Selection posers for Plum
9 Feb 2010
Willem Alberts’ availability for the Sharks’ match against the Chiefs is still in doubt due to a legal battle with the Lions.
The Lions lodged a complaint against the Sharks for fielding Alberts in the Tri-Series and the judicial hearing will start on Wednesday, with an outcome unlikely before the opening round.
Before Saru intervened, the Sharks maintained they would play Alberts and Louis Ludik – who is still undergoing rehabilitation – until the matter is resolved, but Sharks CEO Brian van Zyl said a decision hadn’t been made regarding the Super 14 opener on Saturday.
‘Who knows how long the judicial process will take and we’ll make up our minds whether Willem will play pending the outcome of Wednesday’s meeting,’ Van Zyl told keo.co.za.
If Alberts is available, Sharks coach John Plumtree faces a poser in deciding whether to select the former Lions No 8 or Ryan Kankowski. Alberts added greater physicality to a below-par pack in the pre-season, while against the combative Chiefs loose trio of Sione Lauaki, Liam Messam and Tanerau Latimer, Alberts’ bulk would be a boon.
Alberts is also more likely to consistently breach the advantage line than Kankowski, which will provide the Sharks backs with a platform, while his defence in channel one is superior to Kankowski’s. The Springbok loose forward is also better-suited to a role off the bench, but that might all be irrelevant if the Sharks take the safe stance of not selecting Alberts due to Wednesday’s hearing.
Plumtree also has some big decisions regarding the fitness of Ruan Pienaar (knee) and Adi Jacobs (shoulder). The pair are recovering from injuries and backline consultant Hugh Reece-Edwards said a decision will be made by Tuesday afternoon.
‘Were hoping they’re both fit and a lot of it comes down to how they practice early in the week,’ Reece-Edwards told this website. ‘We’ve left it to the medical staff and we’ll have a lot more clarity after Tuesday.’
If Jacobs doesn’t recover, Waylon Murray will start at 13, while the options at flyhalf include Steve Meyer and Monty Dumond. Reece-Edwards has been happy with the progress of Meyer since his return from Perpignan.
‘Steve knows most of the boys very well, so he’s slotted in nicely. There’s been no animosity with his arrival, there’s a good vibe in the squad.
‘The big positive is he’s been playing regular rugby in France. We were happy with what we saw in that half hour against the Stormers, but many of the selections depend on the game we play in terms of the weather.
‘Steve’s a good running flyhalf with quick hands, but it’s bloody hot here at the moment with very high humidity [which is set to continue for the rest of the week].’
Turning his attention to the Chiefs, Reece-Edwards is fully aware of the attacking threat the Kiwis pose, even without Mils Muliaina and Lelia Masaga.
‘We lost two pre-season matches which was a big concern for a lot of people, but we weren’t unhappy in terms of our aims.
‘We know they have fantastic backs, but their strength can also be negated by the weather. From our perspective, it’s more of a case of looking at our own attack, rather than looking at it defensively. We know we have to look for extra bonus points this season.
‘There are a couple of big names missing from the Chiefs, but the quality is still there.’
By Grant Ball
118 Comments
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9 Feb 2010, 05:52 am
Murray has had no game time for months. Throwing him into the Super 14 is not very intelligent strategy.
9 Feb 2010, 06:03 am
@Predawn:
I doubt that Murray’s skills, ability and certainly his current form has got ANYTHING to do with his selection
9 Feb 2010, 06:23 am
@Hondo:
This is a given…..
9 Feb 2010, 06:35 am
It will be going to be fun all afternoon
Just imagine the Chiefs’ canibals running at Vulindlu/Mvovo, Murray, Jacobs and Ndungane.
I feel sorry for HRE, he no doubt will take the blame for these forced selections
9 Feb 2010, 06:41 am
@Predawn:
Sure, but it got to be mentioned.
With a Kiwi referee, the Chiefs will have a field day with their short forward passes.
Hope Ruan will not play, or he will take all the blame
9 Feb 2010, 06:44 am
Good morning all.
Must say it can’t be perfect for a coach not knowing who’s gonna play 3 day’s before the tourny starts.
9 Feb 2010, 06:46 am
The Sharks bragging of an academy produced the likes of Ross Cronje and Luzuko Vulindlu for the entire 2009 season…wow!!!
The Sharks Academy toured the Cape in 2009 downing all their opposition in in six matches.
Where is the talent now?? When do these 19 and 20 year olds make their appearance?
9 Feb 2010, 06:56 am
well who should plumtree play you bigotted geniuses? Who, Andries Strauss? Who is the caucasian outside centre that deserves to play for the sharks on merit and murray is taking his place?
9 Feb 2010, 07:07 am
ag arme Sharkies in disarray and of no fault of any politician but of their very own self made making, poor Sharkies scraping the bottom of the barrel when the other franchises coffers for their perennial raiding becomes bare then they gotta start relying on their own self bred talent, and then we see just how thin and meager such banana flavored talent actually is.
Alberts and Ludick made one mammoth F’up hooking their star to Plums wagon, I bet deep down inside they both hoping that judiciary overturn’s their cases and they’re sent packing back up the highway homeward to good ol Grand Golden Lions country where they actually belong.
9 Feb 2010, 07:10 am
@skopskiet:
It’s true.
9 Feb 2010, 07:11 am
@Pearl Rose: hey broer, you have got way to much aggression in you so early in the morning…
relax a bit…
9 Feb 2010, 07:20 am
You bloody bunch of doom sayers! Why you guys hating on the Sharks? Must be Stormer and Bulls supporters. Well at least Bulls supporters have something to brag about. Anyway, I agree with Pearl Rose about the outside centre. Murray is a class act who has just been disrupted by injuries. Give him time to form a combination with Swanepoel and then he will return to his old form. The only area I have a mayor concern is flyhalf, I hope Meyer can do the job for us. And just one more thing, I think Mvovo has a bright future ahead of him, a class wing in the making.
9 Feb 2010, 07:23 am
@KingShark:
You’re not concerned that he has had no full contact for a whole season and is brought in to smash it up with the Chiefs? Haibo!
9 Feb 2010, 07:26 am
we all know where the sharks achilles heel is….and so does the rest of the super 14 teams…
But i still believe they will take the chiefs in Durban.
9 Feb 2010, 07:27 am
@Predawn
Well at least he is a bit better equiped to stopping those big guys fron the Chiefs than leg humper Jacobs is
9 Feb 2010, 07:27 am
@grant10:
Defence and flyhalf?
9 Feb 2010, 07:28 am
@KingShark:
Ja nee dis a feit.
9 Feb 2010, 07:30 am
@Predawn: so they have those problems as well??
9 Feb 2010, 07:31 am
Loose forwards, fullback..
9 Feb 2010, 07:31 am
I am anyway cautiously optimistic for this season.
Well I’m off, work calls enjoy guys…
9 Feb 2010, 07:31 am
@KingShark: these rugby geniuses here will not give you an option, they will keep harping on about murray’s supposed weaknesses.
9 Feb 2010, 07:48 am
Sharks will win this year’s S14 and Currie Cup.
9 Feb 2010, 08:00 am
@Johnny7: twisted:
9 Feb 2010, 08:00 am
@Charlie:
9 Feb 2010, 08:05 am
@ Grant, See your superior Gavin Rich on Superrugby wrote Adi Jacobs struggled with a hamstring injury, but you still obsessed with your shoulder injury story, what’s the truth in this one, oops I forgot you have the right to twist and turn the facts to put some meat on your boney info…
9 Feb 2010, 08:21 am
s14 Fantasy manager http(colon)//s14fantasy(dot)foxsports(dot)com(dot)au/M/home(dot)mc join the league using the code 501-127. Time to see who really knows their rugby.
9 Feb 2010, 08:22 am
@Charlie: Let’s see now..
, was it?
9 Feb 2010, 08:23 am
@Draken:
Vocken spammer!
9 Feb 2010, 08:25 am
@Charlie: Is that
like, or 
dislike?
9 Feb 2010, 08:25 am
My Sharks team to face the Chiefs…..
15. Stefan Terblanche (vc).
14. J.P. Pieterson.
13. Waylon Murray.
12. Riaan Swanapoel.
11. Ryan Kankowski.
10. Ruan Pienaar.
9. Rory Kockett.
8. Willem Alberts.
7. Jean Deysel.
6. Keegan Daniels.
5. Gerhard Mostert.
4. Steven Sykes.
3. Jannie DuPlessis.
2. John Smit (c).
1. Beast Mtawarira.
16. Deon Carstens.
17. Bismark DuPlessis.
18. Patric Cilliers.
19. Alistar Hargreaves.
20. Jacques Botes.
21. Monty Dumond.
22. Adrian Jacobs.
This is not a bad team at all btw. Then again learning that your head coach is interested in moving back to New Zealand to pursue a coaching job for another team could never be good for team morale right?
9 Feb 2010, 08:26 am
@Predawn: Decaf?
9 Feb 2010, 08:28 am
@Karma-zaf: I see no Kankowski, your reasoning?
9 Feb 2010, 08:28 am
@Karma-zaf: Interesting selection at 11.
9 Feb 2010, 08:29 am
@Johnny7: Check out 11
9 Feb 2010, 08:29 am
@Johnny7:
Ever since he was given a pk by that huge Italian Kanko has been a shadow of his former self.
Boys playing a man’s game.
9 Feb 2010, 08:43 am
@Johnny7:
LIKE 
9 Feb 2010, 08:47 am
@FireStraeuli: Haha! Interesting, So left field I completely missed it!
9 Feb 2010, 08:52 am
@Predawn: He’s definitely been slacking. But Italian you say? Must be on his mother’s side.
9 Feb 2010, 08:53 am
Gotta run, have fun guys.
9 Feb 2010, 08:56 am
Italian lock had the cheek to stand in the way of Kanko during a one off test in 2008 and knocked the laaitie clean out.
It’s been said that Kanko can’t even drive past Spiga d’Oro in Florida Road without screaming..
9 Feb 2010, 09:00 am
@Hondo: so you feel sorry for HRE? What has he done for the past decade that warrants empathy for him? Hugh Reece-Edwards was appointed through Sharks nepotism.
9 Feb 2010, 09:15 am
Waylon Murray is a much better player when on-form than Adi Jacobs
9 Feb 2010, 09:19 am
@Transformation:
Admittedly,there isn’t much that HRE can do with the Sharks back line of Vulindlu/Mvovo, Murray, Jacobs and Ndungane in the Sharks Backline, a no win situation, count on a 3 soft tries by the Chiefs as a given.
9 Feb 2010, 09:25 am
@WP_:
2-3 years ago it was the Styen-Barritt combo, last year during the CC a combo of Strauss-Rian Swanepoel was solid to say the least.
Can you compare those to the ‘dream’ partnership of Jacobs-Murray?
9 Feb 2010, 09:29 am
Barritt’s overrated… England can have him
I’d have Swanepoel and Murray with Jacobs coming off the bench as an impact player
9 Feb 2010, 09:43 am
Barrit is a good defence organiser. Mature beyond his young age.
Murray has what it takes to be a Bok. How to kill a player: choose him as AA selection and hey you dont have to be that good to play, like JP Pieterson.
Alberts, Deysel and Daniels are a hot combo, but will it be enough to hold out a red hot chifs.
Watch Vulindlu, i think he will start to perform. Ndugane is going to get flattened if he plays.
Go Sharkies!
9 Feb 2010, 09:49 am
@Hondo: @5 getting in your referee conspiracies early this year Hondo? lets not mention how the sharks were helped in games last year IN NZ when they had a SA ref…
season hasnt even started and you’re blaming referees, at least wait until after kickoff…
9 Feb 2010, 09:51 am
@KevinRack: I rate Vulindlu and Mvovo…
Ndugane is slow and he’s got piss poor hands… He surely cannot play
9 Feb 2010, 09:52 am
@poppa69: Hey poppa..
How you doing mate
9 Feb 2010, 09:54 am
@WP_: Hey Wp, Im great mate.. and you?
excited its finally upon us, though working all weekend nightshift so will have to use keo as my “television”…
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