Currie Cup: Western Province - Natal Sharks (11-08-2012, 17:10)

[Draggs]

We might want to keep him with the nippers if he is the captain, but a start or two would certainly be deserved.
There is a big centre in the U19's to look out for, Gareth Meikle. We just have to keep them in KZN!

Hauptfleisch isn't getting too much time with Zeilinga and his boot occupying the 10 shirt.
Has Zeilinga played scrum half? I am not suggesting moving him, I just have the idea in my head that he has.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Zeils plays both 9 and 10 and he is very versatile. You seem to be very focused on Hauptfleisch but both he and Zeilinga have both not really impressed yet in the u21 games. We really need to get ourselves a fly-half with some talent to fill the gap until one of those two is ready.

Hanco Venter seems to get the knot over Zeils for the scrumhalf position since Reinach moved up the ladder. Venter is very quick and a very feisty scrumhalf, almost Sarel-like. He is only 19 and joined the academy from Monument high school earlier this year. He played for the Lions in the 2010 Craven Week by the way.

We have a lot of talent in the scrumhalf department. Stefan Ungerer in the u19 team is home-grown and I hope he becomes the player he is predicted to be. He is still only 18 but this is his 3rd year in the u19 team of KZN.

 

[Draggs]

From what I have heard, Zeilinga is more of a kicker while Hauptfleisch is more of a playmaker. Purely preference for me.
The biggest thing is keeping these lads in the Sharks academy and teams. We can't just keep losing players.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

I am still upset about losing Ross Cronje. But these guys have to be kept because we don't have any fly-halves. Only Lambie but he is either injured, called up for the Springboks or plays as a full-back.

 

[Draggs]

I am still upset about losing Ross Cronje. But these guys have to be kept because we don't have any fly-halves. Only Lambie but he is either injured, called up for the Springboks or plays as a full-back.

I am hoping that the fullback nonsense will be sorted out. Jordaan at 13 so JP to wing, meaning Ludik at fullback.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

That should help. The whole JP at 13 experiment was nice while it lasted but we have center depth now... Never thought I'd say that about the Sharks.


9. Reinach - McLeod
10.Lambie - Bosman
11.Mvovo - Sithole
12.Steyn - Whitehead
13.Jordaan -
14.JP - Ndungane
15.Ludik - Viljoen

Every position has 2 options and if we add Gouws Prinsloo or Heimar Williams we have 2 players for each position.

 

[LittleGuy]

It's great to see the confidence that Coetzee has in Sinclair, definately a positive for Canadian rugby in general. Hopefully Jebb now has his fitness and conditioning in a better shape. That's a strong WP lineup, kind of regretting my Sharks by 5 pick on Superbru.

Why on Earth do I argue with my own genius?

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Hahaha, always nice to doubt yourself afterwards. I had Bulls by 17, but they won by 15. I also predicted the Cheetahs and WP to win, I guess I am just stubborn.

Just did the picks for next week. Interesting with WP going to Kimberley and the Blue Bulls going to Bloem. Lions at home for the Sharks should be an easy win.

 

[LittleGuy]

I had the Lions so I was 3 for 3, I think this years comp is going to be so much better down to 6 teams there are no longer the weekly write off games featuring the Leopards and Puma's.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Yeah, I just wish there was some more interest in the First Division. I cannot get anything on tv since there is no tv coverage as far as I know. It sucks because I am really interested in seeing Griffons, Valke, Eagles etc. play just to see what talent they have.

The other upside from the decreasing number of teams is that every match is televised now. Until last season it was only 3 out of 4 matches every week that had camera's present at the game.

 

[Draggs]

Did you catch the match, LG?
I tried to look for Sinclair to judge him, he had a mixed match. He set WP up with a nicely taken high ball on one occasion, but made a bit of a hash behind the scrum occasionally. Thought he was better than Mtembu.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Yeah, but Tera was just Terable He just doesn't have it yet. I think next week we might see Deysel at 8 with Kleinhans playing blindside.

 

[Draggs]

Tera is just a nipper, give him time. Agree. Deysel 8, Kleinhans 6. Botes and Kleinhans can see who can turn more ball over.
Botes is still a legend, just human. OK, still beyond human.

 

[LittleGuy]

Did you catch the match, LG?
I tried to look for Sinclair to judge him, he had a mixed match. He set WP up with a nicely taken high ball on one occasion, but made a bit of a hash behind the scrum occasionally. Thought he was better than Mtembu.

Yeah I caught almost the entire game but missed first 10 minutes, agreed with Sinclair, he has really stepped up his ruck clearing as well, on the negative side he also had a bad pass though to Aplon, perhaps it was the wet ball seemed like it slipped and went too low, unfortunately WP had some momentum at that point. Some bad mistakes by other WP players underneath the high ball though, Coetzee was not impressed in his post match comments with those errors.