Game time key – Du Preez
TODAY, a 27man Sharks Super Rugby squad departs for Brisbane for next Friday’s opening Super Rugby match against the Reds at the Suncorp Stadium, but the balance of the greater 45-man squad announced by coach Robert du Preez on Thursday will not be idle and at 3.30pm today will have a hit-out against leading Durban side Rovers.
The game is on KP3 at 3.30pm and is free.
Next week the same group of players will play against the Welkom-based Griffons.
Clearly Du Preez wants all of his 45 players having game time of some description before the Sharks return home from Australia for a round three match against the Waratahs.
The shrewd manner in which the coach is utilising all of his squad, either home or away over the next two weeks, suggests he is keeping his options open and wants to have as many match-fit players at his disposal as possible for the visit by New South Wales and the following week by the Southern Kings.
The side that start against Rovers is not short on big names in Rhyno Smith, Odwa Ndungane, S’bura Sithole, and a strong loose trio of Francois Kleinhans, Jean Deysel and Khaya Majola.
Interestingly, on the bench are two flyhalves from last year’s Currie Cup in Inny Radebe and Garth April, while the starting 10 is the exciting Bernhard Janse van Rensburg.
The latter, like fullback Smith, has been contracted by Du Preez after stellar exploits for Pukke in the Varsity Cup.
Du Preez knows what he has in Radebe and April, and in Brisbane he will be keen to get a report on the form of Janse van Rensburg.
Sharks team to play Rovers: 15 Rhyno Smith, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 S’bura Sithole, 12 Marius Louw, 11 Morné Joubert, 10 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 9 Rowan Gouws, 8 Francois Kleinhans, 7 Jean Deysel / Wian Vosloo, 6 Khaya Majola, 5 Andrew Evans, 4 Rickus Zwart, 3 Gerhard Engelbrecht, 2 Kerron van Vuuren, 1 Mzamo Majola.
Substitutes: 18 Khuta Mchunu, 19 Clifford Jacobs, 20 Michael Meyer, 21 Hanco Venter, 22 Inny Radebe, 23 Garth April.
Sharks Tour squad: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Coenie Oosthuizen, Etienne Oosthuizen, Franco Marais, Jacques Vermeulen, Jean Droste, Jean-Luc du Preez, Juan Schoeman, Lourens Adriaanse, Philip van der Walt, Ruan Botha, Stephan Coetzee, Stephan Lewies, Tendai Mtawarira, Tera Mtembu, Thomas du Toit, André Esterhuizen, Clement Poitrenaud, Cobus Reinach, Curwin Bosch, Jeremy Ward, Kobus van Wyk, Lukhanyo Am, Lwazi Mvovo, Michael Claassens, Patrick Lambie, S’bu Nkosi. Sharks Super Rugby squad: Tendai Mtawarira, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Coenie Oosthuizen, Daniel du Preez, Etienne Oosthuizen, Franco Marais, Francois Kleinhans, Hyron Andrews, Jacques Vermeulen, Jean Deysel, Jean Droste, JeanLuc du Preez, John-Hubert Meyer, Juan Schoeman, Keegan Daniel, Khaya Majola, Lourens Adriaanse, Philip van der Walt, Ruan Botha, Stephan Coetzee, Stephan Lewies, Tera Mtembu, Thomas du Toit, André Esterhuizen, Benhard Janse van Rensburg, Clement Poitrenaud, Cobus Reinach, Curwin Bosch, Garth April, Hanco Venter, Inny Radebe, Jeremy Ward, Johan Deysel, Kobus van Wyk, Lukhanyo Am, Lwazi Mvovo, Marius Louw, Michael Claassens, Odwa Ndungane, Patrick Lambie (c), Rhyno Smith, Rowan Gouws, S’bura Sithole, S’bu Nkosi, Tristan Blewett.