The Sharks will have most of their senior players back after a long injury layoff or those returning from Springbok duty, This will however leave Plumtree with many headaches as to who to play or who to rest.
The Article below thanks to The Daily News.
IN THE words of coach John Plumtree, the Sharks got a “bit of a rev-up” during their post match reviews from Friday night’s unattractive win over the Pumas and are determined to lift their standards for this Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup match against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein.
The team was put through a no nonsense training session yesterday afternoon, involving returning Springboks Ruan Pienaar, Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira and Ryan Kankowski. Plumtree said the trio would come into selection contention this week. “They’re all available, we’ll have to just see how they fit back in because it can be quite difficult when they rejoin the squad and have to get used to what we’re doing again.
It’s going to be a week of getting them up to speed and seeing how they go. We’ll definitely consider them.” In addition, Bismarck du Plessis and Jean Deysel looked in good shape and appear to be over their injuries, with Plumtree explaining that they would also add to the options available should they receive medical clearance later in the week.
Jannie du Plessis also spent some time on the sidelines working on his fitness and conditioning, and will hope that he is declared available to join the team for a trip to his old hunting ground in Bloemfontein.
It may not be too long before some of the Boks are recalled to the national squad for the home leg of the Tri-Nations, and it will be interesting to see how they are integrated into the team during what could just be a brief spell with the Sharks.
Regardless, Plumtree said the team was focused on getting back into the right mental space after failing to front up as planned against the Pumas. “Clearly the attitude wasn’t right. We’ve spoken about that and we’ve been over the video and the guys had a bit of a rev-up… We want to go up to Bloemfontein with confidence and do really well. We’ve got the team that can do well against them and we believe that.
So we’re just going to prepare as well as we can this week and hopefully get a few guys back and then see where we are.” After their opening defeat to Griquas, the Sharks secured an impressive bonus-point win over the Blue Bulls before regressing again against the Pumas, and Plumtree admitted that they were desperate to get back up to the level they reached in the second week.
“I think we’re a much better team than what we showed against Griquas and also this past weekend against the Pumas. “We set a standard for ourselves against the Bulls and we know that if we want to be successful in Bloemfontein, we need to try get back up to that standard again. It’s a challenge the guys are looking forward to.” Defending club rugby champions Jonsson College Rovers and league challengers Acer Durban Collegians are set to meet in what is likely to be a thrilling title-deciding encounter in Durban this Friday night.
Collegians will have the homeground advantage at their Absa Stadium outer field club grounds (KP10), and will be determined to extend their one-point lead at the top of the House of Paint Moor Cup log. However, Rovers have a game in hand, and if they extend this season’s 11-game undefeated streak, there will surely be no way back for Collegians.
When the two teams clashed in the first round, Rovers secured a thrilling one-point win in a match played in driving rain for much of the time. It’s the only loss Collegians have had this season, and they’ve looked to be hitting their straps since returning from a mid-season break during the World Cup.
This past weekend they hit the 50-point mark, sharing eight tries between them against a gallant Airtron Harlequins outfit as they backed up big wins over Envirosan Old Boys and Foton Maritzburg Varsity in recent weeks.
Rovers also made sure of the tryscoring bonus point against third place Goss and Balfe Crusaders, with former Sharks centre Rudi Keil adding a spark off the bench and going over for one of the five-pointers. Meanwhile, in other results from this past weekend, Old Boys defeated ChemSpec Jaguars 26-5 and Maritzburg Varsity secured their third win of the season with an impressive 33-20 triumph over Thanda ZRA Zululand Rhinos.
Well the Sharks could push a very string team intop the fiel this weekend??
which way will plumtree go????
free state have a strong scrum so my guess is beast jannie atleast to play, bismark prolly off the bench??
ruan flyhalf??
many interesting questions
does he take a risk and play a loose trio of
deysel,alberts,kanko???
possible sharks team
15 ludick
14 mvovo
13 stefan
12 lambie
11 jpp
10 ruan/meyer
09 ruan/mcleod
08 kanko
07 alberts
06 deysel/botes
05 hargreaves
04 sykes
03 jannie
02 Burden/bismark
01 beast
16 bismark/burden
17 cilliers/herbst
18 skeate
19 daniel/botes/deysel
20 mcleod/meyer
21 swannie
22 strauss/odwa
@ sharky_forever:1 – Sharky, That loose trio against Stormers in the S14 was devastating. Now though I would play them from the bench. Or start with Alberts and let Deysel and Kanko come from the bench. The other players have done the business, but think we need a strong ball carrier to start with, then bring on Deysel in the 2nd half and Kanko. Daniel has been our top try scorer too. Needs to start.
Nice looking team that, Deysel and Alberts back is outstanding news, think they play well together, and hopefully no passangers this year.
Start with Ruan at FH. Mcleod has been good. Also Bismarck has to come from the bench. When we played the Bulls Burden played really well that night. Never saw the game against the Pumas so have no idea.
@ Treehugger:4 – Treehugs, That is a great team up there. With all the other players back it will give Plum some thinking this week.
@ Puma:
Hi Puma, do you remember a couple of seasons ago we were doing really well, then the boks came back, were put into the team and we were then awefull.
Sounds like Plum remembers that as well and is not just going to put them in if they not up to standard.
@ Treehugger:7 – Treehugs, Plum will be thinking about that. I am sure he will select right.
Good luck to our Sharks.
Freestate at home is a tough call!!!
they sorted the Bulls last week and their tails are up!!
Hello,
Good for the Sharks to have their players back!
I went and played some squash this afternoon late. It was wonderful, first time in a very long time and I played against a very good club player…. and did extremely well…. hell the natural fittness kicked in and we played for about an hour and a half with 2 short 5 minute breaks inbetween…. and the lungs held.
Only thing is my left arm is now half dead and I’ve got a blood blister on my right pinkie finger from hitting myself with my own bloody racket!
From now on every Monday afternoon late will be squash time!
@ grootblousmile:
You are going to be so stiff if you havent played for a long time, any bruises from crashing into the wall ? or being whacked by the ball 😆
11@ Treehugger:
I’m amazingly fresh this morning.
Learnt an old trick…. drink a heaped teaspoon of Eno’s after serious excercise… it replaces the mineral salts which makes you stiff…
hugs @ 11
😯 whats all this “stiff” talking so early in the day?
@ grootblousmile:
Are you serious? cos that is good to know if it really works.
@ Ashley:
You see now why i am worried about poor old Sharky, you are going to corrupt him.
hugs @ 15
he’ll looooooooooooove it so much down here in the cape,
he’ll
be a stormers supporter in no time!! 😀
14@ Treehugger:
Works like a charm…. also good for muscle cramps.
Was given the advice by marathon athletes…. apparently lactic acid manages to build up if your body salts and minerals gets depleted.
So, take Eno’s before and after excercise…. problems sorted.
@ Ashley:
That is my worry lololol, dont dare corrupt him, i will hunt you down and have someone inflict pain on you, have connections in Cape Town you know. 👿
Anyway the Sharks jersey much better colour, black can be worn on all occasions 😆
@ grootblousmile:
Going to take it when i walk the game fences on neighbours property looking for snares and traps, its a all day affair, just worried bout getting a runny tummy in the bush lolololololol.
No man, Eno’s does not give runny tummy… or gippoguts!
@ grootblousmile:
Gippoguts, havent heard that word in ages.
noudat hugs soe praat van sharky wat afkô kaap toe, lattit my sommer dink anie eeste keer toe ekke vi gbs ontmoetit … ‘itet soe gebeur
…
soe ñ paar jaar trug kô ou gbs mos vi’ business kaap toe, en aangesien ekkie ienagste ene is wat hy inni kaap ken, kontakie ou my mos. ek beslyt toe ek moetie ou darem sieeeeee toe vat aangesienit oekie ou se eeste kee’ byrie sieeeeee sil wies. o’s is toe ra weg .. ekke gewapen met my speedo en ou gbs met sy digital camera soelat hy allie wonnerlike goeters byrie sieeeeeee ka afniem.
byrie sieeeeeee gekô, en ou gbs is onmiddelik ge-amaze deurie siemeeue …. oral waar da siemeeue is, da issie ou en hy vat photos … ek los toe mos marrie lat hy angan … nie te lankie offie ou kô na my toe angehatloep, oë soe groot soes pierings .. ek dink toe ees hulle’tie ou gerob, ma nee sien ek toe, daa hangie camera nog
…
ytasem kô die ou toe by my an … en al wat hy ka ytkry is
ashley
ashley
ashley
het julle gewiet julle fokken dywe kan swem? 😀
22@ Ashley:
Hey, die balju sal jou weer bel!
gbs @ 23
lmao
gedog jy gaan dit sê!!
@ Ashley:
You should have put that in English, all i got was that you wear a speedo when meeting people 😯 (confirmed my worst fears) and GBS’s eyes were huge (most proberly with fear), and he had a camera.
hugs @ 25
thought your hubby was afrikaans?
anyway
a lot of that wouldve been lost in translations, though
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