Rassie has picked Shark youngsters Vusi Moyo and Jaco Williams for the game against Wales. Ruben van Heerden and Carlu Sadie also made their debuts in the pack. PSDT is captaining the team from 7 but Ruan Nortje gets a welcome rest. Herschel Jantjies having played last in 2023 for the Boks gets another chance off the bench.
(more…)Rassie has made wholesale changes from the team that klapped England last week. He is very cleverly using the Nations Championship as a way to expand his squad and test different combinations.
Damian Willemse (who had a stellar game at fullback) is shifted to inside centre. Had he not suffered a concussion against England, Andre Esterhuizen would probably have started at inside centre in this match. Bulls duo Handre Pollard and Embrose Papier will run the game at half back. It is rumoured that Canan Moodie is now also out injured and Ethan Hooker may make an early return to the team at 11.
(more…)Jaco Williams and Zekhethelo Siyaya will feature on the wing for the A Team against Zimbabwe. Old head Lukhanyo Am will feature in the back line next to all the youngsters. Phepsi Buthelezi and Emmanuel Tshituka joins Bathobele Hlekani in the back row, while Vincent Tshituka will captain the team from the lock position. Hanro Jacobs and Jurenzo Julius should feature later in the game.
I have no idea what the quality of the Zimbabwean team is like although they have qualified for the 2027 World Cup. Given that most of these A team players (even 18 year old Markus Muller and Zekhethelo Siyaya) have experience in the URC / Champions Cup one should expect the SA A team to dominate this game.
(more…)Rassie keeps making unexpected selections – this time Quan Horn will feature at 10 for the Boks against the Barbarians. Good to see Aphelele Fassi back at 15 with Andre Esterhuizen and Jesse Kriel forming a strong running and tackling pair in midfield. The pack is generally very experienced with two rookies in Andre-Hugo Venter and Riley Norton. Also glad to see Vusi Moyo on the bench. Cheslin Kolbe will be the designated place kicker in the team.
The Barbarians have selected some quality players such as Kellaway, van der Merwe, Albornoz, Perenara and Petty.
(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 selected a strong tight five including Boks Ox Nche, Vincent Koch and Eben Etzebeth for the game against Connacht. Makazole Mapimpi and Edwill van der Merwe are the only Boks in the back line with Ethan Hooker on the bench. A fairly decent team on paper but including a majority of players who have not had any game time recently.
(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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