Who will grab a late CWC slot?
SHARKS coach Robert du Preez has decided to roll out all of his firepower for a Super Rugby pre-season clash with the Bulls at Ashton College in Ballito tomorrow (2pm).
Against the Lions in Cape Town, it was very much about blooding some youngsters alongside a few veterans, but the coach’s team for this weekend indicates he means business.
Du Preez made no bones about picking a strong side to take on the Bulls in order to give his side a chance to gel before the rigours of Super Rugby take over.
“The team that will start on Saturday will be the team that starts against the Sunwolves,” Du Preez said. “But we also have another full team in reserve, so everyone that has been involved in our pre-season training will get a run... given what they have all put in, it is only fair.”
The likes of Beast Mtawarira, Coenie Oosthuizen and Ruan Botha get their first hit out of the year, while there is some continuity from the game in Cape Town with Curwin Bosch retained at flyhalf.
Robert du Preez jun was very much the incumbent for the Sharks last year at flyhalf, but if the coach’s words are ringing true, it could be that Bosch may be pulling the strings from pivot to begin the season.
Of course, it could be that Du Preez jun is being rested after a stint in the English Premiership at the end of last year. Andre Esterhuizen is also benched, probably another one who is getting a rest after he spent the last few months playing in Japan.
Having two full teams at his disposal for the clash in Ballito gives the coach plenty of options to test and try out, as well as ample opportunity for some youngsters to get closer to senior action. Players like Phepsi Buthelezi and Khutha Mchunu did well in Cape Town and will have another chance to impress off the bench.
Aphelele Fassi is another youngster who needs no introduction, but seems to be making the step up to high-level rugby rather rapidly as he will start the Bulls game at fullback. The rest of the backline is unchanged as the coach looks to get some early combinations in place.
The Lions game was not the result the Sharks would have wanted, but they also would not have cared much about the outcome. It was a game to shake off the rust, and there was plenty of that. WITH the World Cup just under two months away, the Momentum OneDay Cup could be the ideal platform for any player from the six franchises competing to put their name up in lights and barge their way into the 15-man Proteas squad. Here we profile five players who could do just that.
CAPE COBRAS: JASON SMITH
There are many who believe that the 24-year-old is the answer to the problematic No 7 spot in the Proteas’ ODI team. Due to his long levers, Smith hits a long ball but is equally adept at batting with the tail, which is crucial to the role. He can also bowl useful medium-pace and is more than capable of contributing five overs or more. At the moment he is down the pecking order below a few all-rounders, but if he is able to string a few consistent performances together in the One-Day Cup, he might just be a late inclusion on the plane to England.
WARRIORS: ANRICH NORTJE
The “Uitenhage Express” was the sensation of the Mzansi Super League through his sheer pace until an ankle injury brought his participation in the inaugural tournament to an early close. Despite the injury, Nortje was still picked up in the IPL auction by the Kolkata Knight Riders. Nortje has completed his rehabilitation and will test his fitness on Sunday in a provincial match for Eastern Province before being unleashed in the One-Day Cup next week. If he rattles a few batsmen again and goes on a wicket splurge, it may be tough to leave him out.
HIGHVELD LIONS: BEURAN HENDRICKS
It would have been great to see 20-yearold Wiaan Mulder compete in the OneDay Cup for the Lions, but just to show how highly he is regarded by the national selectors, Mulder received a Test call-up yesterday for the Sri Lanka series. A close eye should therefore be kept on left-arm seamer Hendricks. At 28, Hendricks can no longer be regarded as a youngster, but he is still a rookie in terms of international cricket. His stocks have certainly risen after a career-best T20I performance at Centurion in midweek and with Proteas coach Ottis Gibson keen to add variety to the attack, the fact that Hendricks is a leftarmer could just sway the vote his way.
TITANS: AIDEN MARKRAM & HEINRICH KLAASEN
The Titans duo finds themselves in the same boat. Unfortunately, they may both be left without a paddle if they don’t pile on the runs in the One-Day Cup. Klaasen has not made the most of his opportunities with the national squad but remains the first-choice back-up wicketkeeper. Markram has had to look on while the likes of Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen have passed him by. He will need an enormous tournament for the selectors to look his way again.
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