SA franchises in 2013

[Draggs]

I am just a bit disappointed we had to see Viljoen at fly-half for so long. I would have preferred a U21 fly-half in stead of playing a full-back out of position. Fred Zeilinga could have gotten his chance.

We lost 3 locks in Skeate, Sykes and Ali but all three are not good enough. Now we have 3 young lads coming through (Marais brothers and du Toit) plus some experience in Franco van der Merwe.

Viljoen did a decent job for the first half of the season.
We aren't rushing U21s in, which I think is a good idea. Let them develop at their own speed, and give them a shot during the Vodacom Cup and SR.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

You prefer guys like Williams, Dell and Zeilinga to get a shot in Super Rugby in stead of the Currie Cup? That's a bit weird.

We still need a proper back-up for Lambie. Bosman is good enough but I wonder if he can keep up the pace he has shown lately.

 

[Draggs]

No, I prefer to see them play through their age group at the CC and maybe a few bench cameos in SR once the VC has ended.
I don't want to risk young players getting injured like what happened to du Toit.

Hauptfleisch, Zeilinga, and du Plessis are three young outside halves, one has bound to come good within a year.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Hmm, that does make sense. That way, the U21 team in the Currie Cup doesn't suffer.

 

[Draggs]

Hmm, that does make sense. That way, the U21 team in the Currie Cup doesn't suffer.

Precisely. We should have a reasonably strong VC team. Our young props, Peet Marais, Kleinhans, Stander amongst the forwards; Zeilinga, Williams, Lindique, Prinsloo for the backs.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

I think Joubert, Sithole and Bosman might see some VC action as well. I don't see them being in the match 22 on a regular basis in the Super Rugby season.

 

[Draggs]

I think Joubert, Sithole and Bosman might see some VC action as well. I don't see them being in the match 22 on a regular basis in the Super Rugby season.

Same with Hoffmann and Mjekevu (neither saw even the bench this year).
I hope we bring some young scrum halves through. Ungerer or Venter, perhaps.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

I am just happy Reinach came through. Now we have a decent scrum-half with possible Bok abilities in the near future in stead of the knock-on king Charl McLeod.

 

[Draggs]

I am just happy Reinach came through. Now we have a decent scrum-half with possible Bok abilities in the near future in stead of the knock-on king Charl McLeod.

Cobus is damn-close to the scrum half position on the Draggs XV.
He makes a few little mistakes, but I don't see them get him down, which is great to see. Plenty of skill and confidence, he can become a very good scrum half.

 

[TRF_heineken]

We should also bear in mind that most teams only start with the transfers after the currie cup has finished, not that I think much shopping will be done, but you never know, A lot can change in the next few months.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

I am just amazed at the improvement we made over the last 2 years. Especially in the center-department.

Going from Strauss/Swanepoel/Jacobs/Terblanche to a situation where we have Steyn/Jordaan/Whitehead is a massive improvement. Like stormer2010 said, we lost number but gained quality. We are without Skeate, Sykes and Hargreaves but with Marais brothers and du Toit coming through the ranks we are even better suited in the lock depth. Imagine what we lost over the years when it comes to the forwards...

Carstens, Smit, BJ Botha, Ackermann, Muller, Venter, Britz, van den Berg, Cilliers, Skinstad, Downey, Skeate, Hargreaves, Rhodes... Not all Bok material but we lose so many players year after year and we finally seem to have found a way to include youngsters in our squad. Look at the age of most of our lads... Jandre Marais, Peet Marais, Bresler, Coetzee, Reinach, Lambie, Pietersen, Jordaan, Whitehead, Ludik... Not even 26 yet.

 

[Draggs]

Remember discussing the average age 18 months ago?
I am a firm believer in the involvement of younger players, and the Sharks have shown how to do this successfully.
I genuinely thought Ludik was 27/28, still plenty of life in those legs!

Don't forget we have Kleinhans, Cloete, and some other lad (can you help me, bru?) coming in for when Botes eventually calls it a day. Not that it will ever happen.

Compare our team to that of 18 months ago. Bresler, Marais brothers, du Toit, Coetzee, Reinach, Whitehead, Jordaan weren't even in the 22 possibly, now they are first choice! In the case of a few, they hadn't even been involved with the Sharks main side yet.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

You mean my new crush Brynard Stander?

 

[Draggs]

You mean my new crush Brynard Stander?

Ah, yes

What does Kanko think?
And Coetzee?
And Lambie?
And McLeod?

Good news, our massive young wing Emil Schwarz is anticipating a return to rugby soon. He was ~190cm and 100kg in 2011, and still under 20. Terrible leg injury in 2011, but he has somehow made it through.
I heard about this a few weeks back, just seemed relevant with this thread.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Kankowski will always be my number 1 but once a player makes it into the first team, I always pick a new young lad to follow.

It happened with Lambie, he made the first team. Then Coetzee, he is even a Springbok after his first year of rugby. Now Stander and once he breaks into the starting line-up, I will find a new one again.

 

[Draggs]

Kankowski, the solution to the lack of Jaque Fourie! I have no clue what I was on when I was adamant about it, but it would have been funny as hell to see.
If I remember correctly, this was during the end of Terblanche and Joubert, so they were dark days.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Well, we both were convinced he would be a good center. He lacked strength for the backrow but somehow this season he bulked up and has found his 2007 form! He is the solution to the Spies issue with the Boks... We have Vermeulen and Kankowski who both play better than Pierre Lateral.

 

[Draggs]

Jacques Botes.
If he was called up, he would give everything. What I would give to see Botes have just a few minutes on the field for the Boks.

I think Peet Marais will be the unlucky one of our second rows and play VC. Bresler is first choice, du Toit and MaraisJ seem to be well-regarded, and van der Merwe is likely to play.
Our VC backrow should be immense.

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Our VC team will look something like this:


1. Nick Schonert
2. Monde Hadebe
3. Allan Dell
4. Peet Marais
5. Pieter-Steph du Toit
6. Francois Kleinhans
7. Brynard Stander
8. Lubalalo Mtembu
9. Conrad Hoffmann
10.Fred Zeilinga
11.Sibusiso Sithole
12.Heimar Williams
13.Marius Joubert
14.Rosco Speckman
15.Gouws Prinsloo


Only Zeilinga not having first team experience

 

[Draggs]

That is a decent XV. I think du Toit will have some SR time as well. I'd rather send van der Merwe to VC, but you know how I feel about young Sharks.
Cloete is another option for openside, I think they shifted Kleinhans to blindside to accommodate Cloete this year.

Piet Lindeque has shifted to wing successfully, he could be an option over Speckman if we want size. Also capable of playing in midfield.