The departure of Johann Muller to Australia to join the Springboks will mean another change of captaincy when the Sharks travel to Wellington for Friday’s ABSA Currie Cup clash with the Boland Cavaliers.
Muller, after missing much of the season through an arm injury, was back in the saddle when the Sharks lost to Western Province in Durban last weekend. He had returned to rugby the previous week when the Sharks thumped Griquas 41-6 but Stefan Terblanche had retained the captaincy for that match to allow Muller to settle back in without having the additional pressure of having to lead the team.
After losing 21-9 to the Sharks at the weekend, his team’s second defeat of the season and with both of them with him as the captain, Muller quipped “Now Stefan is going to keep telling me about his 100% record as captain”.
But Terblanche won’t be talking to Muller at all for the next little while, for he will be taking charge of a team that will be without their experienced lock forward and regular team leader over the next two weekends. Muller was called up to join the Boks on the away leg of the Tri-Nations on Tuesday as a replacement for Andries Bekker and cover for the two lock replacements reportedly carrying niggles, Bakkies Botha and Danie Rossouw.
Albert van den Berg will probably slot into Muller’s place against the Cavaliers, who have had a poor season and are unlikely to stretch a Sharks team no doubt smarting from their defeat to WP. Where his absence might be more keenly felt, however, is in what is sure to be a keenly fought return clash with the Blue Bulls in Pretoria on Saturday week.
Good news for the Sharks though is the return to fitness of former national age-group captain Alistair Hargreaves. The lock has been out of action since the Sharks’ fourth game of the Super 14 against the Blues with a foot injury which was initially supposed to take just a few weeks to heal but which eventually extended to several months. Word from Durban is that Hargreaves is ready to play immediately if required, but if he does play against Boland, it will probably be off the bench.
The bad news for the Sharks is that the injury to Wiehahn Herbst will, as coach John Plumtree puts it, “seriously stress our depth in that area”. The prop dislocated an ankle against WP and is out for the rest of the season.
Once the Bok reinforcements return from New Zealand and Australia the absence of Herbst, who played impressively after only recently being introduced to this level of rugby, won’t be so keenly felt. But the match at Loftus in 10 days time could have a vital impact on the Sharks’ chances of booking a home semi-final.
Well they have run out of options to captain the side. Which other Jan could they select ?
Hellooooo!
good to se the boy from swellendam back as captain.
I remember watching him play for SHS with my cousin and also for SWD, and I still enjoy seeing him out there.
A true rugby legend from the Overberg, like Paul Treu.
Go you good thing Stefan!!!
Weskusgermaan, jy het geregistreer en jy is natuurlik aanvaar!
Blog maar, vrind !
@grootblousmile –
Welkom Weskusgermaan, goed om jou hier te sien!
Nou wat het nou van Tant San van Christiana se huisie geword?
Baie dankie. Ai man, ek is net erg besig en het nie altyd die tyd om te deel nie, maar is dankbaar dat ek weer deel van julle kan wees. Lekker dag aan julle almal.
@Weskus Germaan – Welkom hier by ons! Hoopelik is jy nie ‘n Lions of WP ondersteuner nie. 😆
Hahahaha…… Kom ek hou dit maar eers vir myself. Definitief nie Blou nie……..
@Pietman – Hello Piet, Agree Stefan done a great job while Muller was away and he will do it again.
8@Weskus Germaan – Hello jong, jou ou Weskus klong!
@grootblousmile – Dankie GBS.
Middag mense…Stefan het sy CC rugby daar op Wellington begin, saam met Nick Mallet as ek dit nie mis het nie.
Middag manne
Terblanche lyk na ‘n gebalanseerde persoon as hy die onderhoude voer. Ek dink nogal hy het nie te sleg gedoen as kaptein sover nie.
@Puma –
For sure bru.
Stefan is doing a great job, especially with taking the youngsters at the Sharks through their paces.
Solid as a rock at the back.
@Polla –
Ja, reg.
SWD-skole gespeel, en toe Boland toe.
Hy het Springbok geword by die Cavaliers.
Hy was een van die mees gevreesde spelers in sy skooljare daar in die SWD.
12 @ Polla – Hoe het hy by die Haaie opgeeindig? Was hsy provinsie nie deel van die Sharks in die S12 nie?
@Weskus Germaan –
Jy al terug in CU of nog in Zambia?
@Pietman – Hoe gaan dit Pietman?
@Snoek –
Haaie het hom van oorsee af gekoop, as ek reg onthou.
Dink hy het iewers in Wallis gespeel destyds (Ospreys?), saam met Percy-hulle.
Hy, Bobby en Percy het saam teruggekom.
@Snoek –
Lekker man dankie, moet net keer of dit gaan beter!
En daar by jou onder Majuba, hoe lyk die St B?
Vreet jou seker uit die huis uit.
Hy is vanaf Boland direk na Sharks in 99. Hulle het hom by Boland oorgeneem na Springbok sukses. Daarna oorsee na Ospreys (2003) en toe weer terug na Sharks (2007).
@Polla –
Daasit, dankie man.
@Pietman – Dank aan Wikipedia!
20 @ Pietman – Nee dit gaan sleg op die hond front. Die St Bernard is gesteel. My eiendom is van so aard omhein dat hy ontmoontlik self kon wegloop.
Kinders is baie hartseer, en ek moes vinnig plan maak. Laasweek maar ‘n ander hond gekry, weer ‘n monster (Great Dane), maar ek gaan hom ‘n chip laat insit.
@Pietman – 14
You right Piet, Stefan is like solid at the Sharks and is really good for the youngsters to have someone like him around.
Snaaks ou Rassie het hom nie opgeraap toe hy teruggekom het nie, Rassie like mos die ou vleuels!
Cheers all out of here now.
25 @ Puma – Howzit Puma, glad to see you here. I was the only Shark supporter here for a while, but now things are getting better.
@Snoek – Daai Great Danes is soos ‘n ou Ford F100…Baie swaer op brandstof en sukkel om die oggend aan die gang te kom!
Hello Pissant
Glad to see your name here. Always nice to read your comments on rugby.
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