaden Hendrikse next to him. The Sharks plan to get the maximum out of Luan Giliomee before he joins the Bulls in December. Exciting but still raw talent Zekhethelo Siyaya is on the bench.
(more…)JPP has mixed up his squad for the warm-up against the Lions on Friday. The Hendrikse brothers are back running the show with only Luan Giliomee, .Phepsi Buthelezi, Corne Rahl retaining their jerseys from last week and Litelihle Bester starting but moving to wing. It does not look like the match will be televised.
(more…)Interestingly the Sharks keep including Luan Giliomee in teams even though he set to join the Bulls in December. In the past they would have allowed an early release – now they are making full use of him while short on full back cover. The game is in George on Friday night and will not be televised.
I have not been a fan of Ross Braude but after his recent form in the Currie Cup I would think he deserves a go in the URC team.
(more…)The Sharks just cannot shake off the injury curse – Vincent Tshituka, Corne Rahl and Edwill van der Merwe added to the list. Coach JPP has selected Vusi Moyo at flyhalf with Manu Tshituka replacing his brother. Jaco Williams moves to the wing and the impressive Zekhethelo Siyaya will feature at 15. Good to see Matt Ramao and Le Roux Malan (pity he is off to Cardiff) back on the bench.
(more…)JPP has selected young Zekhethelo Siyaya (who impressed at 15) at 10 next to Bradley Davids. Jean Smith (the only other fit flyhalf in the squad) is on the bench, but is set to join the opposing team when the season ends. The pack is the strongest we have available at the moment, but the youngster will likely have a tough time in the 10 jersey.
Neither team has any chance to reach the top 8 and will just be playing for pride. I just hope that the Sharks can use the next two matches to make some progress on fixing the deficiencies in playing and coaching.
(more…)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.
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