Plum has decided to rest a number of his first choice players for Friday night’s game against the Warriors. Nick Hatton will feature behind the scrum with Curwin Bosch getting a start at 10, Murray Koster at 13 and Boeta Chamberlain at 15. Vincent Koch, Vincent Tshituka, Siya Masuku and Ethan Hooker will provide reinforcement from the bench later in the game.
(more…)The Hollywoodbets Sharks team to face Edinburgh in the Challenge Cup quarter-final on Saturday at Hollywoodbets Kings Park, was just released.
(more…)Eben Etzebeth is out with a rib injury but there are still 7 World Cup Boks in the squad with 6 starting.
Corne Rahl starts in place of Eben with Gerbrandt Grobler on the bench. Ethan Hooker starts at 12 with Francois Venter moving to the bench. Good to see Grant Williams back on the bench.
(more…)Plum will start his first choice front row against Edinburgh. Emile van Heerden is back from injury and replaces Gerbrandt Grobler. James Venter is back at open side and Phepsi moves back to 8. Francois Venter swaps places with Ethan Hooker and Werner Kok comes in for the injured Eduan Keyter.
(more…)Ox, Vincent (both from the bench) and Eben will all strengthen the pack for the Sharks this Saturday. I am not a fan of Phepsi at openside – not sure if James Venter is out injured. George Cronje gets another start at 8 and need to start showing the form that made the Sharks buying him from Free State.
(more…)The Sharks have confirmed that Andre Esterhuizen, Trevor Nyakane and Jason Jenkins have all signed to move to the Sharks. This should strengthen the Sharks squad. However the coaching staff will still have to find a way to build up their second tier players (as the Bulls and Stormers have managed).
So far Werner Kok (to Ulster), Le Roux Roets (to Sale Sharks) and Rohan Janse van Rensburg (already moved to Canon Eagles) have confirmed they will leave the Sharks. No confirmation on Boeta Chamberlain yet.
The Sharks travel to Johannesburg pretty much playing for pride, practicing for the Challenge Cup and giving more game time to youngsters. Ntuthuko Mchunu have the big boots of Ox Nche to fill to keep the scrum up along with Bongi and Coenie Oosthuizen. Jaden Hendrikse, Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi are all rested – not sure why Am and Mapimpi who missed a number of games due to injuries at the World Cup need rest at this stage.
(more…)The Sharks have lost Eben Etzebeth due to a knee injury, but are welcoming back Bongi Mbonambi and Vincent Tshituka on the bench. Plum has selected a fairly strong pack and his most experienced back line.
Siya Masuku will likely make his debut for the Sharks in the second half, with Bradley Davids coming in for Grant Williams.
(more…)Dave Williams (or Neil Powell) has made just two rotational changes to the starting lineup – James Venter and Jaden Hendrikse swaps with Tinotenda Mavesere and Grant Williams. However Dan Jooste, Coenie Oosthuizen, Le Roux Roets, Lionel Cronje and Rohan Janse van Rensburg all move onto the bench. Eben Etzebeth is rested for this match. On that topic hopefully this plus the following three weeks counts towards Eben’s mandatory break.
(more…)Teams like the Lions (9 log points) and Ospreys (9 log points) have already qualified for the round of 16, but no-one in Pool 1 (even Sharks with 12 log points and Cheetahs with 9 log points) have yet qualified.
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