Sharks3Sharks coach John Plumtree has made a number of enforced and rotational changes to his team that meets the Chiefs in Hamilton in their Vodacom Super Rugby clash on Saturday, with a number of players set to make their debuts.

Official Sharks Media Release

The changes implemented will mean however that a very fresh team will take on a Chiefs side – themselves under pressure – never short of playing running rugby, a style they will hope will tire The Sharks and which the changes will hopefully obviate.

In the absence of Tendai Mtawarira, Wiehahn Herbst will play at loosehead prop alongside hooker Craig Burden (in for Kyle Cooper who has started the last four matches and gets a well-earned break) and Springbok Jannie du Plessis.

There are changes in the second row with another player with a heavy workload being shifted to the bench. Franco van der Merwe who has started all eight games this campaign has been replaced by Pieter-Steph du Toit who played at flank last week, and he will partner Anton Bresler.

The loose forward trio has been completely re-arranged, Marcell Coetzee who has also started every game and carried a heavy workload makes way for debutant Derick Minnie, a big and strong 107kg athlete on loan from the Lions while Jean Deysel takes over the captaincy from Keegan Daniel who is also afforded some respite, although he will play some role, coming off the bench during the game.

Lubabalo Mtembu gets his first start at Super Rugby level, having gained three caps off the bench, replacing Daniel at eighthman.

Amongst the backline, there are further rotational changes with Charl McLeod and Cobus Reinach swapping jerseys and Piet Lindeque back in the black and white colours after a stint of Varsity and Vodacom Cup rugby and back to play for the province where he spent his early years after school.

Francois Steyn will partner Meyer Bosman in the severely disappointing absence of Paul Jordaan who returns home with a knee ligament injury in the final change.

 

The Sharks

1 Wiehahn Herbst, 2 Craig Burden, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 4 Anton Bresler, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Derick Minnie, 7 Jean Deysel (Captain), 8 Lubabalo Mtembu, 9 Charl McLeod, 10 Patrick Lambie, 11 Piet Lindeque, 12 Meyer Bosman, 13 Francois Steyn, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 15 Riaan Viljoen

Replacements: 16 Kyle Cooper, 17 Danie Mienie, 18 Franco van der Merwe, 19 Keegan Daniel, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 S’bura Sithole.

20 Responses to Super Rugby: New-look Sharks as Plumtree springs the surprises

  • 1

    But, but what about my thread?

  • 2

    @ Loosehead: Mine was before your’s hehehe

  • 3

    2 @ Sharks_forever:
    I posted the thread as I was under the impression that there were no more Sharks supporters left on R-T.

  • 4

    With Burden at hooker the lineout will go for a ball of shit.
    Did Coetzee deserve to be dropped? Daniels has been very average.
    Franco has done nothing besides taking the lineout ball, now with Cooper not throwing in?
    Does Lamby deserve to be at 10? He has done nothing to ignite the backline, but has kicked the goals. Why has Zelinga not been given the nod?

    The rest of the team almost chooses itself, as there are no other players.

    It is a huge slap in the face for fatty that Deysel has been made captain.

    I think that there are many problems in this camp.

  • 5

    @ Loosehead:
    Losie, Lambie is doing just fine, Problem at the Sharks has been the Forwards being bossed around, I think the new pack looks stronger, my only concern being Herbst at 1 as he is an out and out TH

    Not his fault however, as for Coetzee?? I think it is Plums thinking that he Daniel and Kanko had not being doing their jobs thus the changes we see.

    Cooper for me should not have been benched, he is one of the few Sharks that can say they gave their all.

  • 6

    Although I don’t like to say I recommend getting the Vaseline out Sharks

  • 7

    One big snotklap going to be handed to the Sharks.

  • 8

    Eish, I’ll be picking the Chiefs on Bru for this game…

  • 9

    Piet Lindeque, is he not the centre who played for Tuks in the Varsity Cup?

    If so…. good bloody centre!

    Derick Minnie is a penalty machine… and one would have to question whether Lions Loan Players could be as determined and committed as they should be for their loan sides… I mean they’re not as pshyced into the culture of their newly adopted side as the rest of the players who will die for his buddy next to him. They’re doing it for money and Super Rugby game time…

    To my mind, mostly the Vodacom Cup players of that same Province should be used, as I think one just loses a bit too much by using hired hands…. same principle applies for Mapoe at the Bulls (someting is missing, one feels).

    The Team “balance” as chosen by Plum just seems wrong… it feels awkward… and I think Plum has gone a bit too far this time.

    But hell, maybe this is the motivation and inspiration the Sharks need, after playing as kak as they did 2 games in a row now.

  • 10

    Sharks_forever wrote:

    Losie, Lambie is doing just fine

    Sharks fine? 13 tries ( 10 of them vs the blind school) 12 against

    ok you are right they are fine
    they share last spot for least tries scored with, guess who?
    STORMERS

    Fark guys our rugby is free falling.
    If Not Bulls with kick and chase , then Heynecke with his outdated plan, and guess what Sharks (Puma your team dropped you mate)taking it to a new level. Stormers is led by a moron who should have coached the Springbok backline but was helped out by Eddie Jones.

  • 11

    @ grootblousmile:

    Yes Rudi, that’s the same Lindeque, he was 3 years at the Sharks Academy then went to study at Tuks

  • 12

    10 @ superBul:
    Ag, it’s not that bad, the SA sides are competing on a very even footing with the New Zealand sides, some wins, some losses… and I think the SA sides are holding a bit more than just their own against the Aussie sides (who have played a week extra of Super Rugby).

    In fact, the SA Conference is a real bun fight, with the Cheetahs having improved so much… so it’s 4 teams slugging it out nail and tongs in our Conference… and the lowest side in our Conference has not lost to an Aussie side yet.

    The Aussie conference is easy, 2 sides far better than the other 3!

    Die glas is half vol, nie half flokken leeg nie!

  • 13

    11 @ Sharks_forever:
    The boy has potential… strong runner, good hands, distributes well…. must have learnt it at Tuks… hehehe

  • 14

    @ grootblousmile:
    grootblousmile wrote:

    Ag, it’s not that bad,

    hel ou maat die Sharks het 8 games gespeel, in een 10 drie gedruk, nog een was n bye , so in 6 games 3 driee. Dis net Lambie se SKOPVOET wat hulle van total embarrassment red.

  • 15

    grootblousmile wrote:

    The Aussie conference is easy, 2 sides far better than the other 3!

    Die glas is half vol, nie half flokken leeg nie!

    Glas vol of leeg is nie die punt ou, die Aussies is ook nie so lobsided soos jy se nie, Die NZ conference is n joke, Highlanders probeer om die Lions se rekord te steel. Maar dit gese hulle sal seker weer heel uit hul velle speel teen die Bulls.

    Die swak Force het 2 wenne en dit teen die Reds en Crusaders nogal. Onthou jy jou assessment na hul verloor teen die Kings?
    Die Rebels het weer iroies twee wenne en dit teen die Force, albei met 30-23 tellings

  • 16

    14 @ superBul:
    Sharks 13 drieë gedruk, 12 afgestaan
    Bulls 17 drieë gedruk, 16 afgestaan
    Cheetahs 20 drieë gedruk, 19 afgestaan
    Stormers 13 drieë gedruk, 9 afgestaan

    So ons 4 top spanne het almal net-net meer drieë gedruk as wat hulle afgestaan het… vergelyk bietjie die ander Konferensies se goed… het hulle 4 spanne in die positief? Nee, hulle het nie…

    Ons het tawwe derbies, jong!

  • 17

    @ grootblousmile:
    Dink jy kan nie driee gebruik in jou redenasie nie
    Bulls en Cheetahs het byvoorbeel beide meer as die helfte van hul driee teen hul SA teenstanders gedruk
    Bulls teen SA 7-3 teen NZ 4-8 en Aus 6-5
    Cheetahs vs SA 8-6, NZ 3-9 en AUS 9-4 weereens teen Rebels 5 soos Sharks 10 teen hulle gekry het

    Ongetwyfeld is die Rebels se verdediging uiters swak hulle het die meeste afgestaan, 33

  • 18

    Maar nou ja ek gaan nou slaap, Bulle moet net bleddie oppas vir die Tahs

  • 19

    17 @ superBul:
    Die tyd sal leer…

    Ek verstaan nie hoekom jy sê ek kan my argumente nie gebruik nie (drieë vir en teen is maar een van my argumente), maar jou redenasies, wat sê ons rugby is in die moeilikheid is gebasseer op hoe swak die Sharks speel, sonder inagneming van hoe die ander 2 Konferensies ook maar saam sukkel nie?

    Waarop ek neerkom is dat dit nie maanskyn en rose is vir Nieu Seeland of Austrlië se rugby nie… hulle het ook hulle probleme en issues, spanne en spelers wat sukkel en kwaai van vorm af is.

    Ons het minstens darem 4 amper ewe sterk Franchises… en dit tel punte vir my, dit sê plaaslike kompetisie is kwaai vir posisies in die Bokke… en overall is SA Rugby straf en mededingend.

    Ek hoop die Bulls het nou gesien die wenpatroon lê in besitrugby, soos hulle gewys het werk teen die Blues en Kings… en nie in wegskop-rugby nie.

    … die tyd sal leer… en ons moet nie die Waratahs onderskat of kanse gee nie…

  • 20

    Fantasy Rugby,s abbreviated preview. Note someone else also picked up the Sharks inability to find the chalk. Pumas complete team, the proposed Springbok game plan. hahaha

    “Saturday kicks off with 2 teams who are beyond desperate to correct their
    respective ships as the Chiefs host the Sharks who are playing their 1st match
    of their Antipodean adventure – both teams have lost successive matches and have
    seen their playoff chances fading like a bad hairline. The Chiefs are sitting
    ahead of the Sharks on the table by virtue of bonus points because they
    actually know where the tryline and why it is there but that won’t really matter
    on Saturday because both of these teams need a win like Justin Bieber needs a
    kick in the pants”

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