With all the player movements being confirmed, rumoured etc, and me sitting at work a little bored I thought I should write something about where the Sharks are as a team and what their squad will look like come Januray 2013.
There has since been a few changes to the squad as Butch James is set to return for a six month stint, Also Piet lindeque the present Sharks U21 captain and academy member has decided to further his career in Pretoria as he has joined the university of pretoria.
If one takes a look at the Sharks squad depth going into the 2013 super rugby season it makes for pretty reading, yet there stay quite a few concerns.
In the long term one must ask the question as to what would be better for the Sharks. Is it better to purchase players from other unions? Or get them on loan? Or is it better to bring the youngsters through from the junior ranks?
This is where I for one start to question selections or purchases as does the player you buy have the same commitment to the jersey he now represents? Some players manage to get the mix right and some do not.
It would be easy to bring in the likes of Jantjes, and it would be nice to have him, but in his case it would be should term and that I feel would not be of benefit to the Sharks. It also sends a message to the fringe players that they are not good enough, thus I have reservations in loaning players from other unions.
What I mean by questioning selections is not about trying to differ from the coach who has far more insight, experience and knowledge than would be the case with us arm chair critics.
Now to get to the question is sit and ponder with is why a Riaan Viljoen play for example at fly half for the Sharks? When surely it would have been better for the long term to bring through a Fred Zeilinga, who is a natural 10, Meyer Bosman I can still understand as he Started as a 10.
Had he brought through Fred Zeilinga in the Currie Cup I feel he would have gained huge experience and thus been a solid back up to Patrick Lambie for next season, the other option is young Robert Du Preez junior who as captain of the under 19’s is showing huge promise and talent.
The latter however is still very young and although a big boy he surely should still play at least another season of junior rugby where he can still develop his game as a pivot and no doubt work on his kicking skills, but in saying that young Robert Du Preez is about the same age as Lambie when making his Sharks debut.
Getting back to the squad? Here is the group of players and their positions of which no doubt some will fall off the list due to injuries or for other reasons come January 2013, and maybe there will be one or 2 added that are either on loan or have been purchased outright.
Backs:
Full Back: Louis Ludick, Riaan Viljoen, Gouws Prinsloo
Right Wing: JP Pietersen, Odwa Ndugane,
Outside Center: Paul Jordaan, Wandile Mjekevu,
Inside Center: Frans Steyn, Tim Whitehead, Meyer Bosman, Heimer Williams
Left Wings: Lwazi Mvovo, Sibusiso Sithole
Flyhalf: Patrick Lambie, Butch James, Fred Zeilinga, Robert Du Preez jnr
ScrumHalf: Cobus Reinach, Charl Mcleod, Conrad Hoffmann, Hanco Venter
Forwards:
Eighthman: Ryan Kankowski, Keegan Daniel, Lubabalo Mtembu
Flank: Willem Alberts, Jean Deysel, Marcel Coetzee, Jacques Botes, Franscois Kleinhans
Lock: Anton Bresler, Jandre Marais, Peet Marais, Pieter- Stef Du Toit, Franco VD Merwe
Tighthead Prop: Jannie Du Plessis, Wiehann Herbst, Jullian Redelinghuys, Nick schonert
Hooker: Bismark Du Plessis, Craig Burden, Kyle Cooper, Monde Hadebe, Franco Marais
Loosehead Prop: Tendai Mtawarira, Dale Chadwick, Danie Mienie, Allan Dell
Of course some players cover more than one position and there is also the possibility of another player or two joining the Sharks from elsewhere but that for the most is what the squad should look like come 2013.
Good squad!
FB Nice depth – Gouws Prinsloo is a bright prospect.
Wings: No probs here – Odd-one (32) getting long in the tooth, but hey Odd-one is like a good red wine.
Centre: Joubert 34! But enough quality and depth
FH: Both Zeilinga and du Preez show promise, still raw, but if Bambie goes down Bosman can switch.
SH: Reinach is my choice for the starting berth, but good depth
8th: Nice depth
Flanks: Botes (33) getting along, and alot of new boys there. Deysel has fallen off the pace but is good backup
Locks: Is Franco confirmed? Good depth
Props: Only Jannie and Beast look credible for S15. Dell and Schonert were good at Junior level. Chadwick and Herbst haven’t impressed.
Hooker: Good depth
Hello Mr Sharky some interesting questions you raise, I can see why you’re questioning why young Zeilinga wasn’t ‘blooded’ in the Currie Cup for the longer term good, but as far as Super rugby goes think it would be far better for you guys if you managed to get Jantjies in, I know it may not be a long term solution but to be honest I think if you look at all the SA teams I think the Sharks team at the moment are probably the best squad on balance in the cycle if you look at the quality of experienced players you have and a mixture of some youth (but not too much) as well as continuity in coaching/management; so as far as I can see the next two years just HAS to produce success for the Sharks and maybe to get that you will have to add someone like Jantjies to the squad who will be more beneficial to helping you in that goal, doesn’t mean you can’t still involve the best young ones in some capacity, but I guess getting the balance of how that works will be up to the coaching staff. These young ones will take over in a few seasons time and for you it would be better for them to come in to an environment where there has been succes, some of your top senior players are probably at the peak now and maybe for another few seasons, thereafter they could slow down or look to go elsewhere, so basically in a long winded rounabout way what I’m saying is get the most out of your squad now that its at or should be near a peak in its cycle, the others are maybe a step behind but will be looking to make up ground so in a few seasons from success is less guaranteed for you guys. Far better to have won Super rugby at some time in the next few seasons and then maybe struggle for a bit than to have continued to have not won it and be a solid Currie Cup outfit a few seasons from now.
Cheetahs don’t look to shabby at this stage either. As you say, there will be additions, and some will fall away.
FB: le Roux, Daniller, Smit, Scheepers
Wings: Rhule, Rocco Jansen, Benjamin, Richard Lawson, Jannie Boshoff, Cameron Jacobs, Jamba Ulengo, Noble, Vulindlu
Centre: Joubert Engelbrecht, Walter Venter, Ebersohn, Geel, Sadie, JP Nel, Stemmet, Matt Rosslee, Louw
FH: Goosen, Elgar Watts, Brummer, Hansi Graaff
SH: van Zyl, Pretorius, Coetzee, Marnus Hugo
8th: Leon Karemaker, Phillip vd Walt, Raubenheimer
Flanks, Brüssow, Marnus Schoeman, Downey, Wesley Wilkens, Lappies Labuschagne, Frans Viljoen, (Juan Smith), Boom Prinsloo, Jonothan Adendorff
Locks: Andries Ferreira, Landman, Uys, Carl Wegner, Martin Muller, Waltie Vermeulen, Edwinn Hewitt
TH: Lourens Adriaanse, Rossouw de Klerk, Stef Roberts, Nyakane
Hkr: Strauss, Barnes, Liebenberg, AJ le Roux, Matt Dobson
LH: Coenie Oosthuisen, Caylib Oosthuisen, Brummer Badenhorst, Schalk van der Merwe
Your thoughts?
@ Cheetah4eva:
HIyas C4E
Yes Franco is confirmed
JC janse V rensburg is still to confirm.
I think the sharks will be ok mate, but i do worry about 10, I would have liked to see plum using Fred for example in the CC instead of Viljoen at 10, would of atleast prepared the kid for the bigger times.
The question on whether to buy or develop is a difficult one, and the answer is probably to try and achieve a balance somewhere in between, you mention players being bought maybe not as ‘loyal’ as home grown talent, but for these guys its a job and they must be professional when playing for the union. The problem with relying too much on your nursery is what happens somewhere down the line where for whatever reason a year or two doesn’t yield many good young ones, the other thing to keep in mind is how entitled so many young folk feel these days (well its certainly evident over here) and so feel they need to be elevated to higher positions far sooner than most of them should be and then you get the case that after being brought through by the Union they lose patience if their chance at the top level doesn’t come soon enough and go away anyway, not sure how much or if transfer fees get paid between Unions for players, but if not then it can be a bit of a waste to have spent a lot of time and money on someone who will leave anyway. This is a question that I have asked and wondered many times and not really got a clear answers ie. is rugby like football in the sense that Unions/clubs who are losing a player get paid a transfer fee by the place they are goind to?
@ Cheetah4eva:
Actually looking very good, surprising the Cheetahs dont win more, they have suck natural rugby footballers, but who knows, maybe next year could be theirs
@ BullscotBok:
Hiyas BS
YOU may be right, but will JAntjes be preepared to sit on the bench??/ MAybe the Sharks should have gone for Butch?? he aalreaady knows all the Sharks setups etc
7 @ Sharks_forever:
Its a long season and so am sure with proper planning you won’t play one flyhalf all the time so Jantjies should get ample playing time, so I guess it depends how its sold to him when/if they negotiate, but on the other hand surely if its only a temporary measure and he intends staying in SA, he should be jumping at a chance to play Super rugby next year and grateful to another team who will give him that chance. You will be better placed having seen him play this year if Butch is still playing well enough to be taken on loan, basically is Butch of Jantjies currently number one choice flyhalf at the Lions at the moment…
Howzit Cheetah, sorry tyd is min must dash back to work, will try catch up another time cheers all
@ BullscotBok:
I wont cry if Jantjes comes our way boet as i know its a very long season and our youngsters in Fred and Rob have not been given game time in the big league, so they will struggle,
BUt it seems according to reports that Jantjes is Cape bound
Well I reckon we would have done better had Goosen not crocked his shoulder vs the Chiefs. We were doing well till then, after that things went South rapido
@ Cheetah4eva:
True, I dont believe Goosen was ready for Test rugby, now HM has crocked him again,
Lol, don’t think it was HM’s fault, that lad just loves toget involved, and the injury was a freakish one. Same thing happened to Schalk Burger. If a player falls on your knee and it hyperextends, no matter how physically ready you are , something will go!
That said, they were a tad hasty to rush him in, I was quite happy to let Lambie run the show, and then he and the Goose could have fought it out on the EOYT! But it’s water under the bridge now
@ Cheetah4eva:
Yup, Still i hope Goose can strengthen up physically, he already has all the other attributes
The Sharks and the Cheetahs both sport cracking backlines. Going to be good to see them run! Lol, forgot the 7’s Cornal Hendricks is also going to the Cheetahs.
Sharks: Reinach, Lambie, Mvovo, Steyn, Jordaan, JPP, Ludik.
Cheetahs: van Zyl, Goosen/Watts/Brummer (mid season gulp), Rhule, Ebersohn, Sadie, Le Roux, Daniller
Bools: Vermaak, Steyn, Hougaard, Venter, Engelbrecht, Ndugane, Kirchner (methinks)
Stormers: Duvenhage, Jantjies, vd Heever, Jean, JdJ, Aplon, Pietersen
Kings: Oelshig, Catrakillis, Perez, Whitehead, Stevens, Sampson, SP Marais
‘Lets check forward power?
Sharks: Beast, Bissy, Jannie, Marais, Franco, Marcel, Alberts, Kanko
Cheetahs: Coenie, Strauss, de Klerk, Ferreira, Muller, Brüssow, Viljoen, vd Walt
Bools: Marcel vd Merwe, Chillipop, Kruger, Flip, Kruger, Stegmann, Potgieter, Botha
Stormers: Kitshoff, Libenberg, Malherbe, Eztebeth, Bekker, Kolisi, Elstadt, Vermeulen
Kings: Schalk Ferreira, Maku, Newland, Nell, Bullbring, Puke, Oosthuizen, vd Walt
dis n skreiende skande om die van reinach op n tjarks teamsheet te sien,eish wat het van ons jeug geword,die van reinach is in die vrystaat soos windsor in soutie land royalty
@ smallies,
Jy sien? Sê ek ook. Juis is die Tjarks ons B span!
A-Span Coenie B-Span Jannie
A-Span Atter B-Span Bissie
A-Span van Zyl B-Span Reinach
A-Span Strauss B-Span Bosman
A-Span Ebersohn B-Span Jordaan
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