Sharks
Rising star Pieter-Steph du Toit has become a massive signing target for provincial unions this season with no less than three Super Rugby franchises vying for his signature.
MTN Lions head coach Johan Ackermann has announced his side to front The Sharks at Ellis Park on Friday evening.
Butch James will play his first game for The Sharks after battling a knee injury, having been named at flyhalf for Friday evening’s SA Franchise Challenge match against the MTN Golden Lions at Ellis Park.
European champions Toulon have Springbok hooker Bismarck du Plessis firmly in their sights, a French media report indicates.
Springboks and Sharks back Meyer Bosman has agreed to leave the Durban based Super Rugby franchise and join Stade Francais in the Top14.
Former Saracens boss Brendan Venter will take up the position as Director of Rugby at the Sharks from the beginning of the Currie Cup season.
Nick Mallett has reportedly turned down an offer from the Sharks to take over the coaching reins from John Plumtree.
Out of favour Sharks No 8, Ryan Kankowski may leave South Africa after playing for the SA Sevens team at the upcoming World Cup.
Sharks centre Piet Lindeque is heading back to the Cheetahs to continue his rugby career in Bloemfontein.
Taking a look at the Super Rugby season for The Sharks thus far has been painful and regrettable, the uncertainty and anger of supporters as to “What just happened out there” or “Why? Who is to blame?” and naturally the first thing that is thrown around is “Dismiss the coaching staff!”.
Sharks (3) 16 / 18 (9) Bulls (Final Score)
The Sharks and Vodacom Bulls did battle in Super Rugby at Kings Park, Durban at 19:10 SA Time (17:10 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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The Sharks and the Springboks have received a blow with the news that wing JP Pietersen will be sidelined for an extended period.
The return of injured Springboks Bismarck du Plessis and Butch James will bolster The Sharks as they return home from their disasterous tour and as they ready themselves to face the South African Conference Log leaders, the Vodacom Bulls for the tough derby game at Kings Park this Saturday.
Now we are into the business part of the Super Rugby season! Before the TEST Window break each South African team has 2 games left (Sharks have only 1).
Force (10) 13 / 23 (7) Sharks (Final Score)
The Western Force and The Sharks did battle in Super Rugby at NIB Stadium, Perth at 13:45 SA Time (19:45 Perth Time, 11:45 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Sharks rugby seems to be in disarray as stories surface regarding issues within the Union and players! Now even though nothing has been confirmed officially, it does seem to make sense as to why the sudden problems the Sharks are having.
Reds (29) 32 / 17 (3) Sharks (Final Score)
The Reds and The Sharks did battle in Super Rugby at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane at 11:40 SA Time (09:40 GMT, 19:40 Brisbane Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Sharks coach John Plumtree has been able to name a settled side to take on the Reds on Friday, making just four changes to last week’s starting line-up, two of them enforced through injury.
Highlanders (7) 25 / 22 (15) Sharks (Final Score)
The Highlanders and The Sharks did battle in Super Rugby at Forsyth-Barr Stadium, Dunedin at 09:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 07:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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I got this from SuperSport, a bit of a satirical look at the Sharks… but also the hope expressed that they start to perform!
A SANZAR Judicial Hearing dismissed the citing of Frans Steyn following the match against the Chiefs which obviously is a huge relief for a team who cannot afford to keep losing players.
Chiefs (24) 37 / 29 (19) Sharks (Final Score)
The Chiefs and The Sharks did battle in Super Rugby at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton at 09:35 SA Time (07:35 GMT, 19:35 NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Sharks 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.
The Sharks have been dealt another cruel injury blow as centre Paul Jordaan suffered a season ending injury during a training session in Sydney early this week.
Lions captain JC Janse van Rensburg has answered a Sharks AOS and will join them on tour in Australasia.
The Sharks flew out of Durban at the weekend as their injury toll mounted – seasoned Springbok prop Tendai Mtawarira ruled out with a calf injury, while Lions loan player Andries Coetzee stayed behind with a suspected dislocated shoulder.
Springbok winger JP Pietersen will head to Japan for the next two seasons but will still be available to play for the Springbok team for a large part of the international season.
Sharks’ coach John Plumtree has revealed that their 6-12 loss to the Cheetahs has come with the added cost of losing prop Tendai (the Beast) Mtawarira for a month amongst others.
The Vodacom Bulls jumped from third to first in the South African Vodacom Super Rugby Conference after their bonus-point victory over the Southern Kings in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
Their fourth try was scored in injury time, but it was enough for the Vodacom Bulls to return to Pretoria with five points which saw them go to 28 log points halfway through the league phase of the competition. They won 34-0.
Sharks (3) 6 / 12 (7) Cheetahs (Final Score)
The Sharks and Toyota Cheetahs did battle in Super Rugby at Kings Park, Durban at 17:05 SA Time.
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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Pole position in the South African Conference will be on the line when the Sharks welcome the Cheetahs to Kings Park on Saturday evening.
The Sharks have named a mixture of youth and experience in their 26 man touring squad that will depart for their four match Vodacom Super Rugby tour to New Zealand and Australia on Sunday.
The Board of Directors of The Sharks (Pty) Ltd are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr John Smit as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of The Sharks (Pty) Ltd, effective 1st July 2013. John takes over the reins from current CEO, Mr Brian van Zyl who will mentor John until his pre-agreed retirement date of 28th February 2014.
Stormers (16) 22 / 15 (6) Sharks (Final Score)
The DHL Stormers and The Sharks did battle in Super Rugby at Newlands Stadium, Cape Town at 17:05 SA Time (05:05 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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All five South African Vodacom Super Rugby franchises will be in action this weekend, with two mouth-watering derbies set for Cape Town and Pretoria on what amounts to a “Super Saturday”.
Where there is smoke, there is fire!
I remember that quite a few of us wanted John Smit in the Springbok coaching setup, instead of the team, before the 2011 Rugby World Cup, well rumours would have us believe that John Smit could become the next CEO at the Sharks Rugby Union, in place of the retiring Brian van Zyl.