Hargreaves in, Botes out

27 Oct 2011

John Plumtree has made one change to the Sharks’ match 22 that will face the Lions in the Currie Cup final on Saturday.

The only change sees lock Alistair Hargeaves selected on the bench in place of flanker Jacques Botes. Otherwise, it’s the same team that beat the Cheetahs 23-13 in the semi-final in Durban as flyhalf Frederic Michalak (thigh) and centre Marius Joubert (groin) have recovered from last weekend’s injuries.

With the addition of the seven returning World Cup Springboks in the starting line-up against the Cheetahs, the Sharks struggled with cohesion in the first half. Head coach Plumtree said the Lions’ continuity in selection will give them an advantage in this weekend’s title decider.

‘When we won the trophy last year, we were lucky enough to have the same team from start to finish over the course of the tournament, we had a cohesive unit,’ said Plumtree.

‘This year we’ve experienced a lot of challenges which the Lions haven’t. The challenge for us is that we have to gel as a team right from the first whistle. That’s something we’ve talked about. The Lions have that in place already and that will be the challenge for us. They’ve been playing well with that group all year.’

Sharks – 15 Pat Lambie, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Stefan Terblanche, 12 Marius Joubert, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Frederic Michalak, 9 Conrad Hoffmann, 8 Ryan Kankowski, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Keegan Daniel (c), 5 Ross Skeate, 4 Jean Deysel, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Craig Burden, 17 Eugene van Staden, 18 Alistair Hargreaves, 19 Marcell Coetzee, 20 Ross Cronje, 21 Adi Jacobs, 22 Lwazi Mvovo.


46 Comments

  • 1.ufo: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 13:11 pm

    no dragons….?? :shock:

  • 2.Bok fan: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 13:17 pm

    Lambie 12, Joubert 13 Terblanche 15 would make more sense

  • 3.Finfan: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 13:20 pm

    Only Conrad Hoffmann, Ross Skeate, Craig Burden, Eugene van Staden, Marcel Coetzee and Ross Cronje don’t have international experience. Sixteen players in the team do. No contest.

  • 4.John Galt: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 13:30 pm

    Plums selection policy only marginally improved. At least they’ve picked another lock.
    That being said, Lions by 8.

    No change at 12,13,14 means all the Lions need to do is equal us at colision time, which they are capable of doing, and we wont have any creativity or plan B.

  • 5.RL: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 13:30 pm

    What a relief, Botes was the only threat they had counter Minnie. Daniel is kak!

    Thank-you Plum.

    p.s. Hargreaves is super kak …. a coward.

  • 6.RL: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 13:34 pm

    Poor Bambie, I feel sorry for him having to stand right at the while the Froggie gets a front seat to watch Elton bedazzle him.

    Lambs shame.

  • 7.Great White Shark: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 13:37 pm

    I can’t wait to put your theories to the test.

    It’s at times like this that I enjoy being a Sharks fan…

  • 8.FawltyRich: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 13:57 pm

    Great looking team I think. Go Sharks!

  • 9.Finfan: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 14:00 pm

    @FawltyRich(FawltyRich)-8: They’re “great looking”? You’re on the wrong website mate. But they do play great rugby. ;)

  • 10.FawltyRich: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 14:02 pm

    LOL : ) Walked right into that one hey…

  • 11.Horings: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 14:09 pm

    Lions should play a quick high tempo game playing away from first contact points. Rather make the contact in the channels outside Joubert as one risk with that gameplan (being turnovers) is not that big with no fetchers from the opposition.

    Given Mitchell’s remarks on supersport he will look at ways to play Bismark out of the game. There is for instance no risk of turnover from lineouts and scrums if the only player capable of turnovers is the opposition hooker.

  • 12.THE MAULER: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 14:12 pm

    According to RL All the Sharks are kak!!

  • 13.Horings: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 14:13 pm

    Then again the Sharks can force turnovers by playing the numbers game at the breakdown. Pity Beast is not as good in the cleaning department, but Alberts and Bismark can easily turn over posession by cleaning the opposition players off the ball.

  • 14.mshiniwami: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 14:14 pm

    @Bok fan(Bok fan)-2:

    9.Michalak 10.Lambie 11.Mvovo 12.Jacobs 13.Joubert 14.JP 15.Odwa

    Terblanche is done.
    Hoffman is average

  • 15.Horings: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 14:17 pm

    @mshiniwami Interesting backline. Michalak won numerous trophies at Toulouse playing scrumhalf. Not sure Joubert will step up.

  • 16.mshiniwami: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 14:21 pm

    @Horings(Horings)-15:

    Yeah

    Midfield is a huge problem for Sharks. They skipped a beat with not blooding Jordaan & Lindeque from u21′s.

  • 17.Tiptackle: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 14:21 pm

    @Finfan(Finfan)-3: There’s that “E” word again !!! The same one the Boks kept using at RWC 2011…….hmmm

  • 18.pokkel: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 14:29 pm

    This game will be decided by which Freddie pitches up on the day.

  • 19.pokkel: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 14:35 pm

    @pokkel(pokkel)-18:

    At least the Sharks have enough fullback cover so if Freddie does have a shocker Lambie can go to 10.

    I would have started Lambie at 10 in any event.

  • 20.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 14:47 pm

    Biggest rugby brand in the world about to CASH in!

    All Blacks go to Paris looking for sponsorships
    Sapa-AP | 27 October, 2011 07:540 Comments

    Four days after beating France in the Rugby World Cup final, the New Zealand Rugby Union has announced it will open a commercial office in Paris.

    Chief executive Steve Tew said the office would open before the end of the year and would focus on attracting European sponsors and commercial partners for the World Cup-winning All Blacks.

    Tew said “we see this as the next step for the All Blacks brand if we want to be seen to take this market seriously. France is the biggest market for the All Blacks outside of New Zealand.”

  • 21.Tiptackle: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 15:00 pm

    @pokkel(pokkel)-19:

    Gotta ask what the heck Freddie is doing there in the first place……can’t believe da Shaaks don’t have any other options at 10 ?? apart from Lambie that is…….

    ST and MJ in the middle……crikey those guys are both well past their best…..

    Sharks forwards will have to do da bizniss without too much help from 9 – 13….Lions have the edge in the backs methinks…

  • 22.au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir...: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 15:13 pm

    heart says lions…head says sharks…

  • 23.clownface: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 15:18 pm

    sharks to get banged with all their has been boks…LIONS!!!!

  • 24.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 15:21 pm

    where’s that fool francois573?

  • 25.BULLET: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 15:33 pm

    Hargreaves is super kak! How did he ever become a bok!

  • 26.Treehugger: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 15:38 pm

    SHARKSSSSSSSSSSSSS ! ! ! ! ! !

    What has happened to Mcleod ?

  • 27.clownface: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 15:39 pm

    bought 10 tickets for game and reselling them to make a killing….lol

  • 28.Treehugger: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 15:40 pm

    Maybe they chose Hargreaves for the lineouts.

  • 29.pokkel: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 16:00 pm

    @Treehugger(Treehugger)-26:

    He broke his pelvis. Out injured.

  • 30.Bok fan: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 16:11 pm

    @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-14: Jacobs isnt a 12, underrated 13 when his shoulders fine but not a 12.For a close final Terblanche would be a very solid option at the back IMO. Also Michalak doesnt like playing 9, said to Plumtree when he moved that hes coming as a 10 that can play 9 if they desperate.

  • 31.sondebok: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 16:40 pm

    Eish that hargreaves is a dodgy player. Lions have the synergy, if they hold their cool and don’y let the occasion get the better of them they should take this one by 9 points, which will be good for sa rugby.

  • 32.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 16:43 pm

    @sondebok(sondebok)-31: Hey bud, long time no see. Didn’t know you still frequented these parts.

  • 33.NoRugbyGuru_0_: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 16:44 pm

    I’m so glad people are starting to see what a shitt player hargreaves is! Oh my word, he’s overrated! What makes it worse is that he thinks he’s the best thing since two ply toilet paper.

    Hargreaves, you are k@k, fark of you poesie!
    ;-)

    Now I feel better…

    Nice :-)

  • 34.sondebok: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 16:50 pm

    Hey katman, hows it going? It’s been a while but i have some time to blog these days during me 90 minute commute.

  • 35.sondebok: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 16:54 pm

    Hargreaves haa the right attributes to be a wp lock: yellow belly and as much guts as kalk bay snoek.

  • 36.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 16:55 pm

    @sondebok(sondebok)-34: What? You live in Wocester?

  • 37.sondebok: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 16:57 pm

    Close katman, paarl. A hop skip and a jump up the northern line on the business express.

  • 38.NoRugbyGuru_0_: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 17:00 pm

    The white train… Small world ;-)

  • 39.Tuna: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 17:02 pm

    I see Rhodes’s profile is still on the Sharks website. You guys miss that “reject”?

  • 40.sondebok: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 17:04 pm

    @no rugby guru: wonder what et would have to say about that!

  • 41.NoRugbyGuru_0_: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 17:12 pm

    Some conspiracy perhaps, the rondevoix point for white arrogant pigs ;-)

  • 42.sondebok: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 17:20 pm

    Pity the damn thing is almost always late, otherwise he could have acuused the venerable machine of having white tendencies:-)

  • 43.Gunther: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 17:43 pm

    @sondebok(sondebok)-42:

    Hawu!

  • 44.Treehugger: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 17:56 pm

    @pokkel(pokkel)-29: :shock: didnt know that, shame not bungy jumping or horse riding for him then.

  • 45.sondebok: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 17:58 pm

    @gunther: haibo!

  • 46.Bludeks: Reply to this comment
    27 Oct 2011, 20:59 pm

    5.RL:
    Suggest you’re another who should restrict his writing to the toilet walls,To whicn your idiotic utterances are better suited

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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